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Published on: August 1, 2013
Effects of polyphenols on human Th1 and Th2 cytokine production
Elizabeth A Miles1, Pinelope Zoubouli, Philip C Calder
1Institute of Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, University of Southampton, Bassett Crescent East, Southampton SO16 7PX, UK. eam@soton.ac.uk
Background:
Numerous phenolic compounds are consumed in the diet in a range of foods. There are very few studies of the effects of these compounds on the production of lymphocyte-derived cytokines.
Aim Of The Study:
To investigate the effects of five phenolic compounds on cytokine production by cultured human lymphocytes.
Methods:
Human whole blood cultures were stimulated with the T cell stimulant concanavalin A for 48 h in the presence of phenolic compounds (vanillic acid, syringic acid, kaempferol, oleuropein and tyrosol) at concentrations up to 10(-4) M. Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) concentrations were measured in the culture supernatants by ELISA.
Results:
IFN-gamma concentration was significantly lower in cultures containing 10(-4) M kaempferol than in cultures with kaempferol at 10(-7), 10(-6)and 10(-5) M or without kaempferol. The other phenolic compounds did not affect IFN-gamma concentration and none of the phenolics tested affected IL-2 or IL-4 concentrations.
Conclusions:
Some, but not all, phenolic compounds can decrease IFN-gamma production by stimulated human whole blood cultures.
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