Effects of polyphenols on human Th1 and Th2 cytokine production

Abstract

Background Numerous phenolic compounds are consumed in the diet in a range of foods. There are very few studies of the effects of these compounds on the production of lymphocyte-derived cytokines.Aim of the study To investigate the effects of five phenolic compounds on cytokine production by cultured human lymphocytes.Methods Human whole blood cultures were stimulated with the T cell stimulant concanavalin A for 48 h in the presence of phenolic compounds (vanillic acid, syringic acid, kaempferol, oleuropein and tyrosol) at concentrations up to 10?4 M. Interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4 and interferon-? (IFN-?) concentrations were measured in the culture supernatants by ELISA.Results IFN-? concentration was significantly lower in cultures containing 10?4 M kaempferol than in cultures with kaempferol at 10?7, 10?6and 10?5 M or without kaempferol. The other phenolic compounds did not affect IFN-? concentration and none of the phenolics tested affected IL-2 or IL-4 concentrations.Conclusions Some, but not all, phenolic compounds can decrease IFN-? production by stimulated human whole blood cultures