scholarly journals COVID-19: Is there a role for immunonutrition in obese patient?

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Di Renzo ◽  
Paola Gualtieri ◽  
Francesca Pivari ◽  
Laura Soldati ◽  
Alda Attinà ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Adipose Tissue ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Obese Patients ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Immune System Dysfunction

Abstract On December 12, 2019 a new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) emerged in Wuhan, China, triggering a pandemic of severe acute respiratory syndrome in humans (COVID-19). Today, the scientific community is investing all the resources available to find any therapy and prevention strategies to defeat COVID-19. In this context, immunonutrition can play a pivotal role in improving immune responses against viral infections. Immunonutrition has been based on the concept that malnutrition impairs immune function. Therefore, immunonutrition involves feeding enriched with various pharmaconutrients (Omega 3 Fatty Acids, Vitamin C, Arginine, Glutamine, Selenium, Zinc, Vitamin, E and Vitamin D) to modulate inflammatory responses, acquired immune response and to improve patient outcomes. In literature, significant evidences indicate that obesity, a malnutrition state, negatively impacts on immune system functionality and on host defense, impairing protection from infections. Immunonutrients can promote patient recovery by inhibiting inflammatory responses and regulating immune function. Immune system dysfunction is considered to increase the risk of viral infections, such as SARS-CoV-2, and was observed in different pathological situations. Obese patients develop severe COVID-19 sequelae, due to the high concentrations of TNF-α, MCP-1 and IL-6 produced in the meantime by visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissue and by innate immunity. Moreover, leptin, released by adipose tissue, helps to increase inflammatory milieu with a dysregulation of the immune response. Additionally, gut microbiota plays a crucial role in the maturation, development and functions of both innate and adaptive immune system, as well as contributing to develop obese phenotype. The gut microbiota has been shown to affect lung health through a vital crosstalk between gut microbiota and lungs, called the “gut-lung axis”. This axis communicates through a bi-directional pathway in which endotoxins, or microbial metabolites, may affect the lung through the blood and when inflammation occurs in the lung, this in turn can affect the gut microbiota. Therefore, the modulation of gut microbiota in obese COVID-19 patients can play a key role in immunonutrition therapeutic strategy. This umbrella review seeks to answer the question of whether a nutritional approach can be used to enhance the immune system’s response to obesity in obese patients affected by COVID-19.

scholarly journals The Role of Micronutrients in Support of the Immune Response against Viral Infections

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 3198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Pecora ◽  
Federica Persico ◽  
Alberto Argentiero ◽  
Cosimo Neglia ◽  
Susanna Esposito
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Omega 3 Fatty Acids ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Optimal Function ◽  
The Impact

Viral infections are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and the importance of public health practices including handwashing and vaccinations in reducing their spread is well established. Furthermore, it is well known that proper nutrition can help support optimal immune function, reducing the impact of infections. Several vitamins and trace elements play an important role in supporting the cells of the immune system, thus increasing the resistance to infections. Other nutrients, such as omega-3 fatty acids, help sustain optimal function of the immune system. The main aim of this manuscript is to discuss of the potential role of micronutrients supplementation in supporting immunity, particularly against respiratory virus infections. Literature analysis showed that in vitro and observational studies, and clinical trials, highlight the important role of vitamins A, C, and D, omega-3 fatty acids, and zinc in modulating the immune response. Supplementation with vitamins, omega 3 fatty acids and zinc appears to be a safe and low-cost way to support optimal function of the immune system, with the potential to reduce the risk and consequences of infection, including viral respiratory infections. Supplementation should be in addition to a healthy diet and fall within recommended upper safety limits set by scientific expert bodies. Therefore, implementing an optimal nutrition, with micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids supplementation, might be a cost-effective, underestimated strategy to help reduce the burden of infectious diseases worldwide, including coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

scholarly journals Nutrition and Covid-19 epidemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 117 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Tanja PAJK ŽONTAR ◽  
Rajko VIDRIH
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Healthy Foods ◽  
Susceptibility To Infection ◽  
Iron And Zinc ◽  
Dietary Nutrient ◽  
Current Context ◽  
Increased Susceptibility

