Whey peptide-based enteral diet attenuated elastase-induced emphysema with increase in short chain fatty acids in mice.

BACKGROUND: Systemic inflammation is present in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). A whey peptide-based enteral diet reduce inflammation in patients with COPD, but its effect on COPD development has not been determined. On the other hand, it is known that short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are produced by micro-flora in the gut, attenuates bronchial asthma in mice model. METHODS: Mice with elastase-induced emphysema were fed with 1 of 3 diets (control diet, whey peptide-based enteral diet, or standard enteral diet) to determine the effects of whey peptide-based enteral diet on emphysema and on cecal SCFAs. RESULTS: The whey peptide-based enteral diet group exhibited fewer emphysematous changes; significantly lower total cell counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF); and significantly higher cecal SCFA levels than either the control or standard enteral diet groups. The total cell count was inversely correlated with total cecal SCFA levels in these three diet groups. CONCLUSIONS: The whey peptide-based enteral diet attenuates elastase-induced emphysema through the suppression of inflammation in the lung. This may be related to the increase in cecal SCFA.

Recognition of T cell epitopes unique to Cha o 2, the major allergen in Japanese cypress pollen, in allergic patients cross-reactive to Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollen.

BACKGROUND: Pollens from species of the Cupressaceae family are one of the most important causes of respiratory allergies worldwide. Many patients with pollinosis have specific IgE to both allergens from Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollen. We set out to identify T cell epitopes in Cha o 2, the second major allergen of Japanese cypress pollen. METHODS: T cell lines (TCL) and T cell clones (TCC) specific to Cha o 2 were generated from allergic patients cross-reactive to Japanese cedar and Japanese cypress pollen. T cell epitopes in Cha o 2 were identified by responses of TCL stimulated with overlapping peptides. Abilities of IL-4/IFN-gamma production by TCC were evaluated using enzyme immunoassay. RESULTS: Using TCL, 11 dominant and subdominant T cell epitopes were identified in Cha o 2. The subsets of TCC were predominantly of T helper 2-type. A T cell epitope p141-160 in Cha o 2 and corresponding peptide in Cry j 2 showed high homology. Although TCC PC.205.159 responded to stimulation with p141-160 in Cha o 2, it did not respond with corresponding peptide in Cry j 2, therefore, the T cell epitope was unique to Cha o 2. CONCLUSIONS: Eleven T cell epitopes that were identified are unique to Cha o 2. Cha o 2 is a putative aeroallergen that can potentially sensitize human T cells. We concluded that generation of T cells specific to Cha o 2 in allergic patients acts as one of the causes of continuous allergic symptoms in April.

Effect of anti-inflammatory supplementation with whey peptide and exercise therapy in patients with COPD.

BACKGROUND: One of the major pathophysiologies in advanced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been attributed to systemic inflammation. Meta-analysis of the 2005 Cochrane Database concluded the effect of nutritional supplementation alone on stable COPD was insufficient to promote body weight gain or exercise capacity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of nutritional supplementation therapy using a nutritional supplement containing whey peptide with low-intensity exercise therapy in stable elderly patients with COPD. METHOD: In stable elderly COPD patients with %IBW and %FEV(1) of less than 110 and 80%, respectively, anti-inflammatory nutritional supplementation therapy was added to low-intensity exercise therapy. Thirty-six COPD patients were divided into those with and those without the ingestion of an anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement containing whey peptide, which exhibited an anti-inflammatory effect. These two groups were designated as the nutritional support and the control groups, respectively. The body composition, skeletal muscle strength, exercise tolerance, health-related QOL (HRQOL), and inflammatory cytokines were evaluated before and three months after nutritional support combined with exercise therapy in both the nutritional support group and the control group. RESULTS: In the nutritional support group, the body weight, %IBW, FM, energy intake, %AC, Alb, PImax, PEmax, 6MWD, WBI, emotional function, and CRQ total were significantly increased, and the levels of hsCRP, IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α were reduced significantly, while no significant change was noted in any item of physiological evaluation or any biomarker in the control group. CONCLUSION: Concomitant use of a anti-inflammatory nutritional supplement containing whey peptide, which exhibits an anti-inflammatory effect, with exercise therapy in stable elderly COPD patients with %IBW<110% and %FEV(1)<80% may not only increase body weight but may also inhibit systemic inflammation and thus improve exercise tolerance and HRQOL.

A new immune-modulating diet enriched with whey-hydrolyzed peptide, fermented milk, and isomaltulose attenuates gut ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Gut ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is considered an important mechanism underlying multiple organ failure after severe surgical insults. We previously demonstrated an enteral diet enriched with whey-hydrolyzed peptide, fermented milk, and isomaltulose to have anti-inflammatory effects in a concanavalin A-induced hepatitis model. Here, we investigated whether the immune-modulating diet (IMD), could prevent systemic inflammation, thereby improving survival in a gut I/R model. METHODS: Mice were randomized into control enteral diet (n = 58) or IMD (n = 56) for 2 weeks' feeding. In experiment 1, 39 mice underwent 45 min of gut ischemia, and were sacrificed at 3 h after reperfusion to collect blood samples. Plasma IL-6 and glucose levels were measured. In experiment 2, 75 mice underwent 60 min of ischemia, and their survival was observed until 48 h. RESULTS: Plasma IL-6 and glucose levels of the IMD group were significantly lower than those of control mice. In association with these changes, the IMD improved survival rate at early time points (12 and 30 h) after gut I/R (p < 0.05, χ(2) test). CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional management with the IMD may be useful for preventing systemic inflammatory response after gut I/R.

Dietary whey protein hydrolysate suppresses development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions induced by mite antigen in NC/Nga mice.

BACKGROUND: Oral administration of enzymatic hydrolysate of cow's milk whey protein (WPH) has been reported to produce an anti-inflammatory effect. Since inflammation plays a role in dermatitis of allergic disease, we examined the influence of WPH on the development of atopic dermatitis (AD)-like skin lesions, induced in NC/Nga mice by the mite antigen Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Dp). METHODS: AD-like skin lesions were induced on the pinnae and backs of NC/Nga mice by daily application of Dp for 4 weeks. Mice were fed cow's milk casein (control), WPH or casein protein hydrolysate (CPH) diets for 2 weeks prior to Dp application. Clinical skin conditions were evaluated periodically by a clinical severity score, total serum IgE and soluble E-selectin levels were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: WPH-fed mice showed significantly less AD-like skin lesions than those fed casein diets at 2 and 4 weeks after Dp application. In contrast, CPH-fed mice had manifestations in a similar manner as casein-fed mice did, and did not show an inhibitory effect. Serum soluble E-selectin levels, known as a marker of disease activity in AD patients, were significantly lower in the WPH diet group. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in addition to its hypoallergenicity an anti-inflammatory function, dietary WPH might be useful for reducing the severity of AD-like skin lesions.