Issue 9, 2013

Immunomodulating effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea: mechanisms and applications

Abstract

Consuming green tea or its active ingredient, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), has been shown consistently to benefit the healthy functioning of several body systems. In the immune system specifically, accumulating evidence has revealed an immunomodulating effect of green tea/EGCG. Several types of immune cells in both the innate and adaptive immune systems are known to be affected in varying degrees by green tea/EGCG. Among them, the dramatic effect on T cell functions has been repeatedly demonstrated, including T cell activation, proliferation, differentiation, and production of cytokines. In particular, dysregulated T cell function with respect to different subsets of CD4+ T cells is a critical pathogenic factor in the development of autoimmune inflammatory diseases. Recent studies have shown that EGCG affects the differentiation of naïve CD4+ T cells into different effector subsets in a way that would be expected to favorably impact autoimmunity. Consistent with these findings, studies using animal models of autoimmune diseases have reported disease improvement in animals treated with green tea/EGCG. Altogether, these studies identify and support the use of EGCG as a potential therapeutic agent in preventing and ameliorating T cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Given the paucity of information in human studies, the translational value of these findings needs to be verified in future research.

Graphical abstract: Immunomodulating effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea: mechanisms and applications

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
03 Jan 2013
Accepted
18 Jun 2013
First published
20 Jun 2013

Food Funct., 2013,4, 1287-1303

Immunomodulating effects of epigallocatechin-3-gallate from green tea: mechanisms and applications

M. Pae and D. Wu, Food Funct., 2013, 4, 1287 DOI: 10.1039/C3FO60076A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements