Study broccoli boosts our immune system

Broccoli boosts our immune system
Researchers have discovered how dietary constituents and environmental factors affect the immune system. Various hydrocarbon compounds thus stabilize a sensitive system in the gut, the so-called Ah receptor and its antagonist, the Ah receptor repressor.

In bacterial infections, this balance is easily out of balance - it can lead to dangerous complications. Among other things, the regular consumption of broccoli should be able to counteract this.

Broccoli strengthens our immune system according to a recent study. Image: Dani Vincek - fotolia

In addition to digestion, the intestine also serves to ward off pathogens and pollutants. His immune system must therefore be constantly balanced. For this process, the so-called "Ah receptor" (aryl hydrocarbon receptor) and its antagonist of the Ah receptor repressor play an important role. Together they are responsible for a customized immune response. Scientists now wanted to know how the interaction between the Ah receptor and the repressor works exactly.

They replaced the gene for the Ah receptor repressor in mice with a green fluorescent protein, which always turned green when the gene was supposed to be active for the repressor. It turned out that the repressor was always particularly active, even if the Ah receptor was activated.

When the researchers in the mouse model switched off the gene for the Ah receptor repressor, the mice were protected from septic shock. An over-function of the Ah receptor repressor as well as the Ah receptor caused an increased sensitivity to chronic intestinal inflammation.

The diet could be important in this context. Vegetables such as broccoli with its many substances that bind to the Ah receptor and thus activate the associated repressor, have a stabilizing effect on the immune system in the intestine.

Whether these findings obtained in mice can be transferred to humans, however, remains to be explored. The study can be found here. (Pm)