Glycomacropeptide from camel milk inhibits the adhesion of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli K88 to porcine cells

Abstract

Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) are a major cause of childhood diarrhoea and of diarrhoea in piglets and calves. This study compared the anti-adhesive activities against ETEC of glycomacropeptide (GMP) from Bactrian camels and dromedaries with that of bovine GMP. GMP was purified by ion exchange chromatography and ultra-filtration. The monosaccharide content of GMP from Bactrian camels and dromedaries was about twice as high when compared with bovine GMP. Glycans from camels included fucose and N-acetylglucosamine, which were absent in bovine GMP. GMP from both camel species prevented ETEC adhesion to porcine blood cells at a concentration of 0.24 g L−1 to 0.28 g L−1 respectively, a concentration that is about 20-fold lower when compared with bovine GMP. This increased activity likely relates to the increased glycosylation and the density of glycan spacing, and/or to differences in the glycan composition.