Method for maintaining or improving the synthesis of mucins

Abstract

Methods for maintaining, improving or increasing the synthesis of mucins by administering a nutritional composition or supplement that contains a therapeutically effective amount of threonine are provided. The present invention further provides methods for treating a variety of disease states characterized by alterations to the mucin levels, such as, intestinal inflammatory and bacteria infections or other like disease states.

We claim:  
     
         1 . Use of a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 5.5% by weight of the amino acids in the preparation of a nutritional composition for the treatment of a disease state characterized by alterations to the mucin levels in a patient.  
     
     
         2 . The use of  claim 1  wherein threonine comprises at least 6% by weight of the amino acids.  
     
     
         3 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the protein source comprises sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         4 . The use of  claim 3  wherein the sweet whey protein is hydrolyzed.  
     
     
         5 . The use of  claim 1  wherein the nutritional composition further comprises a lipid source and a carbohydrate source.  
     
     
         6 . The use of  claim 5  wherein the lipid source comprises a mixture of medium chain triglycerides and long chain triglycerides.  
     
     
         7 . The use of  claim 6  wherein the lipid source comprises about 30% to about 80% by weight of medium chain triglycerides.  
     
     
         8 . The use of a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 5.5% by weight of the amino acids for the preparation of a nutritional composition for maintaining the synthesis of mucins in a patient.  
     
     
         9 . The use of  claim 8  wherein the protein source comprises sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         10 . The use of  claim 9  wherein the sweet whey protein is hydrolyzed.  
     
     
         11 . The use of  claim 8  wherein the nutritional composition further comprises a lipid source and a carbohydrate source.  
     
     
         12 . The use of  claim 11  wherein the lipid source comprises a mixture of medium chain triglycerides and long chain triglycerides.  
     
     
         13 . The use of  claim 12  wherein the lipid source comprises about 30% to about 80% by weight of medium chain triglycerides.  
     
     
         14 . A method for maintaining the synthesis of mucins in a patient, the method comprising enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which includes a protein source containing a therapeutically effective amount of threonine, a carbohydrate source and a lipid source including a mixture of medium chain triglycerides and long chain triglycerides.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the amount of threonine comprises at least 5.5% by weight of amino acids of the protein source.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the protein source comprises sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the sweet whey protein is hydrolyzed.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the lipid source comprises about 30% to about 80% by weight of medium chain triglycerides.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the protein source provides about 10% to about 20% of the energy of the nutritional composition.  
     
     
         20 . A nutritional composition that has a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 7.4% by weight of the amino acids for treating a disease state characterized by alterations to the mucin levels in a patient.  
     
     
         21 . The composition of  claim 20  wherein threonine comprises at least 14% by weight of the amino acids.  
     
     
         22 . The composition of  claim 20  wherein the protein source comprises a sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         23 . The composition of  claim 20  wherein the protein source comprises a caseino-glyco-macropeptide.  
     
     
         24 . A method for maintaining the synthesis of mucins in a patient, the method comprising enterally administering to the patient a nutritional composition which has a protein source including amino acids wherein threonine comprises at least 7.4% by weight of the acids.  
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24  wherein threonine comprises at least 14% by weight of the amino acids.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the protein source comprises a sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24  wherein the protein source comprises caseino-glyco-macropeptide.  
     
     
         28 . A method for increasing the synthesis of mucins, the method comprising supplementing a diet of a patient by adding a therapeutically effective amount of threonine to the diet.  
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the amount of threonine is at least 0.2 mM.  
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the amount of threonine is at least 0.8 mM.  
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the amount of threonine ranges from about 0.2 mM to about 0.8 mM.  
     
     
         32 . A method for increasing the synthesis of mucins in a patient, the method comprising administering to the patient a nutritional composition which has a protein source containing threonine at least 30% of a daily recommended amount of threonine.  
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the amount of threonine comprises at least 60% of the daily recommended amount of threonine.  
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein the amount of threonine comprises at least 100% of the daily recommended amount of threonine.  
     
     
         35 . The use of a therapeutically effective amount of threonine to prepare a composition for treating intestinal inflammation in a patient.  
     
     
         36 . The use of  claim 35  wherein the threonine is provided as a nutritional supplement.  
     
     
         37 . The use of  claim 36  wherein the nutritional supplement contains threonine in an amount of at least 0.2 mM.  
     
     
         38 . The use of  claim 36  wherein the nutritional supplement contains a protein source including amino acids and wherein the threonine is at least 5.5% by weight of amino acids.  
     
     
         39 . The use of  claim 36  wherein the nutritional supplement contains a sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         40 . The use of a therapeutically effective amount of threonine to prepare a nutritional composition for treating intestinal bacterial infection in a patient.  
     
     
         41 . The use of  claim 40  wherein the threonine is provided as a nutritional supplement.  
     
     
         42 . The use of  claim 41  wherein the nutritional supplement contains threonine in an amount of at least 0.2 mM.  
     
     
         43 . The use of  claim 41  wherein the nutritional supplement contains a protein source including amino acids and wherein the threonine is at least 5.5% by weight of amino acids.  
     
     
         44 . The use of  claim 41  wherein the nutritional supplement contains a sweet whey protein.  
     
     
         45 . The use of a therapeutically effective amount of threonine to prepare a composition for reducing oxidative stress due to acute intestinal inflammation.  
     
     
         46 . The use of  claim 45  wherein the threonine is part of a nutritional composition.  
     
     
         47 . The use of  claim 46  wherein the nutritional composition contains threonine in an amount of at least 0.2 mM.  
     
     
         48 . The use of  claim 46  wherein the nutritional composition contains a protein source including amino acids and wherein the threonine is at least 5.5% by weight of amino acids.  
     
     
         49 . The use of  claim 48  wherein the nutritional composition contains a sweet whey protein.