Protection against Experimental Necrotizing Enterocolitis by Maternal Milk. I. Role of Milk Leukocytes

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Abstract
Summary: A ral model of necrotizing enterocolitis of the neonate in which maternal milk had been protective was studied to determine what components of the milk afforded protection and by what mechanism. Frozen and thawed rat milk was not protective, but formula supplemented with rat milk cells was. It was concluded that the cells provided protection. The cells, which are principally mononuclear phagocytes, can phagocytize and kill the Klebsiella pneumoniae strain used in the animal model. Animals with necrotizing enterolitis had peritonitis and bacteremia caused by this bacillus. Speculation: Milk mononuclear phagocytes may protect the neonatal rat from enterocolitis by their antibacterial and wound-healing activities or by their ability to enhance the neonatal immune response. The etiologic role of bacteria in this disease, not proven in these experiments, must be determined by experiments in germfree rats.

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