2’Fucosyllactose and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis Supplementation Modulates Immune Development of Piglets

Abstract Objectives Probiotics and 2’fucosyllactose (2’FL) have been shown to affect immune development in infants, but less is known about their synbiotic administration. Herein, the effects of 2’FL and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (Bi-26) on immune development was investigated in the young pig. Methods Male piglets (N = 53 were provided ad libitum access to milk replacer without (CON) or with 1g/L 2’FL (FL) from postnatal day 2 to 34/35. Pigs were then stratified to receive Bi-26 prepared in glycerol stock (109 CFU) or glycerol stock alone (BI and FLBI). Blood, mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN), and ascending colon (AC) and rectal (RC) contents were collected. MLN and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) immune cells were quantified by flow cytometry. Immunoglobulins (Igs) were measured by ELISA. PBMC and MLN cells were stimulated ex vivo with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 72 h. Cytokines in serum and ex vivo cell supernatants were measured by multiplex assay. Cytokine data were analyzed by multivariate LCA-model. All other data were analyzed by a 2-way ANOVA with fixed effects of prebiotic and probiotic. Results sIgA tended (P = 0.07) to be higher in RC than AC, with no treatment effect. Serum IgG and IgM and MLN and PBMC immune cells were unaffected by treatment. Serum, IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and IL-18 were all higher in FL than CON (p < 0.05). In unstimulated PBMC, IL-18 was lower in FL, BI and FLBI than CON (p < 0.05). In LPS-stimulated PBMCs, IFNγ was higher in FL and IL1-RA was higher in FLBI than CON (p < 0.05). LPS had no effect on MLN cytokines; but, PHA increased IL-17 in FL and FLBI versus CON (p < 0.05). Conclusions Compared to CON, serum cytokines involved in Th1 T-cell differentiation, IL-2, IL-12 and IL-18 were higher in FL piglets. This was countered by the increased production of IL-4 and IL-10. IL-1RA also increased, potentially balancing higher IL-1α and IL-1β in FL piglets. These differences were not observed in FLBI. LPS stimulated IFNγ secretion by PBMC from FL, whereas cells from FLBI secreted more IL-1RA. These findings suggest that dietary 2’FL primes T-cells for proinflammatory cytokine secretion, which is modulated by co-administration of Bi-26. Funding Sources DuPont Nutrition and Biosciences.