Recent advances in nutritional immunomodulation in dogs and cats

This change led to greater care with the health and also with the nutrition of the pet.Diets that contain nutrients capable of restoring and modulating the immune response have gained great attention in the treatment of diseases, or as prevention of premature aging, increasing the life expectancy of pets.

To receive the name of immunomodulatory, the diet must contain one or more of the specific nutrients in greater inclusion. Among the nutrients used in these diets and capable of modulating the immune system of dogs and cats, we can highlight β-glucans, prebiotics, probiotics, omega 3 and some vitamins.

β-glucans

Β-glucans are the main structural components of the cell walls of yeast, fungi and some bacteria. They can also be found in cereals such as barley and oats (BROWN et al., 2003).

Studies have evaluated the immune response after dietary supplementation of β-glucans in dogs, demonstrating that β-glucans can stimulate the cellular and humoral immune response after animal vaccination (ALTUG et al., 2010; STUYVEN et al. al., 2010). New Research Links β-glucans with the ability to modulate blood glucose in mammals; Studies have shown beneficial effects on the intestinal trophism of mice supplemented with β-glucans (SILVA, 2012).

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Prebiotics

Prebiotics are insoluble, indigestible fibers that stimulate bacterial fermentation in the colon, mainly bifidobacteria and lactobacilli, positively interfering with the health and quality of the animal's feces (NETO, 2016). The most widely used prebiotics are: fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and mannanoligosaccharides (MOS).

When combined in the diet, efficiency increases, since FOS have a greater capacity to generate short-chain fatty acids as a product of their fermentation, while MOS have a greater capacity to contribute to the stimulation of the immune system (NET , 2016), since it binds to a wide variety of mycotoxins and blocks the adherence of pathogenic bacteria by occupying sites of the epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa, where they could adhere (BORGES et al., 2003).

Probiotics

Probiotics are living microorganisms that have effects on the intestinal microbiota, such as improving the consistency and odor of feces, regulating the immune system (VASCONCELOS, 2018), balancing the intestinal microbiota, helping to treat diarrhea (BORGES et. Al., 2003), among others. others, others.

Currently, the industry produces heat-resistant probiotic additives, composed of live bacteria that are encapsulated and resistant to extrusion and lyophilized, remaining in a latent state until ingestion, where after finding a favorable environment in the intestine, they return to a vegetative form (CAPELLI et al., 2016).

Omega 3

Within the omega-3 family, the fatty acids with immune action are eicosapentaenoic (EPA) and docosahexaenoic (DHA), playing important roles in inflammation and immune modulation (MORAES, PELLEGRINI, 2014).

EPA and DHA compete with arachidonic acid, causing less inflammatory prostaglandins and leukotrienes, modulating inflammation in numerous diseases, such as cancer, autoimmune diseases, atopy, heart disease, kidney diseases, among others in which chronic inflammation occurs (MORAES; PELLEGRINI, 2014).

Vitamins

Vitamin A in its active form is retinol, its precursor are carotenoid pigments, such as β-carotene and lycopene. The role of carotenoids in immune function shows that they act to stimulate innate immunity, on the cellular immune response, in the production of immunoglobulins, regulate the adaptive immune system (Zaine et al. 2014).

Vitamin C has antioxidant, anticancer and immunomodulatory functions in the body. However, it is not an essential vitamin in the diet of dogs and cats, as it can be synthesized from glucose in the liver (NRC, 2006).

Over the past decades, numerous studies have examined the relationship between immune response and vitamin D status. There is evidence that vitamin D status is associated with markers of inflammation, including circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines and phase proteins. acute in a number of diseases, including obesity. , inflammatory polyarthritis, diabetes mellitus, autoimmune diseases, inflammatory bowel disease and the human immunodeficiency virus.

Summary

Understanding the immunomodulation mechanisms by which nutrients act is essential to consider their potential use in commercial dog and cat foods. The isolated use of each of the above nutrients reflects beneficial effects on immunity, but their associated effects need to be further clarified.

By: Débora Bueno Silva, Ludmila Barbi e Erika Stasieniuk

Source: All Pet Food