Yolkin tempers inflammatory mediator release and liver pathology in experimental endotoxemia in mice

Yolkin is an egg yolk-derived protein with immunoregulatory properties. In this work, yolkin was evaluated as a protective agent in endotoxemic BALB/c mice. The mice were pretreated with yolkin either orally in drinking water or intraperitoneally (i.p.) before i.p. injection of E. coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Circulating blood leukocyte number, blood cell composition, serum levels of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and haptoglobin, as well as histological changes in the spleen and the liver, were examined. Yolkin differentially regulated the values of these parameters, depending on the administration protocol; however, the serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were generally decreased, and the level of haptoglobin, an acute-phase protein, was elevated. The pretreatment of mice with yolkin led to improved histological architecture in the investigated organs of endotoxemic mice, particularly in the liver, where yolkin diminished an increased level of vascular permeability and reversed a decreased number of Kupffer cells. These changes were independent of the route of yolkin administration. In conclusion, yolkin proved effective in the amelioration of pathogenic consequences of LPS administration and may be considered a potential protective measure for patients at risk of endotoxemia.