Effect of orally administered bovine colostrum on cytokine production in vivo and in vitro in immunosuppressed mice

Female ICR mice were administered with bovine colostrum and were treated with cyclophosphamide to establish immunosuppressed status. The cytokine levels in sera and splenocyte culture supernatants and splenic T cell subpopulations were determined. Bovine colostrum substantially restored the percentage of the total T cell population (CD3+) and effector CD4+ T lymphocyte, as well as influencing the CD4:CD8 ratio in the spleen. It was effective in increasing the concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and decreasing the levels of IL-6 in vivo and in vitro. The levels of IL-10 in splenocyte culture supernatants were increased, whereas the levels of IL-4 in splenocyte culture supernatants were dramatically decreased. Moreover, bovine colostrum was efficacious in enhancing the production of IL-1α in vitro. Thus, bovine colostrum could exhibit immunoregulatory effects via modulating splenic T lymphocytes subpopulations. Bovine colostrum may have pleiotropic effects on the production of cytokines in vivo and in vitro.