Enhancement of immune maturation in suckling rats by leptin and adiponectin supplementation

Blanca Grases-Pintó,Àngels Franch,Francisco J Pérez-Cano,Margarida Castell,Mar Abril-Gil

doi:10.1038/s41598-018-38418-1

Blanca Grases-Pintó, Àngels Franch + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-38418-1

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Abstract

Leptin and adiponectin, adipokines present in breast milk, have shown immunomodulatory properties. The current study aimed to ascertain whether a nutritional supplementation with leptin or adiponectin in neonatal rats was able to influence the maturation of the systemic immune response in early life. To achieve this, suckling Wistar rats were supplemented with either leptin (0.7 μg/kg/day) or adiponectin (35 μg/kg/day) during the whole suckling period. Plasmatic immunoglobulins were quantified, and spleen lymphocyte composition and their ability to proliferate and release cytokines were evaluated during (day 14) and at the end (day 21) of the suckling period. Rats fed with either adipokine showed higher plasma IgM and IgG1 concentrations and adiponectin supplementation also increased IgG2a at both studied days (P < 0.05). With regard to the lymphocyte composition, both adipokine supplementations increased T cell proportion and both CD4+ and CD8+ T cell subsets after two weeks of supplementation (P < 0.05). Moreover, only leptin administration increased NK and NKT cell proportions at the end of the suckling period. Finally, both adipokines influenced the cytokine secretion pattern by splenocytes. In conclusion, these results suggest that leptin and adiponectin play a role in the maturation of the systemic immune response during the suckling period.

Highlights

It is well known that the neonatal period is critical because the newborn has to be capable of adapting him/herself to the new environment, such as the source of nutrients from the umbilical cord to breast milk[1]
We reported for the first time the impact of leptin and adiponectin supplementations on the intestinal immune system in suckling rats[20]
To achieve this, suckling Wistar rats were supplemented with leptin, adiponectin or a Whey Protein Concentrate (WPC) very rich in breast milk biological factors, during the whole suckling period

Summary

Introduction

It is well known that the neonatal period is critical because the newborn has to be capable of adapting him/herself to the new environment, such as the source of nutrients from the umbilical cord to breast milk[1]. We have recently described the potential of both adipokines to modulate immune development in early life at the intestinal level, where leptin and adiponectin firstly contact with the host defensive system[20]. The particular aim of the present study is to evaluate whether leptin and adiponectin have a modulatory effect on the systemic humoral immune response and on the spleen cell immune functionality, a secondary lymphoid tissue representative of systemic IS. To this end, newborn rats were supplemented with leptin or adiponectin during the entirety of the suckling period. The immune status was established in plasma by the evaluation of Ig concentration and in the spleen by its lymphocyte phenotypical characterization and its functional ability to proliferate and to secrete cytokines during (day 14) and at the end of suckling period (day 21)

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