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Effects of α-glucans from Agaricus bisporus on ex vivo cytokine production by LPS and PHA-stimulated PBMCs; a placebo-controlled study in slightly hypercholesterolemic subjects

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 64, pages 720–726 (2010)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Introduction:

Mushrooms are known for their immune modulating effect for which the polysaccharide fraction, mainly glucans, seem to be responsible. Fungal β-glucans have been studied extensively, whereas little is known about mushroom α-glucans. We have earlier shown that the polysaccharide fraction from the mushroom A. bisporus, consisting 90% of α-glucans, induced in vitro tumor necrosis factor (TNF)α and nitric oxide production. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of consuming.

Method:

A. bisporus α-glucan on ex vivo cytokine production by human peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMCs). A double-blind randomized trial was designed in which 56 mildly hypercholesterolemic subjects consumed a control fruit juice with no added α-glucans (200 ml/day) for a 2-week run-in period. For the next 5 weeks, the control group (N=30) continued consumption of the control fruit juice, whereas the intervention group (N=26) consumed the same fruit juice enriched with α-glucans from A. bisporus (5 g glucans/day). Changes in interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and TNFα cytokine production by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated PBMCs were evaluated, as well as changes in T-helper (Th)1/Th2 cytokines by phytohemaggutinin (PHA)-stimulated PBMCs.

Results:

Consumption of A. bisporus α-glucans lower LPS-induced TNFα production by 69% (P=0.017) as compared with the control group, whereas no effect on IL-1β and IL-6 was observed. No obvious Th1–Th2 skewing by PHA-stimulated PBMCs was observed. However, we observed a trend towards a decreased production of IL-12 and IL-10.

Conclusion:

Our current finding suggests that in vivo, α-glucans have lost their efficacy to stimulate the immune response as observed in our in vitro mouse model.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Carla Langejan (Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands) for assistance with the MSD multiplex ELISAs, Florence Brüll and Maurice Konings (Department of Human Biology, Maastricht University, the Netherlands) for help during the PBMC stimulation. We thank Innerlife (Venlo, the Netherlands) for financial support and delivering the drinks.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Human Biology, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University Medical Centre+, Maastricht, The Netherlands

    J J Volman, R P Mensink & J Plat

  2. Plant Research International, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    L J L D van Griensven

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  1. J J Volman
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Correspondence to J Plat.

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Leo van Griensven has financial holdings in Innerlife. The other authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Volman, J., Mensink, R., van Griensven, L. et al. Effects of α-glucans from Agaricus bisporus on ex vivo cytokine production by LPS and PHA-stimulated PBMCs; a placebo-controlled study in slightly hypercholesterolemic subjects. Eur J Clin Nutr 64, 720–726 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2010.32

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