Nutritional immunity

Fernandes, G., West, A., and Good, R. A. (1979b). Nutrition, immunity and cancer - a review. Part III Effects of diet on the diseases of aging. Clin. Bull. 2 91-106. 

Lactoferrin contents rise dramatically in the milks of mastitic cattle. This apparently represents a normal physiological defense mechanism similar to the nutritional immunity discussed in a previous section, except that here not only the UIBC but also TIBC-values of the milks increase drastically. In such milks, lactoferrin values may be as high as 6 mg/ml, lactoferrin thus becoming a major milk protein component. It is apparently synthesized by the epithelial cells rather than being released by the neutrophils that are also present in such milks (Harmon et al., 1976), The function of the transferrins in other types of infections in cattle have not yet received much attention, and should represent a fertile area for future research activity. 

Knowledge accrued regarding the intestinal microflora, nutrition, immunity, mechanisms of action and specific diseases should be carefully combined with genomic data to allow the development of a second generation of probiotics strains for both site-and disease-specific action. 

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