Pycnogenol attenuates the symptoms of immune dysfunction through restoring a cellular antioxidant status in low micronutrient-induced immune deficient mice.
- Author:
Jeongmin LEE
1
;
Da Eun NAM
;
Ok Kyung KIM
;
Myung Yul LEE
Author Information
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords: Micronutrient; pycnogenol; antioxidant; immunodeficiency; cytokine
- MeSH: Animals; Diet; Female; Humans; Lipid Peroxidation; Lymphocytes; Mice*; Micronutrients; Mitogens; Mortality, Premature; T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; Vitamin E; Vitamins
- From:Nutrition Research and Practice 2014;8(5):533-538
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
- Abstract: BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: We investigated the effect of Pycnogenol (Pyc) on survival and immune dysfunction of C57BL/6 mice induced by low micronutrient supplementation. MATERIALS/METHODS: Female C57/BL/6 mice were fed a diet containing 7.5% of the recommended amount of micronutrients for a period of 12 wks (immunological assay) and 18 wks (survival test). For immunological assay, lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine regulation, and hepatic oxidative status were determined. RESLUTS: Pyc supplementation with 50 and 100 mg.kg(-1).bw.d(-1) resulted in partial extension of the median survival time. Pyc supplementation led to increased T and B cell response against mitogens and recovery of an abnormal shift of cytokine pattern designated by the decreased secretion of Th1 cytokine and increased secretion of Th2 cytokine. Hepatic vitamin E level was significantly decreased by micronutrient deficiency, in accordance with increased hepatic lipid peroxidation level. However, Pyc supplementation resulted in a dose-dependent reduction of hepatic lipid peroxidation, which may result from restoration of hepatic vitamin E level. CONCLUSION: Findings of this study suggest that Pyc supplementation ameliorates premature death by restoring immune dysfunction, such as increasing lymphocyte proliferation and regulation of cytokine release from helper T cells, which may result from the antioxidative ability of Pyc.