Effect Of Bovine Colostrum Supplementation On Cytokine mRNA Expression In Weaned Piglets

The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of a bovine colostrum supplementation on the immune Th1/Th2 response in weaned piglets. After weaning at 21 days, 21 piglets were fed daily ad libitum with a starter diet supplemented for 3 weeks with 0, 1 or 5 g of bovine colostrum. Growth performances were measured weekly. Spleen and gut-associated lymphoid tissues (GALT) (ileal Peyer’s patch (iPP), jejunum wall (JW) and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN)) biopsies were collected on each piglet after the 3 weeks treatment and analyzed for their cytokine mRNA expression (IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, IL-12 and IFN) by RT-PCR. Growth performances were not affected by bovine colostrum (P > 0.05). In the colostrum groups, the iPP cells showed higher IL-4, IL-10 and IL-12 cytokine levels (P < 0,05), associated with a decrease of IFN-γ (P < 0,01) and no effect on IL-2 production (P > 0,05). IL-10, IL-2 and IL-12 productions increased (P < 0,05) in MLN, with no effect on IFN-γ and IL-4 levels (P > 0,05). The IL-12 production was also increased (P < 0,01) in JW cells with no modification for the other cytokine. No modification of cytokine production was observed in the spleen (P > 0,05). These results suggest an immunomodulatory effect of bovine colostrum on the GALT which answered by producing, at different levels, both Th1 pro-inflammatory cytokines - IL-2, IFN-γ and IL-12 - and Th2 anti-inflammatory cytokines - IL-4 and IL-10. This bipolarity of the Th1/Th2 response protects the weaned piglets from both allergic (food) as well as infectious (pathogens) diseases.