Effects of colostrum whey on immune function in the digestive tract of goats

The objective of the present study is to examine whether colostrum whey can have an effect on immune function in goats digestive tract. Two milliliters of colostrum whey (colostrum group) or water (control group) were administrated orally to goats every day for 3 weeks. Blood was collected twice a week for 3 weeks to measure immunoglobulin A (IgA), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and IL-10. At the end of the experimental period, the parotid glands, oral mucosa, lingua, esophagus, jejunum, and ileum were collected for immunohistochemical detection of IgA, cathelicidin-7, and S100A8. The ratio of the length of IgA-positive mucosal surface in the esophagus to the total esophageal length was significantly greater in the colostrum group than in the control group. The number of IgA-positive cells in the labial gland and ileum in the colostrum group was significantly higher than that in the control group. There were no significant differences between the colostrum and control groups in the number of cathelicidin-7-positive cells in the jejunum and ileum and in the number of S100A8-positive cells in the lingua, jejunum, and ileum. These results suggest that colostrum stimulates the recruitment of plasma cells into the labial gland, which then secrete more IgA into the saliva.