IMR Press / FBL / Volume 27 / Issue 12 / DOI: 10.31083/j.fbl2712332
Open Access Original Research
Consumption of Hen Eggs Enriched with n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids, Selenium, Vitamin E and Lutein Incites Anti-Inflammatory Conditions in Young, Healthy Participants — A Randomized Study
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1 Department of Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Osijek, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
2 Scientific Center of Excellence for Personalized Health Care, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
3 Laboratory of Molecular and HLA Diagnostics, Clinical Institute of Transfusion Medicine, Osijek University Hospital, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
4 Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University J. J. Strossmayer Osijek, 31000 Osijek, Croatia
*Correspondence: ines.drenjancevic@mefos.hr (Ines Drenjančević)
These authors contributed equally.
Academic Editor: Marcello Iriti
Front. Biosci. (Landmark Ed) 2022, 27(12), 332; https://doi.org/10.31083/j.fbl2712332
Submitted: 18 October 2022 | Revised: 30 November 2022 | Accepted: 2 December 2022 | Published: 27 December 2022
Copyright: © 2022 The Author(s). Published by IMR Press.
This is an open access article under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Abstract

Background: Dietary supplementation with compounds that possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties (n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), selenium, vitamin E, lutein), has been shown to positively correlate with improvements in chronic conditions, although understanding of these combined effects in healthy humans is limited. The study aimed to evaluate the effects of enriched eggs consumption on oxidative status and inflammatory conditions in healthy volunteers. We hypothesized that a three-week diet containing enriched eggs can alter the immune response of healthy adults towards anti-inflammatory conditions. Methods: 34 participants consumed 3 hard-boiled hen eggs per day (21 days): Control group—regular hen eggs (n-3 PUFAs = 438 mg, selenium = 0.054 mg, lutein = 0.330 mg and vitamin E = 1.785 mg) (N = 14); 4Nutri group—hen eggs enriched with 4 nutrients (n-3 PUFAs = 1026 mg, selenium = 0.06 mg, lutein = 1.85 mg and vitamin E = 3.29 mg) (N = 20). Samples were taken before and after the protocol. Serum concentrations of lipid mediators and cytokines were measured with enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and antibody-based, magnetic bead reagent kits on the Luminex platform, respectively. Serum oxidative stress and antioxidant capacity were measured using standardized methods, while gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was measured via real-time PCR. Results: Decreased serum levels of pro-inflammatory interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and an increased neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) expression in the 4Nutri group, together with alteration of metabolites produced via cyclooxygenase (COX) pathways in the Control group, suggest a shift towards anti-inflammatory conditions in participants who consumed enriched hen eggs. Conclusions: Present results suggest that the combined action of n-3 PUFAs and antioxidants may have a protective role in resting, non-inflammatory conditions. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04564690.

Keywords
functional food
IL-17
inflammation
n-3 PUFAs
nNOS
COX
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Funding
# KK.01.1.1.01.0010./European Structural and Investment Funds to Science Centre of Excellence for Personalized Health Care, the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Scientific Unit for Research, Production and Medical Testing of Functional Food
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