High Fat Meal Increase of IL-17 is Prevented by Ingestion of Fruit Juice Drink in Healthy Overweight Subjects

An emerging role of IL-17 in the inflammatory response associated with pathogenesis of neurodegeneration has been recently suggested. However, though diet represents a key factor in the modulation of inflammatory processes, evidence is not currently available on the nutritional regulation of IL-17 in humans. In a double blind, randomized, placebo controlled, crossover study, we investigated the effect of High Fat Meal (HFM) on IL-17 circulating levels in presence of a placebo (HFM-P) or with a Fruit Juice Drink (HFM-FJD) composed of pineapple, blackcurrant and plum in fourteen healthy overweight humans. Fasting in the morning subjects ingested a test meal providing 1344 Kcal. Ingestion of HFM-P induced an inflammatory response mediated by TNF-alpha (p<0.001), IL-6 (p<0.001) and IL-17 (p<0.01). Plasma IL-17 concentration significantly increased at 1 h (+2.6 +/- 1.1 pg/ml), remaining high at 4 h (+2.98 +/- 1.2pg/ml), 6h (+2.38 +/- 0.6pg/ml) and 8 h (+2.8 +/- 0.9 pg/ml) (ANOVA for time-course p=0.009). When the HFM was consumed in the presence of the FJD a marked inhibition of IL-17 response to the HFM was observed (ANOVA between treatment p=0.037). We provided, for the first time, evidence on the role of diet in modulating IL-17 production in healthy overweight subjects.