Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 1995 Sep;73(2):F99-102.
doi: 10.1136/fn.73.2.f99.

Effect of human colostrum on interleukin-2 production and natural killer cell activity

L Sirota  1 , R Straussberg, I Notti, H Bessler
Affiliations

Effect of human colostrum on interleukin-2 production and natural killer cell activity

L Sirota et al. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. 1995 Sep.

Abstract

The effect of human colostrum on the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and on natural killer (NK) cell activity by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) was investigated in 50 healthy women. At concentrations as low as 0.5%, human colostrum stimulated IL-2 production; at a higher concentration (10%), IL-2 secretion was inhibited. A time and dose dependent inhibitory effect of colostrum on NK cytotoxicity was also observed. This inhibition could be reversed by the addition of human recombinant IL-2 (hrIL-2). The stimulation of IL-2 production induced by human colostrum might compensate for its inhibitory effect on NK cell activity. These findings suggest an additional mechanism by which breast feeding may affect the neonatal immune system.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Science. 1977 Jul 15;197(4300):263-5 - PubMed
    1. Cell Immunol. 1977 Mar 1;29(1):165-73 - PubMed
    1. Science. 1980 Oct 10;210(4466):198-9 - PubMed
    1. Infect Immun. 1981 May;32(2):632-6 - PubMed
    1. J Pediatr. 1982 Apr;100(4):563-7 - PubMed