Bovine dairy complex lipids improve in vitro measures of small intestinal epithelial barrier integrity

PLoS One. 2018 Jan 5;13(1):e0190839. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190839. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Appropriate intestinal barrier maturation is essential for absorbing nutrients and preventing pathogens and toxins from entering the body. Compared to breast-fed infants, formula-fed infants are more susceptible to barrier dysfunction-associated illnesses. In infant formula dairy lipids are usually replaced with plant lipids. We hypothesised that dairy complex lipids improve in vitro intestinal epithelial barrier integrity. We tested milkfat high in conjugated linoleic acid, beta serum (SureStart™Lipid100), beta serum concentrate (BSC) and a ganglioside-rich fraction (G600). Using Caco-2 cells as a model of the human small intestinal epithelium, we analysed the effects of the ingredients on trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER), mannitol flux, and tight junction protein co-localisation. BSC induced a dose-dependent improvement in TEER across unchallenged cell layers, maintained the co-localisation of tight junction proteins in TNFα-challenged cells with increased permeability, and mitigated the TEER-reducing effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). G600 also increased TEER across healthy and LPS-challenged cells, but it did not alter the co-location of tight junction proteins in TNFα-challenged cells. SureStart™Lipid100 had similar TEER-increasing effects to BSC when added at twice the concentration (similar lipid concentration). Ultimately, this research aims to contribute to the development of infant formulas supplemented with dairy complex lipids that support infant intestinal barrier maturation.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • Caco-2 Cells
  • Cattle
  • Dairying
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
  • Intestinal Mucosa / physiology
  • Intestine, Small / drug effects*
  • Intestine, Small / physiology
  • Lipids / pharmacology*
  • Permeability / drug effects
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / metabolism

Substances

  • Lipids
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Grants and funding

The research was funded by New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (Contract C10X1003: Dairy-based solutions for improved intestinal function). Fonterra Research and Development Centre provided support in the form of salaries for authors AM and NH, who contributed to the research as articulated in the ‘author contributions’ section. Fonterra Research and Development Centre did not have any additional role in the study design, data collection and analysis, or preparation of the manuscript, but they did review the manuscript to ensure any relevant Intellectual Property was protected prior to submission for publication.