Prophylaxis of experimentally induced ovomucoid allergy in neonatal pigs using Lactococcus lactis
Probiotic Lactococcus lactic (LL) is a drug used for the immune system and might prevent allergies by biasing from type-2 to a type-1 immune response. Researcher hypothesized that newborn pigs that are pretreated with LL are protected against allergies to ovomucoid (Ovm). The experiment consisted of two treatment groups, a control group, and a group that received oral doses of LL on days of age 1-7, 10, 12,14,21,28, and 35. The pigs were sensitized to Ovm by intraperitoneal injection together with cholera toxin. Pigs were then given egg whites on day 46 to see how their immune systems responded. Clinical signs and skin test positivity were less frequent in the LL group. Serum antibody were significantly increased on day 46 (post-sensitization) compared to day 14 (pre-sensitization). The LL-treated pigs had more related antibody activity and lower IgG1/IgG2 and IgE/IgG2 ratios indicating a type-1 bias in immune response. Oral treatment of neonatal pigs with LL reduced the frequency of of allergies to Ovm associated with reduced immune response. This supports the hygiene hypothesis and potential use of LL as a immunoregulator for neonatal pigs.