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Rat Milk and Plasma Immunological Profile throughout Lactation
Blanca Grases-Pintó1,2, Mar Abril-Gil1,2, Paulina Torres-Castro1,2
1Physiology Section, Department of Biochemistry and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Science, University of Barcelona (UB), 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
Nutrients
|April 30, 2021
Summary
This study details changes in rat milk
Area of Science:
- * Biochemistry and immunology of lactation.
- * Comparative analysis of milk bioactive factors.
Background:
- * Human breast milk immune factors are well-researched, but rat milk data is limited.
- * Understanding lactation dynamics in animal models is crucial for broader biological insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To quantify immunoglobulins (Ig), adipokines, and growth factors in rat milk throughout lactation.
- * To correlate milk-borne factors with their plasma concentrations.
- * To establish a temporal profile of these bioactive compounds during rat lactation.
Main Methods:
- * Longitudinal sampling of rat milk and plasma across the lactation period.
- * Quantification of specific immunoglobulins (IgA, IgM, IgG), adipokines (adiponectin, leptin), and growth factors (TGF-β2, TGF-β3, EGF, FGF21).
- * Statistical analysis to determine changes over time and correlations between milk and plasma.
Main Results:
- * Milk transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) isoforms (β2, β3) peaked early; adiponectin and leptin remained stable.
- * Milk epidermal growth factor (EGF) increased, while fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) decreased later in lactation.
- * Milk IgA increased progressively, while IgM and IgG showed no significant changes; plasma adipokines decreased, but IgA and TGF-β1 increased.
- * Positive correlations were observed between milk and plasma concentrations for IgM, IgG, and adipokines.
Conclusions:
- * Rat milk composition of key bioactive factors changes dynamically throughout lactation.
- * Distinct temporal patterns exist for immunoglobulins, adipokines, and growth factors in milk and plasma.
- * Established milk-plasma relationships provide a foundation for understanding nutrient transfer and immune modulation in lactating rats.
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