Immunomodulatory; Anti-inflammatory/antioxidant Effects of Polyphenols: A Comparative Review on the Parental Compounds and Their Metabolites

• Published in: Food reviews international 2021-11, Vol.37 (8), p.759-811
• Main Authors: Sobhani, Mahsa, Farzaei, Mohammad Hosein, Kiani, Sarah, Khodarahmi, Reza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; Abbreviations; Acetic acid; Acetylcysteine; Acids; Activator protein 1; Adenine; Adenomatous polyposis coli; Adhesion; AKT protein; Anaphylaxis; anti-inflammatory; Antigen-presenting cells; Antigens; antioxidant; Antioxidants; Apolipoprotein E; Arachidonate 5-lipoxygenase; Biotransformation; Bone marrow; c-Jun protein; Catechol; Cell adhesion; Cellobiase; Chemokines; Chlorogenic acid; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Cocoa; Concanavalin A; Cytochrome; Cytochromes P450; Damage patterns; Degree of polymerization; Electron spin; Gastrointestinal system; Gastrointestinal tract; glycosides; Immune system; Immunoglobulin E; immunomodulatory; Inflammation; Interferon; JNK protein; Kinases; Lipids; Liquid oxygen; Lung diseases; Lymphocytes B; Manganese; Metabolites; Nitric oxide; Oxygen; Pattern recognition; Peroxidation; Polyphenols; Proteins; Quinones; Reactive oxygen species; Spectroscopy; T cell receptors; Transcription factors; Transforming growth factor-b; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; Vegetable oils; Vitamin E
• ISSN: 8755-9129; 1525-6103
• DOI: 10.1080/87559129.2020.1717523

Polyphenols are a big family of phytochemicals that includes a wide range of natural substances with various biological activities. Amongst these activities, the immunomodulatory property has significant importance due to the central and vital roles of the immune system in the human body. The biological activities of polyphenols depend crucially on the chemical structure and the biotransformation undergone in the body. The glycosylation state of polyphenols and its diversity have a significant impact on the immunomodulatory activity, while there is a lack of a comprehensive review paper in this concept. Hence, we aimed to review the body of literature to light the way for effective modulation of the immune system function using dietary polyphenols. However, due to the significant diversity in the structure and biotransformation of polyphenols, it is hard to draw a general pattern in this regard. The sugar moiety, type, position, and extent of glycosylation determine the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and generally the immunomodulatory activities of polyphenols. In conclusion, this study provides a new comparative approach regarding the immunomodulatory activities of polyphenols versus their metabolites. Moreover, we conclude that polyphenols can modulate the immune system, while each polyphenol has its structural relevance and should be assessed case by case. Abbreviations: BBC: brush border cell; GI: gastrointestinal tract; LPH: lactase-phlorizin hydrolase; CBG: cytosolic beta-glucosidase; CYP: cytochrome p450 enzymes; COMT: catechol-O-methyltransferases; SULT: sulphotransferases; UDPGT: uridine-5′-diphosphate glucuronosyl-transferases; ABC: ATP-binding cassette; ET: transporters, ellagitannin; EA: ellagic acid; EGCG: epigallocatechin-3- gallate; DC: dendritic cell; Th: T helper; NK: natural killer; Treg: cells, regulatory T cells; TGFβ: transforming growth factor β; Foxp3: forkhead box P3; T-bet: T-box transcription factor; RORγt: Retineic-acid-receptor-related orphan nuclear receptor gamma; STAT: Signal transducer and activator of transcription; AhR: aryl hydrocarbon receptor; XRE: xenobiotic-responsive elements; PWM: pokeweed mitogen; Igs: immunoglobulins; PGE2: prostaglandin E2; TNF-α: tumor necrosis factor α; COX-2: cyclooxygenase-2; iNOS: inducible nitric oxide synthase; LPS: lipopolysaccharide; ApoE: apolipoprotein E; NF-κB: nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells; JNK: c-Jun N-terminal kinases; IκBα: IκB alpha; IKK: IκB kin