Proper nutrition is an essential part of an individual’s defence against numerous diseases including coronavirus disease SARS-CoV-2 (Covid-19). Nutritional status of individual is affected by several factors such as age, sex, health status, physical activity, life style and medications. Optimal nutrition and dietary nutrient intake impact the immune system, therefore the sustainable way to survive in current context is to strengthen the immune system. Inadequate intake of energy, protein, and specific micronutrients are associated with depressed immune function and increased susceptibility to infection. Predominantly vital for the encouraging of immune function are elements selenium, iron and zinc and vitamins A, D, C, E, B6, B9 (folate) and B12 as well as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Thus, during this time it is important to take care of nutritional habits, following a healthy and balanced nutritional pattern containing a high amount of elements, antioxidants and vitamins. It is also recommended, that individuals should be mindful of physical activity, known to be associated with all-cause mortality. Regular physical activity also improves mental health and overall feelings of wellbeing. Thus, now in the time of epidemic, more than ever, wider access to healthy foods should be a top priority for governments around the world

scholarly journals Aging and Options to Halt Declining Immunity to Virus Infections

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Ángel Palacios-Pedrero ◽  
Albert D. M. E. Osterhaus ◽  
Tanja Becker ◽  
Husni Elbahesh ◽  
Guus F. Rimmelzwaan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Adaptive Immunity ◽  
Bacterial Infections ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Age Group ◽  
Virus Infections ◽  
Innate And Adaptive Immunity ◽  
Chronic Viral Infections

Immunosenescence is a process associated with aging that leads to dysregulation of cells of innate and adaptive immunity, which may become dysfunctional. Consequently, older adults show increased severity of viral and bacterial infections and impaired responses to vaccinations. A better understanding of the process of immunosenescence will aid the development of novel strategies to boost the immune system in older adults. In this review, we focus on major alterations of the immune system triggered by aging, and address the effect of chronic viral infections, effectiveness of vaccination of older adults and strategies to improve immune function in this vulnerable age group.

scholarly journals Sepsis and the Microbiome: A Vicious Cycle

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
William D Miller ◽  
Robert Keskey ◽  
John C Alverdy
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Enteral Feeding ◽  
Gut Microbiome ◽  
Antibiotic Stewardship ◽  
Vicious Cycle ◽  
Fecal Transplant ◽  
Suspected Infection

Abstract Although sepsis has been characterized as a dysregulated immune response to an ongoing or suspected infection, the role of the microbiome as a key influencer of the septic response is emerging. The unavoidable disruption of the microbiome while treating sepsis with antibiotics can itself result in immune system dysregulation, further exacerbating the course and outcome of sepsis. Alterations in the gut microbiome as a result of sepsis and its treatment have been implicated in the organ dysfunction typical of sepsis across a wide variety of tissues including the lung, kidney and brain. A number of microbiota directed interventions are currently under investigation in the setting of sepsis including fecal transplant, the administration of dietary fiber in enteral feeding products and the use of antibiotic scavengers that are directed at attenuating the effects of antibiotics on the gut microbiota while allowing them to concentrate at the primary sites of infection. Taken together, the emerging role of the gut microbiome in sepsis touches various elements of the pathophysiology of sepsis and its treatment, and provides yet another reason to consider the judicious use of antibiotics via antibiotic stewardship programs.

scholarly journals Commentary on ‘Prebiotics, immune function, infection and inflammation: a review of the evidence’

2008 ◽  
Vol 101 (5) ◽  
pp. 631-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. M. Tuohy
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Population Statistics ◽  
Infection And Inflammation ◽  
Inflammatory Component

There is a growing awareness that the gut microbiota and an appropriately functioning immune system play an important role in maintaining human health. Recent population statistics have highlighted some worrying trends, specifically that there is a growing burden of immunological disease in Western populations, that Western populations are ageing, and that obesity, with its strong inflammatory component, is reaching epidemic proportions.

