Oral administration of banana lectin modulates cytokine profile and abundance of T-cell populations in mice

Author(s)

Miranda Brito Sansone, Ana Claudia ^[1] ; Sansone, Marcelo ^[1] ; dos Santos Dias, Carlos Tadeu ^[2] ; Oliveira do Nascimento, Joao Roberto ^{[1, 3, 4]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Pharmaceut Sci, Dept Food Sci & Expt Nutr, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 580, Bl 14, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Dept Exact Sci, Stat Anal Lab, Luiz de Queiroz Coll Agr, Av Padua Dias 11, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, NAPAN, Food & Nutr Res Ctr, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 580, Bl 14, BR-05508000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Sao Paulo Res Fdn, Food Res Ctr FoRC, CEPID FAPESP, Res Innovat & Disseminat Ctr, Av Prof Lineu Prestes 580, , Bl 13A, Sao Paulo - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: International Journal of Biological Macromolecules; v. 89, p. 19-24, AUG 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 5

Abstract

Banana lectin (BanLec) is a dimeric protein occurring in fruit pulp that modulates immune cell functioning in vitro. In order to assess the immune response in vivo, BanLec from ripe banana (Musa acuminata) fruit was purified and orally given to mice for seven days. The analysis of cytokines in the mice peripheral blood revealed increased IL-10, IL-17 and TNF alpha, and a reduction of IFN gamma and IL-6. In the thymus, an increase of CD4+ and a decrease of CD8+ T-cells were observed after oral administration of BanLec. The modulation of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and T-cells in the peripheral blood and thymus of mice demonstrated the immunomodulatory properties of natural BanLec in vivo. This research brings new data on a protein from a fresh fruit consumed worldwide that may act as an immunomodulator, potentially affecting the host response to infections, immune diseases and cancer. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/07914-8 - FoRC - Food Research Center
• Grantee: Bernadette Dora Gombossy de Melo Franco
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research, Innovation and Dissemination Centers - RIDC