Fermented goat's milk modulates immune response during iron deficiency anemia recovery

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Iron deficiency and iron overload can affect the normal functioning of the innate and adaptive immune responses. Fermented milk products may enhance immune functions, but little is known about the effect of fermented milks on modulation of the immune response during iron deficiency anemia and recovery with normal or high dietary iron intake. Eighty male Wistar rats were randomly assigned to a control group fed a standard diet or to an anemic group fed a diet deficit in iron. Control and anemic groups were fed for 30 days with diets based on a fermented goat's or cow's milk product, with normal iron content or iron overload. RESULTS: In general, during anemia recovery lectin and alternative complement pathway activity and lactoferrin decreased, because it improves iron homeostasis, which is critically important in immune system functions. Fermented goat's milk diet enhanced immune function during iron deficiency recovery, suppressed oxidant-induced eotaxin and fractalkine expression due to the concurrent reduction of free radical production and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and monocyte migration and adhesion. The increase in interferon-γ can confer immunological colonization of gut microbiota and downregulate inflammation.CONCLUSION: Fermented goat's milk consumption enhances immune function, modifying complement pathway activity and decreasing pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as lactoferrin concentration, due to the improvement of iron homeostasis, which is critically important in the normal function of the immune system.

High-Protein Concentrated Pro-Yogurt (Pro-WPI) Enriched With Whey Protein Isolate Improved Athletic Anemia and Performance in a Placebo-Controlled Study

“…The so-called "bioactive peptides" (BAPs) are interesting from nutrition and healthcare perspectives (10). Probiotic bacteria were reported to enhance iron absorption and utilization because of bioactive factors of fermented milk; hence they enhance and protect from iron-deficiency anemia (32)(33)(34). On the other hand, whey protein-derived bioactive peptides were reported to show considerable capacity for binding properties for cations, such as calcium, iron, and zinc (35), and the potential to regulate the intestinal microbiota that encourages mineral absorption by the digestive tract (8), which can explain the significant increase of Hb of G1 and G2 who ate the PRO-WPI products compared to placebo.…”

Health potential of fermented goat dairy products: composition comparison with fermented cow milk, probiotics selection, health benefits and mechanisms

“…delbrueckii and St. thermophilus enhanced immune system function and decreased pro-inflammatory cytokines and lactoferrin concentration, which was attributed to improved iron homeostasis. 75…”