Beneficial immune modulatory effects of a specific nutritional combination in a murine model for cancer cachexia

Abstract

The majority of patients with advanced cancer are recognised by impaired immune competence influenced by several factors, including the type and stage of the tumour and the presence of cachexia. Recently, a specific nutritional combination containing fish oil, specific oligosaccharide mixture, high protein content and leucine has been developed aimed to support the immune system of cancer patients in order to reduce the frequency and severity of (infectious) complications. In a recently modified animal model cachexia is induced by inoculation of C26 tumour cells in mice. In a pre-cachectic state, no effect was observed on contact hypersensitivity, a validated in vivo method to measure Th1-mediated immune function, after adding the individual nutritional ingredients to the diet of tumour-bearing mice. However, the complete mixture resulted in significantly improved Th1 immunity. Moreover, in a cachectic state, the complete mixture reduced plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and beneficially affected ex vivo immune function. Accordingly, the combination of the nutritional ingredients is required to obtain a synergistic effect, leading to a reduced inflammatory state and improved immune competence. From this, it can be concluded that the specific nutritional combination has potential as immune-supporting nutritional intervention to reduce the risk of (infectious) complications in cancer patients.

Supplementing Pregnant Mice with a Specific Mixture of Nondigestible Oligosaccharides Reduces Symptoms of Allergic Asthma in Male Offspring

“…Whole-blood stimulations were performed with blood samples as previously described (24). Briefly, blood samples taken by cardiac puncture were stimulated with 10 mg/mL OVA in RPMI-1640 (Lonza, Basel, Switzerland) as a final concentration, or the wells were coated with 50 mg/mL anti-CD3 antibody (eBioscience, San Diego, CA, USA) in PBS.…”

Improved body weight and performance status and reduced serum PGE2 levels after nutritional intervention with a specific medical food in newly diagnosed patients with esophageal cancer or adenocarcinoma of the gastro‐esophageal junction

“…This medical food is high in protein and leucine and is enriched with emulsified fish oil (containing eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) and a specific oligosaccharide mixture and is designed to reduce complications and to provide optimal treatment support by reducing the inflammatory state, supporting immune function and nutritional status, and preserving muscle mass and function. These effects have been demonstrated in previous preclinical studies using an animal model of tumor-induced cachexia 21,22. The aim of this exploratory study was to investigate the effects of this medical food on immune function, nutritional status, and inflammation in an early phase in a group of newly diagnosed patients with esophageal cancer or adenocarcinoma of the gastro-esophageal junction before the start of anticancer therapy and to compare this with routine care 1…”

Dose-dependent effects of leucine supplementation on preservation of muscle mass in cancer cachectic mice

“…In this model we observed that a dietary intervention combining fish oil, high protein and leucine had a synergistic effect on the maintenance of body composition (20,21). while the individual components preserved neither fat nor muscle mass, the combination preserved them both.…”

“…In a milder c26 model for cachexia without anorexia, the nutritional combination of leucine, high protein, fish oil and specific oligosaccharides (20,21,(51)(52)(53)(54)(55) significantly reduced the loss of carcass, muscle and fat mass. Moreover, this specific combination also improved muscle performance, daily activity and immune function (th1 response) (20,21). these results further strengthen the evidence that a balanced combination of ingredients might achieve multiple effects on the complex conditions of cachexia.…”

“…while the individual components preserved neither fat nor muscle mass, the combination preserved them both. equally importantly, muscle function, daily activity and immune function all improved when specific oligosaccharides were combined with fish oil, high protein and leucine (20,21). In this study, in which leucine was found as a signal component to have a small but significant effect, we investigated the mechanisms and pathways behind the effect of leucine supplementation on cancer-cachexia-related muscle-mass loss.…”