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Published on: April 3, 2017
Moderate Beer Intake Downregulates Inflammasome Pathway Gene Expression in Human Macrophages
Natàlia Muñoz-Garcia1, Rafael Escate1,2, Lina Badimon1,2,3
1Cardiovascular Program-ICCC, Research Institute-Hospital Santa Creu i Sant Pau, IIB-Sant Pau, 08025 Barcelona, Spain.
Insights
Moderate consumption of alcohol-free beer significantly reduces pro-inflammatory gene expression. Traditional beer intake also shows anti-inflammatory effects by decreasing inflammasome protein levels, suggesting benefits for cardiovascular health.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Nutrition Science
- Cardiovascular Research
Background:
- Inflammasomes are crucial in innate immunity and linked to cardiovascular disease.
- Moderate beer intake may offer cardiovascular benefits, potentially via anti-inflammatory properties.
- The impact of beer on innate immunity cell responses remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of moderate alcohol-free and traditional beer consumption.
- To assess the impact of beer on Toll-like receptor (TLR)-mediated inflammatory responses.
- To evaluate serum changes in healthy, overweight individuals after regular beer intake.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, two-arm, longitudinal crossover study.
- THP-1 macrophages were conditioned with human serum from participants consuming alcohol-free or traditional beer.
- Analysis of pro-inflammatory cytokine gene transcription and protein levels.
Main Results:
- Serum from alcohol-free beer consumers significantly reduced pro-inflammatory interleukin (IL-1β, TNF) gene transcription.
- Serum from traditional beer consumers did not reduce pro-inflammatory gene expression.
- Traditional beer consumption serum decreased intracellular pro-IL-1β and prevented IL-1β protein release.
Conclusions:
- Moderate alcohol-free beer intake effectively modulates inflammatory gene expression.
- Both alcohol-free and traditional beer show anti-inflammatory effects at the protein level.
- Beer consumption may influence inflammasome pathways, impacting cardiovascular health.
Abstract:
Inflammasomes are key components of the innate immunity system that trigger the inflammatory response. Inappropriate activity of the inflammasome system has been linked to onset and perpetuation of inflammation in atherosclerotic plaques and cardiovascular disease. Low-to-moderate beer consumption is inversely associated with cardiovascular event presentation, while high levels of alcohol intake are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Although fermented beverages have been suggested to exert their beneficial effects through their anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, little is known regarding the capacity of beer to modulate innate immunity cell responses. To this aim, primed or activated THP-1 macrophages were conditioned with human serum obtained from a prospective two-arms longitudinal crossover study to investigate the effect of a moderate and regular daily intake of beer, either alcohol-free or traditional, in the regulation of TLR-mediated inflammatory responses in healthy but overweight individuals. Conditioned macrophages with serum obtained after four-week intervention with alcohol-free beer significantly reduced the transcription of pro-inflammatory interleukins such as IL-1β and TNF. The serum of traditional beer consumers did not exhibit the same capacity as the serum of alcohol-free beer consumers to reduce gene expression of pro-inflammatory interleukins; however, serum from traditional beer consumers showed a regulatory effect at the protein level by significantly decreasing the intracellular protein levels of pro-IL-1β in primed macrophages and preventing cleaved-IL-1β protein release.
