Inulin Induces IL-10 Secretion and Increased FOXP3 Gene Expression in Human Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells

Abstract

Inulin is an effective prebiotic and its potential in modulating systemic immunity have been proposed. A subpopulation of T cells, named T regulatory cells (Tregs), expressing the Forkhead boxP3 transcription factor are key mediators of peripheral tolerance and suppress undesirable immune responses. These Tregs can be induced by cytokine transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) and interleukin 10 (IL-10). This work aimed to evaluate inulin effects on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in vitro. PBMC were incubated with inulin, and the expression of TGF-1, FOXP3 and IL-10 was analyzed. Increased supernatant IL-10 levels were observed in PBMC of inulin-treated group (p=0.03). Moreover, FOXP3 gene expression was 7.6 fold higher in inulin-treated PBMC, whereas a trend in TGF-β1 expression was detected (p=0.055). These data suggest that inulin induces an immunosuppressive environment in cultured PBMC by promoting FOXP3 gene expression and IL-10 secretion. These studies offer prospects for further fundamental research in this field.

Fructans as Immunomodulatory and Antiviral Agents: The Case of Echinacea

“…The ability of ITFs to bind to TLR2 suggests a potential role in anti-inflammatory pathways through the activation of regulatory T-cells (Tregs) [38,72]. In line with this reasoning, inulin was shown to create an immunosuppressive environment in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) by promoting the expression of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3; a Treg biomarker) and the secretion of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 [73]. TLR2 signaling is also known to decrease intestinal permeability, a condition directly linked to inflammatory intestinal diseases such as celiac disease, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) [74,75].…”