TY - JOUR
T1 - Enhancement of natural killer cell activity in healthy subjects by Immulina®, a Spirulina extract enriched for Braun-type lipoproteins
AU - Nielsen, Claus Henrik
AU - Balachandran, Premalatha
AU - Christensen, Ole
AU - Pugh, Nirmal D
AU - Tamta, Hemlata
AU - Sufka, Kenneth J
AU - Wu, Xiangmei
AU - Walsted, Anette
AU - Schjørring-Thyssen, Michelle
AU - Enevold, Christian
AU - Pasco, David S
N1 - © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
PY - 2010/11/1
Y1 - 2010/11/1
N2 - Immulina®, a commercial extract of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis is a potent activator of THP-1 monocytes and CD4+ T cells in vitro and enhances several immunological functions in mice. We further characterized Immulina® by determining that Braun-type lipoproteins are responsible for a major portion of the in vitro monocyte activation exhibited by this material. In order to understand the effect of Immulina® on NK cell activity, a pilot study was conducted on ten healthy North American individuals who supplemented their diet with Immulina® (400mg/day) for seven days. We observed a 40% average increase in the killing of K562 tumor cells by NK cells (p<0.01) after Immulina® supplementation. In a separate placebo-controlled, crossover study involving 11 healthy Danish subjects, we observed increased mRNA expression of the NK cell marker NKG2D by 37% (p=0.02) and by 55% (p=0.0003) after administration of Immulina® (200mg and 400mg per day, respectively) for seven days. The mRNA expression of the NK- and T-cell marker perforin increased by 75% (p=0.008) after administration of 400mg Immulina® per day. Both markers displayed significant dose-dependent effects (p=0.0003 and p=0.02, respectively). The ratio between CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells was not affected by Immulina® administration. In summary, two independent studies showed enhancement of NK cell activity following administration of Immulina® for seven days.
AB - Immulina®, a commercial extract of Arthrospira (Spirulina) platensis is a potent activator of THP-1 monocytes and CD4+ T cells in vitro and enhances several immunological functions in mice. We further characterized Immulina® by determining that Braun-type lipoproteins are responsible for a major portion of the in vitro monocyte activation exhibited by this material. In order to understand the effect of Immulina® on NK cell activity, a pilot study was conducted on ten healthy North American individuals who supplemented their diet with Immulina® (400mg/day) for seven days. We observed a 40% average increase in the killing of K562 tumor cells by NK cells (p<0.01) after Immulina® supplementation. In a separate placebo-controlled, crossover study involving 11 healthy Danish subjects, we observed increased mRNA expression of the NK cell marker NKG2D by 37% (p=0.02) and by 55% (p=0.0003) after administration of Immulina® (200mg and 400mg per day, respectively) for seven days. The mRNA expression of the NK- and T-cell marker perforin increased by 75% (p=0.008) after administration of 400mg Immulina® per day. Both markers displayed significant dose-dependent effects (p=0.0003 and p=0.02, respectively). The ratio between CD56bright and CD56dim NK cells was not affected by Immulina® administration. In summary, two independent studies showed enhancement of NK cell activity following administration of Immulina® for seven days.
U2 - 10.1055/s-0030-1250043
DO - 10.1055/s-0030-1250043
M3 - Journal article
SN - 0032-0943
VL - 76
SP - 1802
EP - 1808
JO - Planta Medica
JF - Planta Medica
IS - 16
ER -