ENZYMES FOR REDUCED IMMUNOLOGICAL STRESS
Compositions suitable for oral administration to an animal comprising at least one immune stress-reducing enzyme in an amount effective to decrease the level of positive acute phase protein in an animal, increase the level of negative acute phase protein in an animal, and/or improve animal growth performance is provided, as are methods using such compositions. The compositions include animal feed compositions, liquid compositions other than animal feed, and solid compositions other than animal feed.
1 - 30 . (canceled)
31 . A composition suitable for oral administration to an animal comprising an immune stress-reducing enzyme in an orally acceptable carrier, wherein said composition is selected from the group consisting of:
(i) an animal feed comprising at least 20 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/kg feed;
(ii) a liquid composition other than an animal feed comprising at least 40,000 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/L; and
(iii) a solid composition other than an animal feed comprising at least 40,000 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/kg,
wherein said immune stress reducing enzyme is selected from the group consisting of β-glucosidase, xyloglucanase, DNAases, non-specific nucleases, RNAse L, dsRNA specific adenosine deaminase, CG specific restriction endonuclease, N-glycanases, endo enzymes, PNGases, α-1,2-fucosidase, α-1,3-1,4-fucosidase, β-1,4-galactosidase, endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase F (endo F), peptide-N—(N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminyl)asparagine amidase F (PNGase F), PNGase A, endo-β-N-acetylglucosaminidase H (endoH), endo D, endo C, α-N-acetylgalacosaminidase, β-1,3-galactosidase, endo-N-acyl-neuraminidase (endo N), α-2,3-neuraminidase, α-2,6-neuraminidase, α-2,8-neuraminidase, β-N-acetylhexosaminidase, endo-β-N-galactosidase, endo-α-N-acetylglactosaminidase, arabinogalactanase, α-mannanase, sphingomyelinase, chitinase, chitin deacetylase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, phosphatidylserine decarboxylase, sulfatase, β-galactosidase, arabinanase, hyaluronidase, α-arabinofuranosidase, chondroitinase, glucocerebrosidase, methyl esterase, ferulic acid esterase, furuloyl esterase, acetyl esterase, carbohydrate deacetylase, phosphorylcholine hydrolase, acid phosphatase, phosphorylcholine esterase and phosphorylcholine phosphatase.
32 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein said composition is an animal feed comprising at least 20 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/kg feed.
33 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein said composition is a liquid composition other than an animal feed comprising at least 40,000 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/L.
34 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein said composition is a solid composition other than an animal feed comprising at least 40,000 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/kg.
35 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein the composition is a solid composition other than an animal feed comprising at least 80,000 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/kg.
36 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein the composition is a solid composition other than an animal feed comprising at least 160,000 IU of said immune stress-reducing enzyme/kg.
37 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein the composition is an animal feed that comprises an ingredient that induces an immune response in the animal and wherein said immune stress-reducing enzyme degrades said ingredient.
38 . The composition of claim 37 , wherein said ingredient is a non-pathogenic molecule that displays a molecular pattern that is recognized by the animal's innate immune system, and that is degraded by said immune stress reducing enzyme.
39 . The composition of claim 37 , wherein said ingredient is an antigen displayed by a pathogenic microorganism.
40 . The composition of claim 31 , wherein the immune stress-reducing enzyme is selected from the group consisting of DNAase, non-specific nucleases, RNAse, RNAse L, CG specific restriction endonuclease, phosphatidylserine decarboxylase, hyaluronidase, chitinase, xyloglucanase and arabinanase.
41 . The composition of claim 40 , wherein the immune stress-reducing enzyme is selected from the group consisting of chitinase, xyloglucanase and arabinanase.
42 . The composition according to claim 41 , wherein the composition is selected from the group consisting of (i) a composition comprising 1,4-β-mannanase and chitanase; (ii) a composition comprising 1,4-β-mannanase and xyloglucanase; and (iii) a composition comprising 1,4-β-mannanase and arabinanase.
43 . A method of improving animal growth performance and/or reducing immune stress in an animal, comprising orally administering to said animal a composition according to claim 31 .
44 . The method of claim 43 , wherein said animal is administered an ingredient that induces an immune response in the animal and wherein said composition comprises at least one immune stress-reducing enzyme that degrades said ingredient.
45 . The method of claim 44 , wherein said ingredient and said immune stress-reducing enzyme are administered in the same composition.
46 . The method of claim 45 , wherein said composition is an animal feed.
47 . The method of claim 44 , wherein said ingredient is a non-pathogenic molecule that displays a molecular pattern that is recognized by the animal's innate immune system, and that is degraded by said immune stress reducing enzyme.
48 . The method of claim 44 , wherein said ingredient is an antigen displayed by a pathogenic microorganism.
49 . A method of preventing or treating infection associated with a pathogenic microorganism that displays an antigen, comprising orally administering to an animal in need thereof a composition according to claim 31 , wherein the composition comprises at least one immune stress-reducing enzyme that degrades said antigen.