Nonspecific Induction of Intestinal Immunity by Rice Bran

Elizabeth Ryan of Colorado State University in the U.S. will screen a diverse, global set of rice varieties to identify bioactive components in the bran that augment mucosal immunity against enteric bacterial pathogens. In this project's Phase I research, Ryan and her team identified multiple mechanisms of mucosal immune induction and demonstrated that increased dietary rice bran intake reduces host susceptibility to enteric infections via enhanced gut mucosal immunity. Phase II studies will test the effects of dietary rice bran and rice varietal differences in bacterial and viral pathogen disease prevention models. These studies will begin the process of identifying quantitative traits that modify mucosal immunity and that can be included in rice crop improvement programs.