Antirotaviral activity of bovine milk components: Extending the list of inhibitory proteins and seeking a better understanding of their neutralization mechanism

Abstract

The viral gastroenteritis mediated by rotavirus remains a major health problem, causing significant infant morbidity and mortality, and health care costs worldwide. Diverse studies have indicated that some milk-derived fractions exhibit antirotaviral activity, associated to proteins such as immunoglobulins, lactoferrin, mucins, and lactadherin. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to enable greater understanding of the interaction mechanisms involving rotaviruses, host cells, and neutralizing agents. Our results demonstrate that bovine milk is a source of antirotaviral compounds against a wide range of strains. The neutralizing activity of milk fractions was found to be directed to the spike protein VP4, while the purified milk proteins inhibited through interaction with either VP4 and/or VP7. The present results highlight the huge potential of bovine milk components for their inclusion in functional foods to control rotavirus diarrhea.