Immune-modulatory effects and mechanism of action of l-theanine on ETEC-induced immune-stressed mice via nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor signaling pathway

Zhihua Gong; Ling Lin; Zunying Liu; Sheng Zhang; An Liu; Ling Chen; Qiuling Liu; Yanli Deng; Wenjun Xiao

Journal of Functional Foods (Mar 2019)

Immune-modulatory effects and mechanism of action of l-theanine on ETEC-induced immune-stressed mice via nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor signaling pathway

Zhihua Gong,
Ling Lin,
Zunying Liu,
Sheng Zhang,
An Liu,
Ling Chen,
Qiuling Liu,
Yanli Deng,
Wenjun Xiao

Affiliations

Zhihua Gong: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
Ling Lin: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
Zunying Liu: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
Sheng Zhang: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
An Liu: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
Ling Chen: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
Qiuling Liu: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China
Yanli Deng: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Tea College of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China; Corresponding authors at: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China. Tea College of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China.
Wenjun Xiao: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; National Research Center of Engineering Technology for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Hunan Agricultural University, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Utilization of Botanical Functional Ingredients, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China; Corresponding authors at: Key Lab of Tea Science of Ministry of Education, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, Hunan 410128, China. Tea College of Guizhou University, Guiyang, Guizhou 550025, China.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 54
pp. 32 – 40

Abstract

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l-Theanine (LTA), a non-protein-derived amino acid, is widely used as a functional ingredient. Here, we established an immune-stressed mouse model by infecting mice with enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) to study the immunomodulatory effects of LTA with respect to nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling in vivo. Compared to ETEC control group, LTA alleviated ileal tissue lesions, significantly attenuated interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis alpha (TNFα) overexpression, which was consistent with their protein levels. Additionally, LTA inhibited the ETEC-induced overexpression of NOD2 and receptor-interacting protein 2 (RIP2) proteins and mRNAs, TGE-beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and proteasome subunit alpha type-7 (PSMA7) mRNAs, and partially decreased nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 protein levels. Furthermore, it suppressed c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase 1/2 (JNK1/2), extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38) phosphorylation. Thus, we demonstrated that LTA regulates the innate immunity of ETEC-induced immune-stressed mice via NOD1/2-NF-κB and NOD1/2-MAPK pathways.

Published in Journal of Functional Foods

ISSN: 1756-4646 (Print); 2214-9414 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Technology: Home economics: Nutrition. Foods and food supply
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-functional-foods

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