Vegan diet reduces neutrophils, monocytes and platelets related to branched-chain amino acids - A randomized, controlled trial
CLINICAL NUTRITION
Authors: Lederer, Ann-Kathrin; Maul-Pavicic, Andrea; Hannibal, Luciana; Hettich, Manuel; Steinborn, Carmen; Gruendemann, Carsten; Zimmermann-Klemd, Amy Marisa; Mueller, Alexander; Sehnert, Bettina; Salzer, Ulrich; Klein, Reinhild; Voll, Reinhard E.; Samstag, Yvonne; Huber, Roman
Abstract
Background: Vegan diet (VD) has improved inflammatory activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in several small controlled trials. The underlying mechanism remains widely unclear. We investigated the effect of a VD in comparison to a meat-rich diet (MD) on markers of inflammation (which have been shown to be relevant in patients with RA) in healthy volunteers. Methods: 53 healthy, omnivore subjects were randomized to a controlled VD (n = 26) or MD (n = 27) for 4 weeks following a pre-treatment phase of a one week controlled mixed diet. Primary parameters of interest were sialylation of immunoglobulins, percentage of regulatory T-cells and level of interleukin 10 (IL10). Usual care immune parameters used in patients with RA and amino acid serum levels as well as granulocytes and monocytes colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) serum levels were secondary parameters. Results: In the VD group, total leukocyte, neutrophil, monocyte and platelet counts decreased and after four weeks they were significantly lower compared to the MD group (ANCOVA: leukocytes p = 0.003, neutrophils p = 0.001, monocytes p = 0.032, platelets p = 0.004). Leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and platelets correlated with each other and likewise conform with serum levels of branched-chain amino acids, which were significantly lower in the VD compared to the MD group. The primary parameters did not differ between the groups and BMI remained stable in the two groups. Conclusion: Four weeks of a controlled VD affected the number of neutrophils, monocytes and platelets but not the number or function of lymphocytes. The relation with branched-chain amino acids and GMCSF suggests a mode of action via the mTOR signaling pathway. (C) 2020 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.
A First Step for the Molecular Characterization of Neurological Involvement of Behcet Syndrome: an Italian Pivotal Study
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR NEUROSCIENCE
Authors: Padula, Maria Carmela; Leccese, Pietro; Lascaro, Nancy; Padula, Angela Anna; Carbone, Teresa; Martelli, Giuseppe; D'Angelo, Salvatore
Abstract
Behcet syndrome (BS) is a vasculitis characterized by several clinical manifestations including the rare neurological involvement (neuro-BS, NBS). The aim of our pivotal study was to investigate the mutational status of several inflammation-related genes in a cohort of Italian patients with and without the neurological involvement (20 NBS vs 40 no-NBS patients). The preliminary in silico single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) selection and primer design were performed by NCBI Primer-Blast tool. Genomic DNA was isolated and amplified using PCR. PCR amplicons were sequenced and bioinformatically analysed. Twelve tagSNPs were selected and genotyped: ERAP1 rs30187, rs17482078, and rs27044; IL10 rs1800872 and rs1518111, IL12A rs17810546, IL23R rs17375018, IL23R-IL12RB2 rs924080, STAT4 rs7572482, CCR1 rs7616215, KLRC4 rs2617170, and UBAC2 rs3825427. ERAP1 and IL23R SNPs showed statistically significant higher frequencies in NBS group than no-NBS. ERAP1 rs30187 AA was more common in no-NBS patients (20.0% NBS vs 47.5% no-NBS; p < 0.05), while rs17482078 GA frequency was higher in NBS patients (55.0% NBS vs 22.5% no-NBS; p < 0.05, OR: 4.21). IL23R rs17375018 GG was more frequent in NBS group (65.0% NBS vs 40.0% no-NBS; p < 0.05), according to a previous finding. No other statistically significant differences were found. In conclusion, ERAP1 and IL23R SNPs were found associated with neurological involvement of BS. Additional and larger analyses were required to verify our preliminary findings.