title: Effect of broccoli sprouts on nasal response to live attenuated influenza virus in smokers: a randomized, double-blind study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smokers have increased susceptibility and altered innate host defense responses to influenza virus infection. Broccoli sprouts are a source of the Nrf2 activating agentsulforaphane, and short term ingestion of broccoli sprout homogenates (BSH) has been shown to reduce nasal inflammatory responses to oxidant pollutants.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Assess the effects of BSH on nasal cytokines, virus replication, and Nrf2-dependent enzyme expression in smokers and nonsmokers.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial comparing the effects of BSH on serially sampled nasal lavage fluid (NLF) cytokines, viral sequence quantity, and Nrf2-dependent enzyme expression in NLF cells and biopsied epithelium. Healthy young adult smokers and nonsmokers ingested BSH or placebo (alfalfa sprout homogenate) for 4 days, designated Days -1, 0, 1, 2. On Day 0 they received standard vaccine dose of live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) intranasally. Nasal lavage fluids and nasal biopsies were collected serially to assess response to LAIV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In area under curve analyses, post-LAIV IL-6 responses (P = 0.03) and influenza sequences (P = 0.01) were significantly reduced in NLF from BSH-treated smokers, while
  quinoneoxidoreductasein NLF cells was significantly increased. In nonsmokers, a similar trend for reduction in virus quantity with BSH did not reach statistical significance.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In smokers, short term ingestion of broccoli sprout homogenates appears to significantly reduce some virus-induced markers of inflammation, as well as reducing virus quantity. Nutritional antioxidant interventions have promise as a safe, low-cost strategy for reducing influenza risk among smokers and other at risk populations.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01269723.
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Terry L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Noah
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Hongtao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Haibo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Glista-Baker
authors.affiliation: University Children's Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Loretta
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.affiliation: Curriculum in Toxicology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Rebecca N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Bauer
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Paula C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.affiliation: Biological and Biomedical Sciences Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Blanche
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Letang
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Carole
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robinette
authors.affiliation: Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America; Department of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America.
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Jaspers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001937:Brassica / Q000737:chemistry*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D053118:Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype / Q000276:immunology; D053122:Influenza A Virus, H3N2 Subtype / Q000276:immunology; D007252:Influenza Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000235:genetics; D017817:Nasal Lavage Fluid / Q000276:immunology; D009666:Nose / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D009975:Orthomyxoviridae / Q000276:immunology*; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000737:chemistry*; D012907:Smoking; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D010936:Plant Extracts; D014613:Vaccines, Attenuated; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C447479:NQO1 protein, human