• Corpus ID: 32843466

THE EFFECT OF A COLOSTRUM EXTRACT OF PROLINE RICH POLYPEPTIDES ( PRP ) ON IMMUNE STATUS IN GUINEA PIGS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON THE POTENTIAL OF PRP IN AGING HUMANS

@inproceedings{Maher2008THEEO,
  title={THE EFFECT OF A COLOSTRUM EXTRACT OF PROLINE RICH POLYPEPTIDES ( PRP ) ON IMMUNE STATUS IN GUINEA PIGS AND ITS IMPLICATIONS ON THE POTENTIAL OF PRP IN AGING HUMANS},
  author={John H. Maher},
  year={2008}
}

• J. Maher
• Published 2008
• Biology, Medicine

Colostrum is the richest natural source of zoonutrients. Proline Rich Polypeptides (PRP) are active immune modulating zoonutrient peptides found in all mammalian colostrum. In particular PRP are thought to modulate thymus function, specifically the T helper 1 / T helper 2 (Th1 / Th2) balance. Th1, modulating cellular immunity, and Th2, modulating humeral immunity, are classified on the basis of the cytokines they produce. To demonstrate the efficacy of PRP in down regulating Th2 dominance an experiment was performed on guinea pigs sensitized to egg protein. Exposure to egg protein resulted in development of acute phase bronchial spastic reaction in 100% of animals, 3 of 6 (50%) of whom died quickly from suffocation. The duration of acute phase and sub-acute phase in the three surviving animals was 14.3 minutes on average. Introduction of PRP prior to egg protein inhalation resulted in death of only 2 animals out 7 (28.6%). Development of acute bronchial spastic reaction on exposure to the antigen was present in 2 (40%) of the 5 surviving animals, but averaged only 16 seconds. None (0%) of the survivors experienced any sub-acute phase reactions. A similar model was employed using histamine as the initiator of bronchial spasm, with similar, though nonfatal symptoms. In this histamine model, pre-treatment with PRP had no effect. This supports the notion that any effectiveness of PRP pre-treatment was not related to an inherent anti-histamine effect. In humans the thymus is very sensitive to stress hormones (cortisol) which promote Th2 dominance, precipitating allergic and autoimmune reactions, while down regulating Th1 immunity, favoring infection and tumor growth proliferation. With aging, Cortisol / DHEA ratios favor cortisol over DHEA, leading to a similar immune imbalance. Furthermore, thymopoiesis is diminished with diminishing growth hormone (GH) secretion, which itself is diminished with aging. This paper presents the ability of PRP from colostrum to modulate thymus / immune function in guinea pigs and the rationale for its use potential in humans as a nutraceutical for modulating immune function, especially in the aged and the distressed. COLOSTRUM: NATURE’S ZOONUTRIENT SUPERFOOD! Phytonutrients and Zoonutrients Just as certain fruits and vegetables are naturally rich in special health promoting chemicals called phyto-nutrients, certain animal sourced foods are rich in special health promoting compounds called zoo-nutrients (pronounced zoo’-o-nutrients). Zoonutrients may be defined as compounds found in foods derived from animals beyond the usual macronutrients (fats, proteins, carbohydrates) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) that nonetheless have a salubrious effect on physiology. Examples include immunoglobulins, bio-active peptides, enzymes, glycol-conjugates, special amino acid bonds (double cystine). Colostrum The richest of all zoonutrients is the “first meal” of all mammals, called colostrum. Colostrum provides a macro and micro nutrient dense “super food”. This “first meal” for all mammals is also rich in antibodies (Ig), cell signaling messengers (cytokines) that modulate the immune system, and growth factors stimulating stem cell activity. Colostrum is 50% or more protein, and rich in fat, vitamins and minerals. It is also the most zoonutrient rich of all foods providing immune protein sub-fractions and peptides, growth factors and other lesser known zoonutrients. The fats in colostrum provide essential fatty acids for cell development. Colostrum is also rich in sphingomyelin, cephalin, phosphatidyl choline and phosphatidyl serine that assist in development of the mucosal barrier, liver function, brain function, and/or immune function. The vitamins include thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, pyroxidine, folic acid, vitamins E, C, B12, beta carotene and retinoic acids. Riboflavin is by far in the richest concentration as pertains to percents of daily value (DV), followed by folic acid. The minerals include calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc, with calcium being the most abundant as pertains to percent of daily value (DV) provided. Growth factors in colostrum help activate stem cells. The potential for growth factors in the adult to help signal growth, repair and regeneration of tissue, especially when combined with stem cell therapy, has garnered much interest recently. These growth factors include growth hormone (GH), insulin type growth factor (IGF-1), insulin type growth factor (IGF-2), transforming growth factor (TGF-alpha), transforming growth factor (TGF-beta), epidermal-GF, fibroblast-GF, and platelet-derived-GF. Colostrum is rich in passive immunity factors, the antibodies named immunoglobulin