ANTIBODY REACTIVITY AND FECAL RECOVERY OF BOVINE IMMUNOGLOBULINS FOLLOWING ORAL-ADMINISTRATION OF A COLOSTRUM CONCENTRATE FROM COWS (LACTOBIN) TO HEALTHY-VOLUNTEERS

Using immunoblot techniques, we investigated the immunoglobulin G (IG) reactivity present in Lactobin, an immunoglobulin concentrate (prepar ed from colostrum pools from non-immunized cows) against potential pat hogenicity factors from Yersinia enterocolitica and Campylobacter jeju ni. A strong reactivity against Yersinia outer proteins (Yops), agains t the Yersinia adhesin A (Yad A) as well as a high reactivity against flagellin and the outer membrane proteins (OMP) of C. jejuni was demon strated. The IgG antibody reactivity against these antigens was also a ssessed in vitro after incubation of IG with stools from healthy adult s for different time intervals. Minimal loss occurred within 2 hours o f incubation at 37 degrees C and complete loss after 24 hours. In a cl inical study stool specimens from 8 healthy volunteers were analyzed 1 - 4 days after oral administration of the drug for the presence of bo vine IgG and its antibody reactivity against Yersinia antigens. Small amounts of the bovine immunoglobulins were detected in stools from 3 o f the 8 subjects, however, without antibody reactivity. Additional pha rmacokinetic investigations in patients with gastrointestinal diseases are necessary to determine the optimal therapeutic regimen for these patients.