Dietary Nucleotides Can Up-Regulate Antigen-Specific Th1 Immune Responses and Suppress Antigen-Specific IgE Responses in Mice

Background: It has been reported that dietary nucleotides enhance T helper cell activities. In this study, we have determined the effects of dietary nucleotides on antigen-specific Th1 and Th2 responses and IgE responses. Methods: Ovalbumin (OVA)-specific T cell receptor (TCR) transgenic (OVA-TCR Tg) mice, 3 weeks old, were fed a nucleotide-free diet (NT(–) diet) or the NT(–) diet supplemented with dietary nucleotides (NT(+) diet) for 4 weeks. Cytokine production by spleen cells and macrophages obtained from these mice was measured in vitro. BALB/c mice, 3 weeks old, immunized intraperitoneally with OVA adsorbed onto alum, were fed the NT(–) diet or the NT(+) diet for 4 weeks. Serum levels of antigen-specific antibodies in the BALB/c mice were determined by ELISA. Results: The level of production of antigen-specific interferon-γ by spleen cells was significantly higher in the OVA-TCR Tg mice fed the NT(+) diet than in the control mice. The levels of secretion of bioactive IL-12 by spleen cells and peritoneal macrophages were also significantly increased in the NT(+) diet group. The serum OVA-specific IgE level was significantly decreased in BALB/c mice fed the NT(+) diet compared with those fed the NT(–) diet. Conclusion: These results show that dietary nucleotides up-regulate the antigen-specific Th1 immune response through the enhancement of IL-12 production and suppress the antigen-specific IgE response.