Dietary supplementation with white button mushroom enhances natural killer cell activity in C57BL/6 mice.
Mushrooms are reported to possess antitumor, antiviral, and antibacterial properties. These effects of mushrooms are suggested to be due to their ability to modulate immune cell functions. However, a majority of these studies evaluated the effect of administering extracts of exotic mushrooms through parental routes, whereas little is known about the immunological effect of a dietary intake of white button mushrooms, which represent 90% of mushrooms consumed in the U.S. In this study, we fed C57BL/6 mice a diet containing 0, 2, or 10% (wt/wt) white button mushroom powder for 10 wk and examined indices of innate and cell-mediated immunity. Mushroom supplementation enhanced natural killer (NK) cell activity, and IFNgamma and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) production, but only tended to increase IL-2 (P = 0.09) and did not affect IL-10 production by splenocytes. There were significant correlations between NK activity and production of IFNgamma (r = 0.615, P < 0.001) and TNFalpha (r = 0.423, P = 0.032) in splenocytes. Mushroom supplementation did not affect macrophage production of IL-6, TNFalpha, prostaglandin E(2), nitric oxide, and H(2)O(2), nor did it alter the percentage of total T cells, helper T cells (CD4(+)), cytotoxic or suppressive T cells (CD8(+)), regulatory T cells (CD4(+)/CD25(+)), total B cells, macrophages, and NK cells in spleens. These results suggest that increased intake of white button mushrooms may promote innate immunity against tumors and viruses through the enhancement of a key component, NK activity. This effect might be mediated through increased IFNgamma and TNFalpha production.
Wu
Dayong
D
Nutritional Immunology Laboratory, Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, MA 02111, USA. dayong.wu@tufts.edu
Pae
Munkyong
M
Ren
Zhihong
Z
Guo
Zhuyan
Z
Smith
Donald
D
Meydani
Simin Nikbin
SN
D000363:Agaricales / Q000276:immunology*; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet; D007372:Interferons / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011208:Powders; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D011208:Powders; D007372:Interferons