title: Dietary astaxanthin enhances immune response in dogs.
abstract: No information is available on the possible role of astaxanthin on immune response in domestic canine. Female Beagle dogs (9-10 mo old; 8.2 ± 0.2 kg body weight) were fed 0, 10, 20 or 40 mg astaxanthin daily and blood sampled on wk 0, 6, 12, and 16 for assessing the following: lymphoproliferation, leukocyte subpopulations, natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxicity, and concentrations of blood astaxanthin, IgG, IgM and acute phase proteins. Delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response was assessed on wk 0, 12 and 16. Plasma astaxanthin increased dose-dependently and reached maximum concentrations on wk 6. Dietary astaxanthin enhanced DTH response to vaccine, concanavalin A-induced lymphocyte proliferation (with the 20mg dose at wk 12) and NK cell cytotoxic activity. In addition, dietary astaxanthin increased concentrations of IgG and IgM, and B cell population. Plasma concentrations of C reactive protein were lower in astaxanthin-fed dogs. Therefore, dietary astaxanthin heightened cell-mediated and humoral immune response and reduced DNA damage and inflammation in dogs.
authors.affiliation: School of Food Science, Lewisburg, OH 45338, USA. boonchew@wsu.edu
authors.forename: Boon P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Chew
authors.forename: Bridget D
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Mathison
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Hayek
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Massimino
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Reinhart
authors.forename: Jean Soon
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic / Q000187:drug effects; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects; D004032:Diet; D004285:Dogs / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000209:etiology; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000097:blood; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D024341:Xanthophylls / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D024341:Xanthophylls; C005948:astaxanthine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein