Biologically active casein peptides implicated in immunomodulation

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Abstract
Summary: Maternal milk should not only be considered as a nutrient, but also as a protecting agent against aggressions from the neonate's new environment. Breastfeeding facilitates transmission of a passive immunity by multifunctional factors which have a direct effect on the neonate's resistance to bacterial and viral infections. Among these factors are the main milk proteins, the caseins: during enzymic digestion of human and bovine caseins, immunomodulating peptides are released. Corresponding synthetic peptides stimulatedin vitrophagocytic activity of murine and of human macrophages and exertedin vivoa protective effect againstKlebsiella pneumoniaeinfection of mice. These data suggest that casein peptides may exert a stimulating function on the immune system of the newborn.