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Potential Mechanisms of Improved Activity of Natural Killer Cells Induced by the Consumption of F‐MRP for 8 weeks
Author(s) -
Han Youngmin,
Lee Soyeon,
Lee Jong Ho,
Yoo Hye Jin
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
molecular nutrition and food research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.495
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1613-4133
pISSN - 1613-4125
DOI - 10.1002/mnfr.202100337
Subject(s) - metabolomics , immune system , metabolism , metabolic pathway , chemistry , arginine , biochemistry , high performance liquid chromatography , sphingolipid , pharmacology , biology , immunology , amino acid , chromatography
Scope The authors used metabolomics to investigate the nutritional modulatory effect of fermented Maillard‐reactive whey protein (F‐MRP) on the activity of natural killer (NK) cells. Methods and Results Fifty subjects who had participated in our previous intervention study were included in the present study in the test ( n = 20) and placebo groups ( n = 30). Additional analyses using ultra performance liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (UPLC‐MS) and gas chromatography (GC)‐MS were conducted to identify relevant metabolic features. After 8 weeks, the activity of lipoprotein‐associated phospholipase A 2 (Lp‐PLA₂) ( p = 0.021), levels of interleukin (IL)‐1β ( p = 0.001), and activity of NK cells were considerably increased in the test group compared with those in the placebo group. Based on the metabolites discovered by UPLC‐MS, ten altered metabolic pathways were observed in the test group after 8 weeks of F‐MRP consumption. Specific pathways with most pronounced associations with immune‐enhancing effect of F‐MRP included aminoacyl‐tRNA biosynthesis, glycine/serine/threonine metabolism, arginine/proline metabolism, and sphingolipid metabolism. Conclusions The present study demonstrated the effects of 8 weeks of F‐MRP supplementation on the metabolic status manifested as changes in the Lp‐PLA 2 activity, IL‐1β level, and activity of NK cells. Intermediate metabolites of the identified metabolic pathways can be used to confirm the immune‐enhancing efficacy of short‐term supplementation.