RESEARCH NEWS: Pectin and other fibers protect against sickness behaviour

According to researchers at the University of Illinois, Urbana, a diet rich in soluble fiber, like pectin from apples and other fruits and vegetables, protects against sickness behaviour induced by endotoxins. Further, according to the researchers, fiber like pectin promotes altnerative activation of macrophages when compared to a diet containing only insoluble fiber.
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Excerpt:

Brain Behav Immun. 2010 Feb 6. [Epub ahead of print]
Sickness behavior induced by endotoxin can be mitigated by the dietary soluble fiber, pectin, through up-regulation of IL-4 and Th2 polarization.

Sherry CL, Kim SS, Dilger RN, Bauer LL, Moon ML, Tapping RI, Fahey GC Jr, Tappenden KA, Freund GG.

Division of Nutritional Sciences, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.

Peripheral activation of the immune system by infectious agents triggers the brain-cytokine system causing sickness behaviors which profoundly impact well-being. Dietary fiber is a beneficial foodstuff that, from a gastrointestinal tract perspective, exists in both insoluble and soluble forms. We show that a diet rich in soluble fiber protects mice from endotoxin-induced sickness behavior by polarizing mice Th2 when compared to a diet containing only insoluble fiber. Mice fed soluble fiber became less sick and recovered faster from endotoxin-induced sickness behaviors than mice fed insoluble fiber. In response to intraperitoneal endotoxin, mice fed soluble fiber had up-regulated IL-1RA and reduced IL-1beta and TNF-alpha in the brain as compared to mice fed insoluble fiber. Importantly, mice fed soluble fiber had a basal increase in IL-4 in the ileum and spleen which was absent in MyD88 knockout mice. Con-A stimulated splenocytes from mice fed soluble fiber showed increased IL-4 and IL-5 and decreased IL-2, IL-12 and IFN-gamma when compared to mice fed insoluble fiber. Likewise, endotoxin-stimulated macrophages from mice fed soluble fiber demonstrated decreased IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, IFN-gamma, IL-12 and nitrate and increased IL-1RA, arginase 1 and Ym1 when compared to mice fed insoluble fiber. Finally, the behavioral protection afforded by feeding mice soluble fiber was reduced in IL-4 knockout mice, as was the impact of soluble fiber on Con-A stimulated splenocytes and endotoxin activated macrophages. These data show that a diet rich in soluble fiber protects against endotoxin-induced sickness behavior by polarizing mice Th2 and promoting alternative activation of macrophages. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Inc.

SOURCE: Brain Behav Immun. 2010 Feb 6.