title: Immunonutritional diet modulates natural killer cell activation and Th17 cell distribution in patients with gastric and esophageal cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although randomized clinical trials have shown that immunonutrition results in the improvement of postoperative complications, the detailed mechanisms of its immunomodulation are still unclear. In the present study, we investigated if such immunonutrition could affect T-cell and natural killer (NK) cell functions, with particular focus on type 17 helper T (Th17) cells and NK cell-activating markers, in patients with esophageal and gastric cancer and in healthy volunteers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients (n = 22) and healthy volunteers (n = 10) were orally administered an immunonutritional diet (Impact, 750 mL/d) in addition to a conventional diet for 5 d. The expression of NK cell-activation markers (NKG2D, CD16, CD107a, NKp30, NKp44, and NKp46), frequency of CD56(dim) NK, Th17, and regulatory T cells, and trastuzumab-mediated antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity were analyzed before and after immunonutrition.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunonutrition significantly enhanced antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxic activity as an NK cell function, paralleling the upregulated expression of NKG2D and CD16 and increased frequency of CD56(dim) NK cells. Furthermore, the immunonutrition significantly increased the frequency of Th17 cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Immunonutrition modulates NK and T-cell-mediated immunity.
authors.affiliation: First Department of Surgery, University of Yamanashi, Yamanashi, Japan.
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: Kousaku
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mimura
authors.forename: Shinichiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.forename: Shugo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shiba
authors.forename: Mitsuaki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Yoshihiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kawaguchi
authors.forename: Hideki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fujii
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kono
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D004032:Diet / Q000379:methods*; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000378:metabolism; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology*