Early nutrition affects intestinal CD3+ T‐cell localization in the neonatal piglet

Abstract

Immune development of breastfed and formula‐fed neonates differs, in part due to the oligosaccharides in human milk. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that the addition of prebiotics to formula would modify T cell numbers and T helper cell phenotype. Colostrum‐deprived piglets were randomized to be sow‐reared (SR) or fed formula (F) or formula + fructooligosaccharides (scFOS; 2 g/L) and polydextrose (PDX; 2 g/L) (F+P) for 14 days. CD3+ T‐cell numbers were assessed in ileum by immunohistochemistry and cytokine mRNA expression by RT‐qPCR. Ileal villi of SR piglets had a greater (p=0.015) number CD3+ T cells than F+P piglets, whereas F piglets were intermediate and not significantly different than SR and F+P piglets. The villi of F+P and F piglets had 40% and 25% fewer CD3+ T cells, respectively, than SR. Interleukin (IL)‐10, IL‐12 and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β were chosen to reflect Th2, Th1 and T‐regulatory T‐cell populations as the balance of these populations can affect gastrointestinal and, possibly, systemic immune development. There were no significant differences in cytokine expression (IL‐10, IL‐12, TGF‐β) between the three diet groups (SR, F, FP). These data suggest that scFOS and PDX in formula fed to healthy piglets did not alter ileal T cell numbers or cell phenotype relative to formula alone (BMS Freedom to Discover Award).