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Dietary lactoferrin supplementation enhances immune function, improves intestinal integrity and reshapes gut microbiota in kittens

ABSTRACT:

Background: Lactoferrin is a natural iron-binding glycoprotein with antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and barrier-protective activities, and it is widely applied in human nutritional supplements and infant food additives, but its application potential in pet food remains undetermined. This study investigated the influence of dietary lactoferrin on immune functions, intestinal barrier integrity and gut microbiota in kittens.

Results: A total of 24 healthy kittens aged 5-10 months were divided into three groups (n = 8) and fed with a commercial basal diet (CON group) and the basal diet supplemented with 500 or 1000 mg/kg lactoferrin (L-LF group or H-LF group), respectively, for 42 days. Blood was collected from individual kittens on days 21 and 42, and feces of each animal were collected on day 42. Compared with the CON group, the L-LF and H-LF groups increased immunoglobulin A levels on day 21 (P < 0.05). The H-LF group showed lower serum IL-6 level on day 21, and both L-LF and H-LF groups reduced IL-1β concentration on day 42 (P < 0.05), in contrast with the CON group. Additionally, serum levels of lipopolysaccharide and zonulin were decreased in the H-LF group relative to the CON group on day 42 (P < 0.05). Untargeted metabolomics analysis revealed that dietary lactoferrin altered serum metabolite profiles and increased levels of sphingosine 1-phosphate, proline betaine, L-argininium(1+), and carnitine. The L-LF and H-LF groups were enriched in 5 and 6 differential metabolic pathways, respectively. Metagenomic analysis of fecal samples indicated that both the L-LF and H-LF groups had a higher relative abundance of Bacteroidota than the CON group (P < 0.05). The H-LF group also increased the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae, Prevotella, Bifidobacterium and Segatella copri in the feces of kittens (P < 0.05). Moreover, the abundance of Escherichia coli in both L-LF and H-LF groups declined compared with the CON group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, KEGG pathways of secondary metabolite biosynthesis, nucleotide sugar biosynthesis, and sphingolipid metabolism were significantly enriched in kittens fed with lactoferrin.

Conclusions: Dietary lactoferrin improved the immune function, strengthened intestinal barrier integrity and remodeled gut microbiota in kittens, highlighting its potential as a functional additive in kitten food.

INSTRUMENT(S): Liquid Chromatography MS - negative - reverse-phase, Liquid Chromatography MS - positive - reverse-phase

PROVIDER: MTBLS13713 | MetaboLights | 2026-04-20

REPOSITORIES: MetaboLights

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			Action	DRS
	a_MTBLS13713_LC-MS_negative_reverse-phase_metabolite_profiling.txt	Txt
	a_MTBLS13713_LC-MS_positive_reverse-phase_metabolite_profiling.txt	Txt
	i_Investigation.txt	Txt
	m_MTBLS13713_LC-MS_negative_reverse-phase_metabolite_profiling_v2_maf.tsv	Tabular
	m_MTBLS13713_LC-MS_positive_reverse-phase_metabolite_profiling_v2_maf.tsv	Tabular

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Dietary lactoferrin supplementation enhances immune function, improves intestinal integrity and reshapes gut microbiota in kittens

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