Suppression of Food Allergic Symptoms by Raw Cow’s Milk in Mice is Retained after Skimming but Abolished after Heating the Milk—A Promising Contribution of Alkaline Phosphatase

Abstract

Raw cow’s milk was previously shown to suppress allergic symptoms in a murine model for food allergy. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of fat content and heat-sensitive milk components to this allergy-protective effect. In addition, we determined the potency of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), a heat-sensitive raw milk component, to affect the allergic response. C3H/HeOuJ mice were treated with raw milk, pasteurized milk, skimmed raw milk, pasteurized milk spiked with ALP, or phosphate-buffered saline for eight days prior to sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin (OVA). Effects of these milk types on the allergic response were subsequently assessed. Similar to raw milk, skimmed raw milk suppressed food allergic symptoms, demonstrated by a reduced acute allergic skin response and low levels of OVA-specific IgE and Th2-related cytokines. This protective effect was accompanied by an induction of CD103+CD11b+ dendritic cells and TGF-β-producing regulatory T cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Pasteurized milk was not protective but adding ALP restored the allergy-protective effect. Not the fat content, but the heat-sensitive components are responsible for the allergy-protective effects of raw cow’s milk. Adding ALP to heat-treated milk might be an interesting alternative to raw cow’s milk consumption, as spiking pasteurized milk with ALP restored the protective effects.

Importance of food in the control of inflammation in atopic dermatitis

“…The animal behavior did not change during the research. In these studies, the topical use of some substances (DNCB, DNFB and DEE) (13,15,18,(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)26), some nutrients (cow milk, red Korean ginseng) (16,21), UV radiations (25) and injections with Apigenin (19) could explain the appearance of skin lesions in AD.…”

“…Also, Bifidobacterium adolescentis and lactis, Lactobacillus sakei, acidophilus and casie and Longum are beneficial probiotic bacteria (14,15). In order to suppress the allergic effect of pasteurized cow's milk, Abbring et al (16) treated it with alkaline phosphatase and obtained positive preclinical results.…”

The Impact of Milk and Its Components on Epigenetic Programming of Immune Function in Early Life and Beyond: Implications for Allergy and Asthma

“…The components in human and in bovine milk that can be isolated in large quantities have largely been studied as separate entities, because they are potential infant nutrition ingredients. Several of these components, such as transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) (120), bovine lactoferrin (121)(122)(123)(124), bovine alkaline phosphatase (19,125), bovine osteopontin (126,127), and the milk fat globular membrane (MFGM) (128), as well as milk exosomes (39), have been linked to immunological outcomes with varying levels of evidence (infection, allergy). Another milk component that may have more sustained immunological effects are bovine IgG antibodies.…”

Loss of allergy-protective capacity of raw cow's milk after heat treatment coincides with loss of immunologically active whey proteins

“…Serum OVA-specific IgE levels were quantified by means of ELISA as described elsewhere. 22 Results are expressed in arbitrary units, calculated based on an internal standard curve of pooled sera.…”

“…[18][19][20] Since recent research clearly demonstrates a loss of protection upon heat treatment, heat-sensitive raw milk components, like whey proteins, are the most likely candidates. 15,16,21,22 In contrast to caseins, whey proteins are susceptible to heat treatment. 23 Heating of these proteins induces processes like denaturation and aggregation which results in structural alterations that can lead to loss of functionality.…”