Nutr Res Pract.  2014 Oct;8(5):533-538. 10.4162/nrp.2014.8.5.533.

Pycnogenol attenuates the symptoms of immune dysfunction through restoring a cellular antioxidant status in low micronutrient-induced immune deficient mice

• Lee J
• Nam DE
• Kim OK
• Lee MY

• KMID: 2313775
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4162/nrp.2014.8.5.533

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.

Keyword

Micronutrient; pycnogenol; antioxidant; immunodeficiency; cytokine

MeSH Terms

Animals
Diet
Female
Humans
Lipid Peroxidation
Lymphocytes
Mice*
Micronutrients
Mitogens
Mortality, Premature
T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer
Vitamin E
Vitamins
Micronutrients
Mitogens
Vitamin E
Vitamins

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Effect of reduced micronutrient intake on T and B cell mitogenesis in vitro. Data are presented as mean ± SD of triplicate wells. aP < 0.05 in comparison with uninfected control mice, bP < 0.05 in comparison with infected control mice.

• 

  Fig. 2 Effect of reduced micronutrient intake on hepatic lipid peroxidation. Data were converted to percent unit (% = value of treatment group/value of control group × 100). aP < 0.05 in comparison with uninfected control mice, bP < 0.05 in comparison with infected control mice.

• 

  Fig. 3 Effect of reduced micronutrient intake on vitamin E levels in liver. Data are represented by mean ± SD of triplicate wells. aP < 0.05 in comparison with uninfected control mice, bP < 0.05 in comparison with infected control mice.

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