scholarly journals The Bacterium Frischella perrara Causes Scab Formation in the Gut of its Honeybee Host

mBio ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Philipp Engel ◽  
Kelsey D. Bartlett ◽  
Nancy A. Moran
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Bacterial Colonization ◽  
Bacterial Species ◽  
Host Immune System ◽  
Natural Ecosystems ◽  
Epithelial Surface ◽  
Host Interactions ◽  
Key Species

ABSTRACT Honeybees harbor well-defined bacterial communities in their guts. The major members of these communities appear to benefit the host, but little is known about how they interact with the host and specifically how they interface with the host immune system. In the pylorus, a short region between the midgut and hindgut, honeybees frequently exhibit scab-like structures on the epithelial gut surface. These structures are reminiscent of a melanization response of the insect immune system. Despite the wide distribution of this phenotype in honeybee populations, its cause has remained elusive. Here, we show that the presence of a common member of the bee gut microbiota, the gammaproteobacterium Frischella perrara, correlates with the appearance of the scab phenotype. Bacterial colonization precedes scab formation, and F. perrara specifically localizes to the melanized regions of the host epithelium. Under controlled laboratory conditions, we demonstrate that exposure of microbiota-free bees to F. perrara but not to other bacteria results in scab formation. This shows that F. perrara can become established in a spatially restricted niche in the gut and triggers a morphological change of the epithelial surface, potentially due to a host immune response. As an intermittent colonizer, this bacterium holds promise for addressing questions of community invasion in a simple yet relevant model system. Moreover, our results show that gut symbionts of bees engage in differential host interactions that are likely to affect gut homeostasis. Future studies should focus on how these different gut bacteria impact honeybee health. IMPORTANCE As pollinators, honeybees are key species for agricultural and natural ecosystems. Their guts harbor simple communities composed of characteristic bacterial species. Because of these features, bees are ideal systems for studying fundamental aspects of gut microbiota-host interactions. However, little is known about how these bacteria interact with their host. Here, we show that a common member of the bee gut microbiota causes the formation of a scab-like structure on the gut epithelium of its host. This phenotype was first described in 1946, but since then it has not been much further characterized, despite being found in bee populations worldwide. The scab phenotype is reminiscent of melanization, a conserved innate immune response of insects. Our results show that high abundance of one member of the bee gut microbiota triggers this specific phenotype, suggesting that the gut microbiota composition can affect the immune status of this key pollinator species.

Viruses, chemotherapy and immunity

Parasitology ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 105 (S1) ◽  
pp. S85-S92 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. J. Koziel ◽  
B. D. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Antiviral Agents ◽  
Surrogate Marker ◽  
Host Immune Response ◽  
Response To Therapy ◽  
Immunomodulatory Effects ◽  
Antiviral Effects ◽  
Hiv 1

An increasing number of antiviral agents are presently in various stages of development and testing, and an increasing number have recently been licensed for use in humans. These drugs have been used extensively to treat viral infections in immunocompromised individuals, and these studies indicate that for many antiviral agents the response to therapy is highly dependent on the integrity of the underlying host immune response. In particular, the response to zidovudine, acyclovir and ganciclovir in persons with HIV-1 infection is highly dependent upon CD4 number, which can be considered a surrogate marker for the state of host immune function in these subjects. Responses to interferons likewise can be shown to depend on the host immune response, with responses due to both direct antiviral effects of this agent as well as immunomodulatory effects mediated through interferon-induced upregulation of HLA molecule expression.

scholarly journals Effect of BLV Infection on the Immune Function of Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil in Dairy Cows

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guanxin Lv ◽  
Hai Wang ◽  
Jianfa Wang ◽  
Shuai Lian ◽  
Rui Wu
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Immune Function ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Respiratory Burst ◽  
Inflammatory Responses ◽  
Late Onset ◽  
Leukemia Virus ◽  
Polymorphonuclear Neutrophil ◽  
Inflammatory Factors ◽  
Provirus Load

