Suppressive effect of dietary raffinose on T-helper 2 cell-mediated immunity

Abstract

The effects of the dietary oligosaccharide raffinose on immune responses, with special reference to its anti-allergic functions, were examinedin vivo. First, feeding a diet supplemented with 50 g raffinose/kg to BALB/c mice significantly (Pin vitrocompared with feeding control diet. When isolated PP cells were used as antigen-presenting cells (APC) for CD4⁺T-splenocytes isolated from ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T-cell receptor transgenic (Tg) mice in the presence of OVA as antigen, significantly (Pin vivo. CD4⁺T-cells from the mesenteric lymph nodes of the raffinose-fed mice secreted significantly (PPin vitroantigenic stimulation compared with those of the control mice. These present results suggest that feeding raffinose may suppress differentiation of naïve T-helper (Th) cells into Th2 cells in the mesenteric lymphoid nodes. Last, feeding raffinose suppressed rises of serum immunoglobulin E levels in the Tg mice treated with long-term ingestion of OVA. In conclusion, it is suggested that dietary raffinose suppresses serum immunoglobulin E response through suppression of Th2-type immune response against oral antigen in the lymphoid organs located in or near the intestine.