TY - JOUR
T1 - Effects of supplementation with tocotrienol-rich fraction on immune response to tetanus toxoid immunization in normal healthy volunteers
AU - Mahalingam, D.
AU - Radhakrishnan, A. K.
AU - Amom, Z.
AU - Ibrahim, N.
AU - Nesaretnam, K.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study is supported by a grant from the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (PD 89/06) and International Medical University (IMU 114-2006). We are grateful to Mr Ghazali Razak for his technical assistance in HPLC. The authors would also like to thank Assoc. Prof. Dr Karuthan Chinna, a biostatistician for expert advice on the statistical analysis used in this paper.
PY - 2011/1
Y1 - 2011/1
N2 - Background/Objectives: Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that has been shown to induce favorable effects on animal and human immune systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) supplementation on immune response following tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine challenge in healthy female volunteers.Subjects/Methods:In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (control group) or 400 mg of TRF (study group) supplementation daily. Over the 2-month period of the study, volunteers were asked to attend three clinical sessions (that is, on days 0, 28 and 56) and blood samples were obtained from the volunteers during the follow-up. On day 28, all volunteers were also vaccinated with the TT vaccine (20 Lf) intramuscularly.Results:The results from the clinical trial showed that TRF supplementation significantly increased the total vitamin E level in the plasma of the TRF-supplemented volunteers compared with the placebo group, indicating overall compliance. Volunteers supplemented with TRF showed a significantly (P0.05) enhanced production of interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 by the mitogen or TT-stimulated leukocytes compared with the control group. Volunteers from the TRF group produced significantly (P < 0.05) lower amounts of IL-6 compared with the placebo group. Anti-TT IgG production was also significantly (P < 0.05) augmented in the TRF-supplemented group compared with the placebo group.Conclusions:We conclude that TRF has immunostimulatory effects and potential clinical benefits to enhance immune response to vaccines.
AB - Background/Objectives: Vitamin E is an essential fat-soluble vitamin that has been shown to induce favorable effects on animal and human immune systems. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of tocotrienol-rich fraction (TRF) supplementation on immune response following tetanus toxoid (TT) vaccine challenge in healthy female volunteers.Subjects/Methods:In this double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, participants were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (control group) or 400 mg of TRF (study group) supplementation daily. Over the 2-month period of the study, volunteers were asked to attend three clinical sessions (that is, on days 0, 28 and 56) and blood samples were obtained from the volunteers during the follow-up. On day 28, all volunteers were also vaccinated with the TT vaccine (20 Lf) intramuscularly.Results:The results from the clinical trial showed that TRF supplementation significantly increased the total vitamin E level in the plasma of the TRF-supplemented volunteers compared with the placebo group, indicating overall compliance. Volunteers supplemented with TRF showed a significantly (P0.05) enhanced production of interferon-γ and interleukin (IL)-4 by the mitogen or TT-stimulated leukocytes compared with the control group. Volunteers from the TRF group produced significantly (P < 0.05) lower amounts of IL-6 compared with the placebo group. Anti-TT IgG production was also significantly (P < 0.05) augmented in the TRF-supplemented group compared with the placebo group.Conclusions:We conclude that TRF has immunostimulatory effects and potential clinical benefits to enhance immune response to vaccines.
KW - immunostimulatory
KW - tetanus toxoid
KW - tocotrienol-rich fraction
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=78651092072&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1038/ejcn.2010.184
DO - 10.1038/ejcn.2010.184
M3 - Article
C2 - 20859299
AN - SCOPUS:78651092072
SN - 0954-3007
VL - 65
SP - 63
EP - 69
JO - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
JF - European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
IS - 1
ER -
