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. 2022 Jan 4;11(1):121.
doi: 10.3390/foods11010121.

Egg Yolk Protein Water Extracts Modulate the Immune Response in BALB/c Mice with Immune Dysfunction Caused by Forced Swimming

Mijoo Choi  1 , Jae-Hoon Lee  2 , Yun-Jung Lee  1 , Hyun-Dong Paik  3 , Eunju Park  1
Affiliations

Egg Yolk Protein Water Extracts Modulate the Immune Response in BALB/c Mice with Immune Dysfunction Caused by Forced Swimming

Mijoo Choi et al. Foods. .

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the immunomodulatory effects of egg yolk protein-water extract (EYW) on splenocyte proliferation, cytokine secretion, immunoglobulin production, and NK cell cytotoxic activity in BALB/c mice. The forced swimming test (FST) was used to provide a model for suppressing immune regulation. The proliferation of B cells in the EYW supplementation group was significantly increased from the level to which it was reduced by the FST (from 40.9% to 81.8%, p < 0.05). EYW supplementation affected cytokine secretion of splenocytes. Levels of interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10-as Th1 and Th2 cytokines, respectively-were decreased after the FST. However, EYW supplementation showed that secretion levels of these cytokines were significantly increased to pre-FST levels (p < 0.05). The production of immunoglobulins (IgA and IgG) was increased abnormally after the FST, whereas EYW supplementation significantly decreased it to pre-FST levels (p < 0.05). EYW supplementation also improved NK cell cytotoxic activity against YAC-1 tumor cells compared to the PC group (p < 0.05). These data suggest that EYW has potential as an immunomodulatory agent in the food and/or pharmaceutical industries.

Keywords: egg yolk protein; immunoassay; immunomodulation; protein.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Animal experimental protocol.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effects of EYW intake on T/B-cell proliferation in splenocytes of BALB/c mice: (A) treated with concanavalin A (5 μg/mL); (B) treated with LPS (5 μg/mL). Data are presented as the mean ± SE of triplicate measurements. Various corresponding letters indicate significant differences at p < 0.05 according to Duncan’s multiple range test. NC: negative control (−FST); PC: positive control (+FST); EYW: egg yolk protein–water extract, 200 mg/kg (+FST).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of EYW intake on (A,C) ConA and (B) LPS processing Th1-type cytokines from splenocytes in BALB/c mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SE of triplicate measurements. Various corresponding letters indicate significant differences at p < 0.05 according to Duncan’s multiple range test. NC: negative control (−FST); PC: positive control (+FST); EYW: egg yolk protein–water extract, 200 mg/kg (+FST).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Effects of EYW intake on LPS processing Th2-type cytokines from splenocytes in BALB/c mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SE of triplicate measurements. Various corresponding letters indicate significant differences at p < 0.05 according to Duncan’s multiple range test. NC: negative control (−FST); PC: positive control (+FST); EYW: egg yolk protein–water extract, 200 mg/kg (+FST).
Figure 5
Figure 5
Effects of EYW intake on NK cell activity against YAC-1 from peritoneal macrophages in BALB/c mice. Data are presented as the mean ± SE of triplicate measurements. Various corresponding letters indicate significant differences at p < 0.05 according to Duncan’s multiple range test. NC: negative control (−FST); PC: positive control (+FST); EYW: egg yolk protein–water extract, 200 mg/kg (+FST).
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