Effect of Broccoli Sprouts and Live Attenuated Influenza Virus on Peripheral Blood Natural Killer Cells: A Randomized, Double-Blind Study

Abstract

Enhancing antiviral host defense responses through nutritional supplementation would be an attractive strategy in the fight against influenza. Using inoculation with live attenuated influenza virus (LAIV) as an infection model, we have recently shown that ingestion of sulforaphane-containing broccoli sprout homogenates (BSH) reduces markers of viral load in the nose. To investigate the systemic effects of short-term BSH supplementation in the context of LAIV-inoculation, we examined peripheral blood immune cell populations in non-smoking subjects from this study, with a particular focus on NK cells. We carried out a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study measuring the effects of BSH (N = 13) or placebo (alfalfa sprout homogenate, ASH; N = 16) on peripheral blood mononuclear cell responses to a standard nasal vaccine dose of LAIV in healthy volunteers. Blood was drawn prior to (day-1) and post (day2, day21) LAIV inoculation and analyzed for neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, T cells, NKT cells, and NK cells. In addition, NK cells were enriched, stimulated, and assessed for surface markers, intracellular markers, and cytotoxic potential by flow cytometry. Overall, LAIV significantly reduced NKT (day2 and day21) and T cell (day2) populations. LAIV decreased NK cell CD56 and CD158b expression, while significantly increasing CD16 expression and cytotoxic potential (on day2). BSH supplementation further increased LAIV-induced granzyme B production (day2) in NK cells compared to ASH and in the BSH group granzyme B levels appeared to be negatively associated with influenza RNA levels in nasal lavage fluid cells. We conclude that nasal influenza infection may induce complex changes in peripheral blood NK cell activation, and that BSH increases virus-induced peripheral blood NK cell granzyme B production, an effect that may be important for enhanced antiviral defense responses.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01269723

KEAP1 and done? Targeting the NRF2 pathway with sulforaphane

“…skin test to indoor allergen: No differential effect on asthma-related endpoints including NRF2-related; no measurement of actual dose (SF or GR) Sudini et al, 2016 Fresh BSH ●Placebo ●100 μmol SF 29 (21 days) Subjects innoc. w/ FluMist LAIV (Live Attenuated Influenza Virus): ↑peripheral blood NK cell expression (granzyme B production) & ↓circulating influenza RNA Müller et al, 2016 Abbreviations: 8iso, 8-isoprostane; 8OHdG, 8-hydroxy 2′-deoxy guanosine; AFB-N7-gua, aflatoxin B1-N7-guanine; ASH, alfalfa sprout homogenate; B, broccoli; BS, broccoli sprouts; BSdE, broccoli seed extract; BSE, broccoli sprout extract; BSH, broccoli sprout homogenate; BSP, broccoli sprout powder; CoQ, CoQ 10 H 2 /CoQ 10 ratio; CVD, cardiovascular disease; GR, glucoraphanin; GRR, glucoraphanin-rich; HDL-C, High Density Lipoprotein – Cholesterol; LDL-C, Low Density Lipoprotein – Cholesterol; nsd, no significant difference; PANSS, positive and Negative syndrome scale; PCOOH, phosphatidylcholinyl hydroperoxide; PheT, phenanthrene tetraol; SFN, sulforaphane; SFR, sulforaphane-rich; TAG, triglycerides; TC, total cholesterol; TTR, transthyretin; ZAG, zinc α-2 glycoprotein. a Subjects were healthy unless otherwise indicated at the beginning of these sections.…”

Physiological Ischemic Training Promotes Brain Collateral Formation and Improves Functions in Patients with Acute Cerebral Infarction

“…Two hundred microliters of whole blood was transferred to polystyrene tubes for testing with the following antibodies added to the samples: APC-conjugated anti-human CD45, FITC-conjugated anti-human CD34 (BD Biosciences, USA), and PE-conjugated anti-human KDR/VEGF-2 (BD Biosciences, USA). The experimental protocol can be found elsewhere (13). …”

Anti‐inflammatory and antiviral roles of hydrogen sulfide: Rationale for considering H2S donors in COVID‐19 therapy

“…The results showed that sulforaphane increased virus-induced granzyme B production by NK cells. Granzyme B is a protease released by NK or T cells in order to induce cell apoptosis, and this increase in granzyme B levels was negatively associated with influenza RNA levels in nasal lavage fluid cells, demonstrating again an antiviral role for sulforaphane (Muller et al, 2016). Concerning other H 2 S donors, some studies were focused on the phosphinodithioate GYY4137.…”