title: An immune-modulating diet increases the regulatory T cells and reduces T helper 1 inflammatory response in Leishmaniosis affected dogs treated with standard therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Clinical appearance and evolution of Canine Leishmaniosis (CL) are the consequence of complex interactions between the parasite and the genetic and immunological backgrounds. We investigated the effect of an immune-modulating diet in CL. Dogs were treated with anti- Leishmania pharmacological therapy combined with standard diet (SD Group) or with the immune-modulating diet (IMMD Group). CD3+ CD4+ Foxp3+ Regulatory T cells (Treg) and CD3+ CD4+ IFN-γ + T helper 1 (Th1) were analyzed by flow cytometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All sick dogs showed low platelet number at diagnosis (T0). A platelet increase was observed after six months (T6) SD Group, with still remaining in the normal range at twelve months (T12). IMMD Group showed an increase in platelet number becoming similar to healthy dogs at T6 and T12. An increase of CD4/CD8 ratio was revealed in SD Group after three months (T3), while at T6 and at T12 the values resembled to T0. The increase in CD4/CD8 ratio at T3 was maintained at T6 and T12 in IMMD Group. A reduction in the percentage of Treg of all sick dogs was observed at T0. A recovery of Treg percentage was observed only at T3 in SD Group, while this effect disappeared at T6 and T12. In contrast, Treg percentage became similar to healthy animals in IMDD Group at T3, T6 and T12. Sick dogs showed an increase of Th1 cells at T0 as compared with healthy dogs. We observed the occurrence of a decrease of Th1 cells from T3 to T12 in SD Group, although a trend of increase was observed at T6 and T12. At variance, IMMD Group dogs showed a progressive decrease of Th1 cells, whose levels became similar to healthy controls at T6 and T12.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immune-modulating diet appears to regulate the immune response in CL during the standard pharmacological treatment. The presence of nutraceuticals in the diet correlates with the decrease of Th1 cells and with the increase of Treg in sick dogs. Therefore, the administration of the specific dietary supplement improved the clinical response to the standard treatment in a model of CL.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino, 1, 80137, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cortese
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino, 1, 80137, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Mariangela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Annunziatella
authors.affiliation: School of Science, University of Basilicata, Via Sauro, 85, 85100, Potenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Teresa
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Palatucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Productions, Division of Internal Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Via Delpino, 1, 80137, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lanzilli
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Rubino
authors.affiliation: School of Specialization in Clinical Biochemistry, "G. d'Annunzio" University, Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Cerbo
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Development, Sanypet SpA, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Centenaro
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Development, Sanypet SpA, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Gianandrea
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Guidetti
authors.affiliation: Division of Research and Development, Sanypet SpA, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Canello
authors.affiliation: Department of Translational Medical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Pansini, 5, 80131, Naples, Italy. terrazza@unina.it.|Department of Science, University of Basilicata, Via Sauro, 85, 85100, Potenza, Italy. terrazza@unina.it.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Terrazzano
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004283:Dog Diseases / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000188:drug therapy; D004285:Dogs; D005260:Female; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007249:Inflammation / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D008297:Male; D008517:Phytotherapy; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000502:physiology*; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors