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Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections

Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections
Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections
Objective: Wellmune WGP is a food supplement containing a refined 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide that improves the antimicrobial activity of the innate immune cells by the priming of lectin sites. This study aimed to investigate whether Wellmune decreases the frequency and severity of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms over 90 d during the peak URTI season in healthy university students. The secondary aims included an assessment of plasma cytokine and chemokine levels.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial lasting 90 d. One hundred healthy individuals (18–65 y old, mean age ?21 y) were randomized to 250 mg of Wellmune once daily or to an identical rice flour-based placebo. Health was recorded daily and two or more reported URTI symptoms for 2 consecutive days triggered a medical assessment and blood collection within 24 h. The URTI symptom severity was monitored. Plasma cytokines and chemokines were measured at day 0, day 90, and during the confirmed URTI.

Results: Ninety-seven participants completed the trial (Wellmune, n = 48; placebo, n = 49). The Wellmune tended to decrease the total number of days with URTI symptoms (198 d, 4.6%, versus 241 d, 5.5% in the control group, P = 0.06). The ability to “breathe easily” was significantly improved in the Wellmune group; the other severity scores showed no significant difference. Cytokines and chemokines were not different between the groups at study entry or day 90, but monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was lower in the Wellmune group during the URTI.
1, 3/1, 6 glucopolysaccharide, 6 ?-glucan, cold, influenza, upper respiratory tract infection, wellmune WGP
0899-9007
665-669
Fuller, Richard
5a8e5d24-ea40-4cec-b505-1e3587dad693
Butt, Hamza
9c4d03b1-5cd3-4cf0-bad2-0f1f4ba05b60
Noakes, Paul S.
0ed50cd9-de73-4851-8039-ee72860d8ae5
Kenyon, Julian
9fb74044-aaba-43f0-bfcf-7464d0ae6593
Yam, Tat Shing
78315ab4-6342-4995-bf4e-748e45052d70
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6
Fuller, Richard
5a8e5d24-ea40-4cec-b505-1e3587dad693
Butt, Hamza
9c4d03b1-5cd3-4cf0-bad2-0f1f4ba05b60
Noakes, Paul S.
0ed50cd9-de73-4851-8039-ee72860d8ae5
Kenyon, Julian
9fb74044-aaba-43f0-bfcf-7464d0ae6593
Yam, Tat Shing
78315ab4-6342-4995-bf4e-748e45052d70
Calder, Philip C.
1797e54f-378e-4dcb-80a4-3e30018f07a6

Fuller, Richard, Butt, Hamza, Noakes, Paul S., Kenyon, Julian, Yam, Tat Shing and Calder, Philip C. (2012) Influence of yeast-derived 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide on circulating cytokines and chemokines with respect to upper respiratory tract infections. Nutrition, 28 (6), 665-669. (doi:10.1016/j.nut.2011.11.012). (PMID:22465901)

Record type: Article

Abstract

Objective: Wellmune WGP is a food supplement containing a refined 1,3/1,6 glucopolysaccharide that improves the antimicrobial activity of the innate immune cells by the priming of lectin sites. This study aimed to investigate whether Wellmune decreases the frequency and severity of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) symptoms over 90 d during the peak URTI season in healthy university students. The secondary aims included an assessment of plasma cytokine and chemokine levels.

Methods: This was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial lasting 90 d. One hundred healthy individuals (18–65 y old, mean age ?21 y) were randomized to 250 mg of Wellmune once daily or to an identical rice flour-based placebo. Health was recorded daily and two or more reported URTI symptoms for 2 consecutive days triggered a medical assessment and blood collection within 24 h. The URTI symptom severity was monitored. Plasma cytokines and chemokines were measured at day 0, day 90, and during the confirmed URTI.

Results: Ninety-seven participants completed the trial (Wellmune, n = 48; placebo, n = 49). The Wellmune tended to decrease the total number of days with URTI symptoms (198 d, 4.6%, versus 241 d, 5.5% in the control group, P = 0.06). The ability to “breathe easily” was significantly improved in the Wellmune group; the other severity scores showed no significant difference. Cytokines and chemokines were not different between the groups at study entry or day 90, but monocyte chemotactic protein-1 was lower in the Wellmune group during the URTI.

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More information

Published date: June 2012
Keywords: 1, 3/1, 6 glucopolysaccharide, 6 ?-glucan, cold, influenza, upper respiratory tract infection, wellmune WGP
Organisations: Human Development & Health

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 337508
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/337508
ISSN: 0899-9007
PURE UUID: d5380ed4-61e0-40b5-9067-feed177b16d2
ORCID for Paul S. Noakes: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-2678-1971
ORCID for Philip C. Calder: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-6038-710X

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Date deposited: 26 Apr 2012 10:12
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:27

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Contributors

Author: Richard Fuller
Author: Hamza Butt
Author: Paul S. Noakes ORCID iD
Author: Julian Kenyon
Author: Tat Shing Yam

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