Lymphocyte response to a bovine milk protein in ulcerative colitis

A recently described in vitro test for cow's milk protein hypersensitivity was applied to adult patients with ulcerative colitis. The test system involved the culture of their peripheral blood lymphocytes with and without beta-lactoglobulin, and the results were expressed as a stimulation index. Stimulation with beta-lactoglobulin was significantly higher (P less than 0.02) in patients with active disease than in those with inactive disease or in healthy controls. beta-Lactoglobulin was the only one of four cow's milk proteins that showed this effect. It is concluded that the cow's milk protein beta-lactoglobulin has a specific blastogenic effect on the lymphocytes of patients with active ulcerative colitis, and, therefore, may serve as a marker of disease activity.