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Dietary Supplementation with Lacto‐Wolfberry Reduces Morbidity from Influenza Virus Infection in Mice
Author(s) -
Ren Zhihong,
Na Lixin,
Xu Yanmei,
Rozati Mitra,
Wang Junpeng,
Xu Jianguo,
Sun Changhao,
Wu Dayong,
Vidal Karine,
Meydani Simin Nikbin
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.25.1_supplement.352.5
Subject(s) - immune system , splenocyte , titer , medicine , immunology , virus , biology
Influenza is a significant public health problem. Wolfberry or Goji berry is a popular Chinese functional ingredient shown to improve immune response. Thus, we determined the effect of supplementation (suppl.) with Lacto‐Wolfberry (LWB) (milk‐based formulation of Goji berry) on resistance to flu. Adult (4 mo) mice were fed with or without 0.5% LWB for 4 wks, infected with influenza A/PR/8/34, and killed at day 0, 2, 5, 7 postinfection (PI). Lungs and spleens were collected to determine viral titer, pathology score and immune response. LWB did not have an effect on body weight (BW) in uninfected mice. Infected mice fed with LWB lost significantly less BW, & had a lower pathology score than control mice (p<0.05), although no significant difference in lung viral titer was observed. LWB suppl. resulted in a significantly higher T cell proliferation, & higher level of splenocyte IL‐2 production on day 7 PI. Further , mice fed with LWB had significantly lower levels of TNF‐α and IL‐6 in lungs on day 5 PI. There was a significant positive correlation between BW loss & lung viral titer, pathology score, TNF‐α, & IL‐6 production as well as negative correlations with T cell proliferation & IL‐2 production (p<0.01). These results indicate that LWB suppl. reduces morbidity from flu by decreasing inflammatory cytokines while enhancing T cell function. Supported by Nestec Ltd. and USDA contract 58‐1950‐7‐707