Enzootic bovine leukemia is a late-onset, neoplastic infection caused by the bovine leukemia virus (BLV). BLV infection hinders the function of the immune system and induces other diseases, which negatively affects the performance and health of the infected cows. As the first line of defense against invading foreign pathogenic microorganisms, polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) plays a vital role in the immune system of dairy cows. However, research on the effect of BLV infection on the immune function of PMN in dairy cows is scarce. Therefore, this experiment aimed to elucidate the effects and effect mechanisms of BLV infection on the immune function of PMN in dairy cows with different BLV provirus loads by detecting the chemotaxis, migration, adhesion, phagocytosis, respiratory burst function, and the formation of NETs. The experimental results showed that BLV infection had no significant effect on the phagocytosis of PMN but inhibited their migration and respiratory burst function, and the effects were closely related to the BLV provirus load. Under high BLV provirus load, PMN produced large amounts of NETs, chemokine CXCL7, adhesion molecule CD18, and pro-inflammatory factors IL-8 and TNF-α, triggering inflammatory responses, and tissue damage. The results of this study will help reveal the reason why BLV infection causes the high incidence of mammary gland inflammation in dairy cows.

scholarly journals The Influence of Diet and Probiotics on the Response of Solid Tumours to Immunotherapy: Present and Future Perspectives

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (18) ◽  
pp. 8445
Author(s):  
Alejandro Olivares-Hernández ◽  
Luis Figuero-Pérez ◽  
Rogelio González-Sarmiento ◽  
David León-Jiménez ◽  
Juan Jesús Cruz-Hernández ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Immune System ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Checkpoint Inhibitors ◽  
Survival Rates ◽  
Solid Tumours ◽  
Vegan Diet ◽  
Omega 3 ◽  
Future Perspectives ◽  
Mechanisms Of Resistance

Currently, various immunotherapeutic treatments are revolutionizing therapies that treat solid neoplasms. For these treatments, within immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are the most widely used drugs. Diverse studies have shown the influence of diet and probiotics on the response to ICIs and consequently on the survival rates associated with different neoplasms. The use of various antibiotics, probiotics, and prebiotics has been associated with changes in the gut microbiota, and this, in turn, with resistance to immunotherapy. Together with the above, a lower intake of red meat and greater consumption of a Mediterranean, vegetarian, or vegan diet have led to a new way of understanding the mechanisms of resistance to ICIs. Omega-3 and polyphenol supplements are also powerful regulators of the microbiome whose influence on the immune system. Therefore, this review covers the influence of diet and probiotics on the response to immunotherapy in patients who have solid tumours.

scholarly journals The benefits of glutamine in the treatment of patients with cancer

2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Danilo Everton Cunha Cavalcante ◽  
Alexandre Carli Pinto ◽  
Etianne Andrade Araújo ◽  
Francione Moreira Cabral ◽  
Jhonatas Mota Santos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Amino Acids ◽  
Immune Response ◽  
Immune System ◽  
Amino Acid ◽  
Essential Amino Acid ◽  
Viral Infections ◽  
Interleukin 1 ◽  
Patients With Cancer ◽  
Qualitative Nature ◽  
The Subject

The subject of this study is the benefits of immunonutrition or immunomodulation, based on the concept that malnutrition impairs immune function. It is a therapeutic approach in an artificial form of food with the function of rebuilding cells for the immune response, which involves specific amino acids such as arginine, glutamine, and fiber. In this sense, it is intended to deal specifically with glutamine, which is a “conditionally essential” amino acid, as its concentration in plasma can decrease by up to 50% during stress, causing a deficiency condition. In the treatment of cancer patients, glutamine constitutes an immunomodulatory nutrient, being a fundamental substrate for the cells of the immune system, stimulating the multiplication of lymphocytes, the differentiation of B cells, the production of interleukin 1, and the phagocytosis of macrophages. The high use of glutamine by lymphocytes and macrophages suggests that the provision of this amino acid is of paramount importance for the functioning of these cells and also for the proper functioning of the immune response. Important in viral infections and in combating tumor cells, Natural Killer (NK) cells are dependent on adequate glutamine stores for their proliferation. It also exerts a local immunostimulating effect, increasing intestinal T cells, and is a precursor of an important intracellular antioxidant, glutathione. This is bibliographical research, of a qualitative nature, carried out through specialized scientific articles on the chosen topic.

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