title: Perturbation of cellular immune functions in cigarette smokers and protection by palm oil vitamin E supplementation.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cigarette smoke contains free radicals and an have adverse effect to the immune system. Supplementation of palm oil vitamin E (palmvitee), is known has antioxidant properties is thought to be beneficial for system immune protection against free radicals activity. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of palmvitee supplementation on immune response in smokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study involved a group of smokers and nonsmokers who received 200 mg/day palmvitee and placebo for the control group. Blood samples were taken at 0, 12 and 24 weeks of supplementation. Plasma tocopherol and tocotrienol were determined by HPLC, lymphocyte proliferation by lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) and enumeration of lymphocytes T and B cells by flow cytometry. Statistical analysis was performed by Mann-Whitney U-test for non-parametric data distribution and correlation among the variables was examined by Spearman.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma tocopherol and tocotrienol were increased in vitamin E supplemented group as compared to placebo group. Urine cotinine levels and serum α1-antitrypsin were significantly higher in smokers compared to nonsmokers. Lymphocyte proliferation induced by PHA showed an increasing trend with palmvitee supplementation in both smokers and nonsmokers. Natural killer cells were decreased; CD4+ cells and B cells were increased in smokers compared to nonsmokers but were unaffected with vitamin E supplementation except in the percentage of B cells which were increased in nonsmokers supplemented palmvitee compared to placebo. CD4+/CD8+ ratio was increased in smokers compared to nonsmokers. The high TWBC count observed in smokers correlated with the increased CD4+ and B cells.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Smoking caused alterations in certain immune parameters and palmvitee supplementation tended to cause an increase in lymphocytes transformation test but had no effect on CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, NK cells and B cells except B cells percentage in nonsmokers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, The National University of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. zakiah@medic.ukm.my
authors.forename: Zakiah
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jubri
authors.forename: Azian Abdul
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Latif
authors.forename: Abdul Gapor Md
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Top
authors.forename: Wan Zurinah Wan
authors.initials: WZ
authors.lastname: Ngah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003367:Cotinine / Q000652:urine; D003404:Creatinine / Q000652:urine; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000073878:Palm Oil; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000378:metabolism; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000737:chemistry; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D062789:Tobacco Products / Q000009:adverse effects; D024505:Tocopherols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D024508:Tocotrienols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood; D055815:Young Adult; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D010938:Plant Oils; D024508:Tocotrienols; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; D000073878:Palm Oil; D003404:Creatinine; D003367:Cotinine; D024505:Tocopherols