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Effects of Ex Vivo y-Tocopherol on Airway Macrophage Function in Healthy and Mild Allergic Asthmatics
Citation:
Geiser, M., J. Lay, W. Bennett, H. Zhou, X. Wang, D. Peden, AND N. Alexis. Effects of Ex Vivo y-Tocopherol on Airway Macrophage Function in Healthy and Mild Allergic Asthmatics. Journal of Innate Immunity. Karger Libri AG, Basel, Switzerland, 5(6):613-24, (2013).
Impact/Purpose:
Recent studies on the effects of the fat-soluble steriod hormone vitamins D and E suggest that dietary suplementation with these vitamins may be helpful for the prevention or in the treatment of inflammatory and immune-mediated diseases, including atopic asthma.
Description:
Elevated inflammation and altered immune responses are features found in atopic asthmatic airways. Recent studies indicate y-tocopherol (GT) supplementation can suppress airway inflammation in allergic asthma. We studied the effects of in vitro GT supplementation on receptor-mediated phagocytosis and expression of cell surface molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity on sputum-derived macrophages. Cells from nonsmoking healthy (n = 6)and mild house dust mite-sensitive allergic asthmatics (n =6) were treated ex vivo with GT (300 uM) or saline (control). Phagocytosis of opsonized zymosan A bioparticles (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and expression of surface molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity were assessed using flow cytometry. GT caused significantly decreased (p < 0.05) internalization of attached zymosan bioparticles and decreased (p < 0.05) macrophage expression of CD206,CD36 and CD86 in allergic asthmatics but not in corntrols. Overall, GT caused down regulation of both innate and adaptive immune response elements, and atopic status appears to be an important factor.