Effects of ex vivo Gamma-Tocopherol on Airway Macrophage Function in Healthy and Mild Allergic Asthmatics

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Abstract

Elevated inflammation and altered immune responses are features found in atopic asthmatic airways. Recent studies indicate gamma-tocopherol (GT) supplementation can suppress airway inflammation in allergic asthma. We studied the effects of in vitro GT supplementation on receptor-mediated phagocytosis and expression of cell surface molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity on sputum-derived macrophages. Cells from non-smoking healthy (n = 6) and mild house dust mite-sensitive (HDM) allergic asthmatics (n = 6) were treated ex vivo with GT (300 μM) or saline (control). Phagocytosis of opsonized Zymosan A bioparticles (S. cerevisiae) and expression of surface molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity were assessed using flow cytometry. GT caused significantly decreased (P < 0.05) internalization of attached Zymosan bioparticles and decreased (P < 0.05) macrophage expression of CD206, CD36 and CD86 in allergic asthmatics but not in controls. Overall, GT caused down-regulation of both innate and adaptive immune response elements and atopic status appears to be an important factor.

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J Innate Immun. Author manuscript; available in PMC May 8, 2014.

Published in final edited form as:

J Innate Immun. 2013; 5(6): 613–624.

Published online May 8, 2013. doi:  10.1159/000350234

PMCID: PMC3939603

NIHMSID: NIHMS539930

Marianne Geiser, PhD,^a,c,*,1 John C. Lay, DVM, PhD,^a,b William D. Bennett, PhD,^a,c Haibo Zhou, PhD,^a,d Xiaoyan Wang, PhD,^a,d David B. Peden, MD, MPH,^a,b,c and Neil E. Alexis, PhD^a,b

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Abstract

Elevated inflammation and altered immune responses are features found in atopic asthmatic airways. Recent studies indicate gamma-tocopherol (GT) supplementation can suppress airway inflammation in allergic asthma. We studied the effects of in vitro GT supplementation on receptor-mediated phagocytosis and expression of cell surface molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity on sputum-derived macrophages. Cells from non-smoking healthy (n = 6) and mild house dust mite-sensitive (HDM) allergic asthmatics (n = 6) were treated ex vivo with GT (300 μM) or saline (control). Phagocytosis of opsonized Zymosan A bioparticles (S. cerevisiae) and expression of surface molecules associated with innate and adaptive immunity were assessed using flow cytometry. GT caused significantly decreased (P - 0.05) internalization of attached Zymosan bioparticles and decreased (P - 0.05) macrophage expression of CD206, CD36 and CD86 in allergic asthmatics but not in controls. Overall, GT caused down-regulation of both innate and adaptive immune response elements and atopic status appears to be an important factor.

Keywords: allergy, asthma, macrophages, phagocytosis, flow cytometry, gamma-tocopherol, host defense

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