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Complex effects of vitamin E and vitamin C supplementation on in vitro neonatal mononuclear cell responses to

Heather J H Wassall1, Graham Devereux, Anthony Seaton

  • 1Division of Applied Medicine, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZD, UK. h.wassall@abdn.ac.uk.

Nutrients
|September 27, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Maternal vitamin E intake during pregnancy may influence infant immunity. This study found that supplementing cord blood cells with vitamin E in vitro altered immune responses, but not as expected from observational studies on childhood respiratory illness.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Nutritional Science
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Low maternal vitamin E intake during pregnancy is linked to increased infant immune cell proliferation and higher risks of childhood wheezing and asthma.
  • Observational studies suggest a connection between maternal vitamin E status and neonatal immune responses, but direct causal effects remain unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the direct effects of vitamin E and vitamin C supplementation on neonatal immune cell function in vitro.
  • To determine if in vitro supplementation of cord blood mononuclear cells (CBMCs) with vitamin E replicates associations observed in epidemiological studies.

Main Methods:

  • Seventy neonates' CBMCs were cultured with either no supplementation, alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), or ascorbic acid (vitamin C).
  • Immune responses including cell proliferation and cytokine secretion (IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β) were measured after stimulation with various allergens.

Main Results:

  • Vitamin E supplementation showed a trend towards reduced CBMC proliferation to some antigens but increased proliferation to timothy grass allergen.
  • A trend for decreased secretion of IFN-γ, IL-10, and IL-4 was observed with vitamin E supplementation.
  • Vitamin C supplementation did not affect CBMC proliferation but increased IFN-γ and IL-4, and decreased IL-10 production.

Conclusions:

  • In vitro supplementation of neonatal CBMCs with vitamins E and C modulates immune function, but not in ways predicted by observational data linking maternal vitamin E intake to respiratory health.
  • The complex relationship between vitamin E, neonatal immunity, and childhood respiratory diseases necessitates careful consideration of nutritional intervention forms and types in future clinical trials.

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