Whether vitamin A supplementation is effective in T-bet and IFN-ɣ gene expression reduction?

Abstract

Background: The aim of present study is evaluation of vitamin A supplementation efficacy on IFN-ɣ and T-bet gene expression in atherosclerotic patients.

Methods: Thirty-one patients and 15 healthy controls participated in this study. Healthy control and patients in Vitamin A group received 25 000 IU retinyl palmitate daily for 4 months. Control patients also received 1 pearl of placebo per day up to 4 months. Gene expression levels were assessed by real-time PCR using SYBR green detection method.

Results: IFN-γ gene expression in fresh cells of patients taking vitamin A declined slightly (0.85-fold, p = 0.068), whereas the expression of this gene was increased in patients taking placebo, and in healthy control subjects 1.2-fold (p = 0.267) and 1.7-fold (p = 0.580), respectively. There were no significant difference (p = 0.159) between 3 groups in terms of IFN-γ gene expression in cells stimulated with PHA. In order to determine whether PHA stimulation of PBMCs in vitro had an effect on T-bet expression, we measured the difference between the 3 groups of studied. The results showed significant differences between the groups (p = 0.046). IFN-γ gene expression in cells activated with ox-LDL in healthy control subjects and patients taking vitamin A, was reduced 0.43 (p = 0.0001) and 0.41 (p = 0.001) respectively, but in placebo patients was increased 2.2-fold (p = 0.959).

Conclusion: Considering role of vitamin A on suppression of Th1 cells in atherosclerotic patients, it can be concluded that vitamin A supplementation may be advantageous for these patients.

• Atherosclerosis
• gene expression
• T-bet
• IFN-ɣ
• vitamin A

Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Katayoon Pourvali for English editing and all the patients for their participation in this study.

We wish to thank the Tehran University of Medical Sciences and Health Services grants with number of 89-01-27-10471.

Declaration of interest

None of the authors had a conflict of interest to disclose. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.