types G1 &2, A, M, D, and E. These gamma globulin proteins are used by the immune system passively to identify and neutralize foreign objects, such as bacteria and viruses. Some of the lesser known zoonutrients include the lacto-oligosaccharides which promote the growth of good bacteria in the intestine; the sialyl-oligosaccharides and sialyl-glycoconjugates which also have an immune function in the intestine and are also involved in brain and nerve development, and in cell to cell recognition. Proline Rich Poly Peptides (PRP) Colostrum is also rich in bio-active immune modulating peptides variously known as info-peptides, cytokine precursors, colostrinin, colostrinine, transfer factor and proline rich polypeptides (PRP). PRPs are short chains of amino acids, called polypeptides, with a molecular weight of 6000 Daltons, with a high concentration of the amino acid proline. They support the regulation of the thymus, the gland responsible for the normal development of immunologic function in the body. 9,10,11 The concentration of PRPs in whole colostrum powder is between 1-3% of the total powder weight. Specially fortified whole colostrum contains 5-6 % PRPs! It should be noted that many manufacturers of colostrum powders remove various amounts of the PRP fraction, lactose, minerals and water, using ultra-filtration technology, to elevate the protein / IGG content of the powder. In concentrating the passive Ig antibodies they sacrifice some of the active immune modulating cytokines of whole colostrum powder. Proline rich polypeptides promote proper response to microbial invaders, toxins or allergens through cytokine modulation and natural killer cell (NK) activity. NK cells, large lymphocytes that circulate in plasma, comprise of 10-15% of the lymphocytes in human blood. Of all the immune system's soldiers, NK cells are the most aggressive. NK Cells provide the front line of defense and as such are specially equipped to locate and kill diseased cells. NK cells attach to the surfaces of foreign substances, and inject a chemical “grenade” (granule) into the interior. They are our first line of defense against mutant and virus infected cells like Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) or Bird Flu Virus. Th1/ Th2 Modulation PRPs provide anti-viral, anti-allergy, and anti-inflammatory functions by stimulating T helper lymphocytes type 1 (Th1) responses to infections and tumors and lowering T helper lymphocytes type 2 in Th2 dominated hypersensitivity related inflammatory conditions. Th1 cells, which modulate cell-mediated immunity, produce the cytokines IL-2, IFN-gamma, and TNF-alpha. Th2 cells, which modulate humoral immunity, or antibody production, produce IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13. PRPs tend to stimulate Th1 and lower Th2 if these are in imbalance; i.e., PRP modulates Th1/Th2. This is known as the “Th2 to Th1 shift to the left”. Th1 helper responses are important in defense against viruses, bacteria, fungi, parasites, cancer and intracellular organisms. Cell-mediated immunity can be tested by delayed hypersensitivity skin testing, response to non-specific or specific mitogens (lymphocyte transformation) and allo-antigens (self-recognition). If one has a Th2-dominated condition, with decreased cellular immunity and heightened humoral immunity, the conditions that tend to prevail are allergies, chronic sinusitis, atopic eczema, asthma; systemic autoimmune conditions such as SLE and mercury-induced autoimmunity, vaccination-induced reactions; malaria, parasite infestations, chronic giardiasis and candidiasis, viral infections, hepatitis C, AIDS and certain cases of autism, hyper-insulinism, hyper-cortisolism, cancer, and ulcerative colitis. Allergy is the result of a complex immune cascade leading to the dys-regulated production of Th2 cytokines, the generation of allergen-specific IgE-producing B cells and the subsequent activation and degranulation of mast cells upon allergen challenge. ASSESSMENT OF ANTI-ALLERGIC PROPERTIES OF PRP ON SYSTEMIC ANAPHYLAXIS IN GUINEA PIGS Material and Methods This study was commissioned to investigate the anti-allergic properties, if any, of PRP on systemic anaphylaxis. It was conducted with both male and female guinea pigs at The Institute of General Pathology and Pathophysiology, Moscow, Russia. Egg Protein (ovalbumin) and histamine were used as antigens. Egg protein and histamine were injected into animals by using compressor nebulizer. The effect of pre-treatment PRP was measured upon repetition of both challenges. Guinea pigs (250-300 g) were actively sensitized by a one time injection of 10 g Ovalbumin (OA) and 100 mg aluminum hydroxide (Al(OH)3) in 1ml total volume: 0.2 ml intramuscularly in thigh, on two sides, and 0.6ml intra-abdominally. (P. Anderson Method, 1980) The experiment began 5 weeks after sensitization, when IgE antibodies were formed in high enough quantities. Bronchial spasms in the animals were initiated quickly after the injection of either antigen (histamine and ovalbumin). Experimental Design Histamine Model Measurements of bronchial spastic duration time after histamine introduction was used as an internal control. A 0.2% histamine solution containing 0.9% of NaCl was inhaled by the g