
Ingredient Profile: Immunel
What is Immunel?
A low molecular weight bioactive peptide and growth factors extracted from bovine colostrum whey. Immunel is a fat-free, lactose-reduced extract from Colostrum whey, where the immune protective compounds are enriched.
Immunel was developed to provide a more concentrated delivery of key bioactive compounds and a high-potency blend of compounds, allowing multi-facetted mechanisms of actions to support multiple body functions simultaneously. These compounds and their known biological properties are listed in table below.
Actives | Health / Nutrition Outcomes |
Proline-Rich Peptide | Immune modulation, cognitive enhancement, thymus regulation |
Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IgF-1) | Sports nutrition, lean body, cell and tissue repair and rejuvenation |
Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-fA2 | Cell protection, brain health, prebiotic |
Sialic Acid | Immune modulation, brain health, prebiotic |
Nucleotides | Immune modulation, anti-aging, stamina |
The Benefits
Pathogen and Viral Defence
Immunel consumption reduced the symptoms and severity of bacterial and viral airway infections in rodents
Two animal studies were conducted on Immunel, to test whether Immunel consumption helped reduce the severity of cold and flu symptoms. In one study, mice were infected with mouse-adapted influenza virus. Animals treated orally with a single dose of Immunel within 24 hours prior to infection showed reduced viral titer in the lungs, compared to control animals (Figure1).
In another study, mice were infected with Streptococcus pneumonia, which is a human pathogen and causes infections in the upper respiratory tract, sinuses, and eyes (Figure 2). Animals treated orally with two doses of Immunel 30 minutes before and 4 hours after infection showed reduced bacterial load at 20 hours after infection, when compared to control animals. treatment with Immunel showed enhanced bacterial clearance as a result of antimicrobial activity in the animals. Immunel. supports distinct mechanisms of innate immune defence reactions.
The innate part of our immune defence refers to the cellular defences that act the quickest and most immediate. Many types of cellular reactions contribute to the immediate efforts to stop microbial invaders from taking hold in our body and causing disease.
These mechanisms include:
- Phagocytosis, i.e. some of our cells are able to eat Bacteria
- Recruiting immune cells into the area of infection
- Killing of our own cells if they have become transformed, such as being infected with a virus.
When Immunel was added to human immune cells in laboratory bioassays, Immunel supported all three mechanisms.
Immunel activates Natural Killer (NK) cells.
Another type of immune cells that are able to respond immediately to invading pathogens is called Natural Killer (NK) cells. These cells are able to attach to those of our cells that have become invaded by viruses, or transformed into cancer cells. The killing of the transformed cell can happen via cell-cell contact or by secretion of chemicals such as Perforin which helps destroy the malfunctioning target cell.
Treatment of NK cells with Immunel. resulted in an activation of the NK cell. The treated NK cells expressed much higher amounts of an activation marker called CD69, which indicates that the NK cells were activated to be more efficient at attacking target cells (Figure 4).
Furthermore, when another well-known stimulus of NK cell activation, namely Interleukin-2 (IL-2) was added to the tests, Immunel and IL-2 acted in synergy and produced higher levels of NK cell activation. This may indicate that when an ongoing immune reaction is happening, and IL-2 is produced, Immunel further supports the immune reaction involving NK cells. Immunel also increased the production of Interferongamma, which is a cytokine that induces further activation of NK cells and other cell types involved in the innate immune defence.
Immunel supports infiltration of phagocytic immune cells in response to microbial Challenge.
When an invading microbe attacks our cells, and our immunecells respond, chemical signals are sent out to recruit more immune cells to the area. The effective recruitment and increased infiltration of immune cells to an area in need is important for prompt elimination of microbial invaders. When Immunel is consumed it is presented to the immune system from the gut lumen, in conjunction with potentially pathogenic microbes. This may have a protective effect. This was tested in a cell-based bioassay using a dual chamber system. Cells were placed in one chamber adjacent to another chamber where pieces of bacterial proteins were placed. Components from the bacterial fragments could seep into the next chamber and result in an increased movement (recruitment) of immune cells into the chamber containing the microbial signal.
When Immunel was placed together with the bacterial fragments (Figure 5), an increase in recruitment of immune cells into the chamber containing the bacterial fragments was measured. This may signify potential benefit from consuming Immunel, such as strengthening of the gut immune protection, where one of our largest volumes of potential invaders exists. When Immunel was placed in the chamber adjacent to the immune cells (Figure 6), in the absence of bacterial fragments, we also saw an increased recruitment into the chamber containing Immunel. This suggests that when Immunel is consumed, more cells are recruited into the gut wall, in preparation to respond to microbial invasion.
Immunel has anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting Lipoxygenase enzyme activity. Selective inhibition of Lipoxygenase enzymatic activity points to an anti-inflammatory role (Figure 7). If Immunel only had the property of supporting the function of the immediate immune protection, Immunel would be a less interesting product. However, since Immunel also possesses some natural anti-inflammatory properties from Colostrum, the potentially abrasive result of immune defence reactions are buffered by inhibition of the enzymatic action of Lipoxygenase.
This inhibition may further reduce free radical damage naturally associated with immune defences, in part since theactivity of the Lipoxygenase enzyme further produces free radicals.
Human clinical data
Data from a recent human clinical trial further supports that consumption of Immunel induces potent and rapid changes in markers associated with the innate immune defense.
Study design: A randomized double-blinded placebo controlled cross-over study design was used. Twelve healthy human subjects were tested on two different days at least one week apart. On each test day, subjects were fed either Immunel. or placebo. At baseline and at 1 and 2 hours after consumption, blood samples were drawn. The shown sequence is an example only; the sequence in which each person consumed Immunel or Placebo for short-term testing was randomised.
Consumption of Immunel results in rapid increase in phagocytic activity in humans
Consumption of a single dose of Immunel. resulted in a rapid increase in the phagocytic activity of human cells tested ex vivo at different time points after consumption. This was in contrast to the reduced phagocytic activity seen on the day when Placebo was consumed by the same people. The difference in phagocytic activity between Immunel and Placebo was statically significant at 2 hours after consuming a single dose (P<0.02).
Consumption of Immunel provides a rapid, transient support for immune surveillance of human Natural Killer cells. Natural Killer (NK) cells are an important part of our anti-viral defences, and these cells work primarily by surveying through tissue looking for target cells, which they then kill, either by contact or by secreting certain chemicals. The NK cells have very little activity in the blood circulation. The study was conducted during the early/mid-morning hours on both study days. The increase in the numbers of circulating Natural Killer (NK) cells, seen with placebo, reflects part of natural circadian(day/night) fluctuations (Figure 9). The delay in this increase, seen after consumption of Immunel., is suggestive of increased NK cell trafficking/homing, as a reflection of increased immune surveillance. This reflects that NK cells are retained in tissue more, scavenging for target cells.
Mechanistic data, combined with animal studies and human clinical data suggests that Immunel. Induces rapid changes in immune support, including specific mechanisms involved in anti-bacterial and anti-viral defences.