title: A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Effect of Broccoli Sprouts on Antioxidant Gene Expression and Airway Inflammation in Asthmatics.
abstract: Broccoli sprouts (BS) are the richest source of sulforaphane (SFN), which is a potent inducer of phase II enzymes, which play a critical role in preventing oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation.
  
  
  
  The objective of this study was to determine if ingestion of whole BS improves airway inflammatory and physiologic outcomes, and OS in adults with asthma and allergic sensitization to an indoor allergen.
  
  
  
  The study is a double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized trial to compare the effects of BS with placebo (alfalfa sprouts [AS]) on airway inflammation and markers of OS. Forty adults (aged 18-50 years) were randomized to eat either (a) 100 g of BS daily or (b) 100 g of AS daily for 3 days. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FENO), forced expiratory volume 1, nasal epithelial and PBMC gene expression, inflammatory and OS biomarkers, and symptoms were assessed both before and after ingestion of the sprouts. The primary outcome variable was the change in FENO. Secondary outcome measures included rhinitis and asthma symptoms, lung function, and OS and inflammatory biomarkers.
  
  
  
  BS ingestion for 3 consecutive days did not reduce FENO, despite resulting in a marked increase in serum SFN concentrations (21 vs 22 parts per billion, P = .76). Furthermore, BS consumption did not induce cytoprotective antioxidant genes in either PBMCs or nasal epithelial cells, reduce OS and inflammatory markers, or improve lung function.
  
  
  
  Ingestion of whole BS for 3 days does not appear to improve eosinophilic pulmonary inflammation, inflammatory and OS biomarkers, or clinical features of asthma among atopic adults with asthma despite resulting in a marked increase in serum SFN levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Kuladeep
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sudini
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Gregory B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Diette
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD.
authors.forename: Patrick N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Breysse
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Meredith C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: McCormack
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bull
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Md; Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care, Department of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Shyam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Biswal
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Shuyan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhai
authors.affiliation: Institute for Clinical and Translational Research, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Nga
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Brereton
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Bloomberg School of Public Health, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Md.
authors.forename: Roger D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Md. Electronic address: ematsui@jhmi.edu.
authors.forename: Elizabeth C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Matsui
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000032:analysis; D001249:Asthma / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D001937:Brassica; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D015870:Gene Expression; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase / Q000235:genetics; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1 / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D028421:Isoprostanes / Q000652:urine; D017879:Isothiocyanates / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone) / Q000235:genetics; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2 / Q000235:genetics; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D013454:Sulfoxides; D014797:Vital Capacity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D016207:Cytokines; D028421:Isoprostanes; D017879:Isothiocyanates; D051267:NF-E2-Related Factor 2; C495635:NFE2L2 protein, human; D013454:Sulfoxides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; C496541:HMOX1 protein, human; D051547:Heme Oxygenase-1; D016660:NAD(P)H Dehydrogenase (Quinone); C447479:NQO1 protein, human; C000609392:GCLC protein, human; C546365:GCLM protein, human; D005721:Glutamate-Cysteine Ligase; C016766:sulforaphane
keywords: Antioxidants; Asthma; Broccoli sprouts; FENO; Oxidative stress