Table 2

Immune cell response following daily supplementation with 0, 2 or 8 mg astaxanthin after 0, 4 and 8 wk.

Treatment

Wk 0

Wk 4

Wk 8

Total T cells (%)

0 mg

65.9 ± 2.1

64.4 ± 1.9^b

70.6 ± 1.5^b

2 mg

69.5 ± 1.4

69.6 ± 1.5^a

75.7 ± 1.6^a

8 mg

67.2 ± 2.2

69.6 ± 1.8^a

74.3 ± 1.8^ab

Total T_h cells (%)

0 mg

35.3 ± 1.5

36.3 ± 1.7

39.6 ± 1.4

2 mg

35.3 ± 1.8

36.0 ± 1.9

39.7 ± 2.0

8 mg

35.2 ± 1.5

34.3 ± 1.4

38.4 ± 1.2

Total T_c cells (%)

0 mg

26.7 ± 1.4

26.1 ± 1.2

28.4 ± 1.4

2 mg

28.2 ± 1.9

27.6 ± 1.9

28.7 ± 1.6

8 mg

28.4 ± 1.6

28.3 ± 1.6

28.8 ± 2.1

T_h:T_c ratio cells

0 mg

1.35 ± 0.07

1.43 ± 0.09

1.48 ± 0.10

2 mg

1.31 ± 0.15

1.35 ± 0.16

1.46 ± 0.15

8 mg

1.31 ± 0.13

1.29 ± 0.13

1.37 ± 0.14

Total B cells (%)

0 mg

11.4 ± 0.9

11.1 ± 0.5

10.7 ± 0.5^b

2 mg

13.1 ± 1.1

12.7 ± 1.2

13.1 ± 0.5^a

8 mg

13.3 ± 1.4

11.9 ± 0.7

11.1 ± 0.3^ab

Total NK cells (%)

0 mg

13.7 ± 0.9

12.6 ± 1.2

10.6 ± 0.8

2 mg

12.5 ± 1.0

13.1 ± 1.9

12.6 ± 1.5

8 mg

13.4 ± 1.1

15.6 ± 1.4

13.1 ± 1.4

NK cytotoxic activity(% lysis)

0 mg

51.5 ± 4.4

51.0 ± 2.5

57.8 ± 2.7^b

2 mg

58.2 ± 3.8

54.4 ± 2.9

57.1 ± 2.6^b

8 mg

56.1 ± 3.1

54.3 ± 1.9

67.9 ± 3.0^a

^{a, b} Different letters represent significant treatment differences (P < 0.05) as analyzed by ANOVA. Values are means ± SEM.

Park et al. Nutrition & Metabolism 2010 7:18   doi:10.1186/1743-7075-7-18