Wheat germ glycoprotein regionally modulates immunosuppressed mouse intestinal immunity function from early life to adulthood.

Wheat germ glycoprotein (WGP) is widely used due to its nutritional benefits and biological activity. This study evaluated the effects of WGP on intestinal-immunosuppressed mice from early life to adulthood and detected the underlying mechanism. The results revealed that WGP demonstrated no clinical side effects on the body index, serum total IgA level, protein expression and the morphology of intestine in newborn mice. In the phase of life, compared with the cyclophosphamide-treated group (CG), WGP clearly promoted the secretion of sIgA and effectively regulated the cytokine gene (IL-2, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-5, IL-17, and TGF-β1) expression in the intestine. Furthermore, WGP promoted the expression of CD40L and CD40, phosphorylation of IKKα/β and transcription of NF-κB-p65. The data as reported in this present analysis suggest that WGP can improve the intestinal immunity of newborn mice to adulthood via the CD40L-CD40-IKKα/β-NF-κB p65 signaling pathway.