Herbal supplement Spirulina stimulates inflammatory cytokine production in patients with dermatomyositis in vitro.

ABSTRACT: Spirulina, an herbal supplement and popular ingredient in health foods, is a potent stimulant of the immune system. Spirulina use is temporally associated with the onset or exacerbation of Dermatomyositis (DM), an autoimmune connective tissue disease that frequently affects the skin and muscle. In this study, we investigated the effect of Spirulina on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in DM and Healthy Controls (HCs), showing that Spirulina stimulates Interferon β (IFNβ), Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), and Interferon γ (IFNγ) production of DM PBMCs primarily via Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) activation using ELISA (enzyme linked immunosorbent assay) and flow cytometry. We show that classical monocytes and monocyte-derived dendritic cells are stimulated by Spirulina and are activate

SUBMITTER: Bax CE 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10665953 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature