Ovalbumin-digested peptides can reverse cyclophosphamide-induced immune dysfunction in mice

Abstract

In numerous past studies, ovalbumin peptides (OVP) have predominantly been employed in the treatment of inflammation and allergies, with limited research focusing on their impact on immune organ damage and immune system dysregulation. This experiment investigated the immunomodulatory effects of OVP on cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced immune dysfunction in mice. The OVP significantly alleviated CTX-induced immune dysfunction, improved spleen and thymus indices, enhanced the secretion of immunoglobulins (IgA, G, M), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and elevated levels of white blood cells (WBC), red blood cells (RBC), platelets (PLT), and hemoglobin (HGB) (p < 0.05). Additionally, OVP increased Chao and ACE indices, along with the abundance of Bacteroidetes, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_, and Lactobacillus (p < 0.05), indicating enhanced diversity and richness of the gut microbiota. These research findings suggested that OVP, as functional components from food sources, exhibited immunomodulatory effects in mice. Furthermore, they demonstrated the potential of OVP to ameliorate CTX-induced disruption of the gut microbiota, offering prospective applications for targeted treatment of person gut microbiota.