Immune System and Nutrition

Dietetics-I (Diet-944)
Aiman ijaz
Senior Lecturer
UIDNS
The University of Lahore

University Institute of Diet and Nutritional

Sciences, UOL.
Immune system and nutrition
Learning Objectives
 To learn different types of immune responses
 Immune boosting foods
 To recommend dietary guidelines
 To make an eating plan
IMMUNITY

 Ability of the body to resist infection,

 Defenses of the body which enables the body to

resist infection under normal conditions

 Immune system
 Cells, tissues, and molecules that mediate

resistance to infections in the body

 It protects from diseases and infections
IMMUNITY
 Immunology
 Study of structure and function of the immune
system
 Immunity
 Resistance of a host to pathogens
 Immune response
 Collective and coordinated response to the

introduction of foreign substances

Role of the immune system
 Provide defense against microbes
 Provide defense against growth of tumor cells
 It kills the growth of tumor cells
 Homeostasis
 Destruction of abnormal or dead cells
 e.g. dead red or white blood cells, antigen-

antibody complex)
Two types of immunity
 Innate (non-adaptive)
 It is first line of immune response
 Relies on mechanisms exist before infection
 Acquired (adaptive)
 Second line of response (if innate fails)
 Relies on mechanisms adapt after infection
Innate immunity
 Based on genetic make-up
 Relies on already formed components
 Rapid response: within minutes of infection
 Not specific
 same molecules respond to range of pathogens
 They has no memory
 Same response after repeated exposure
Innate immunity: mechanisms
 Mechanical barriers / surface secretion
◦ skin, acidic pH in stomach, cilia
 Humoral mechanisms

◦ lysozymes, basic proteins, complement,

 Cellular defense mechanisms

◦ natural killer cells neutrophils, macrophages,,

basophils, eosinophils
Cells

NK Cell Eosinophils
Basophils & Mast Monocyte
Neutrophil
cells Macrophage
Adaptive immunity:
 Based upon resistance acquired during life
 Relies on genetic events and cellular growth
 Responds more slowly, over few days
 Repeated exposure leads to faster, response
 Adaptive Immunity:
active and passive
Active Immunity Passive Immunity
Natural clinical, sub- via breast milk,
clinical infection placenta

Artificial Vaccination: immune serum,

immune cells
Live, killed,
purified antigen
vaccine
Adaptive immunity: mechanisms
 Cell-mediated immune response (CMIR)
◦ T-lymphocytes
◦ Eliminate intracellular microbes that
◦ Survive within phagocytes or other infected
 Humoral immune response (HIR)

◦ B-lymphocytes, mediated by antibodies

◦ Eliminate extra-cellular microbes and toxins
T lymphocytes
2 types
 helper T- lymphocytes (CD4+)

◦ CD4+ T cells activate phagocytes to kill

microbes
 Cytolytic T-lymphocyte (CD8+)

◦ CD8+ T cells destroy infected cells

containing microbes or microbial proteins
Humoral immune response
 B lymphocytes recognize specific antigens
 Proliferate and differentiate into antibody-
secreting plasma cells
 Antibodies bind to specific antigens
 Destroy microbes via specific mechanisms
 Some B lymphocytes evolve into the resting
state - memory cells
Cells of immune system: Fixed cells
Thymus and spleen

Peyer’s patches of Lymph

the small intestine nodes

Kupffer cells of Bone

the liver marrow

Lymphoid tissues of the

respiratory, gastrointestinal and
genitourinary track
Phagocytes

 Ingestand destroy microorganisms

 Includes granulocytes and macrophages
 Macrophages eat up bacteria and viruses
 Phagocytes and complement release:
 Digestive enzymes which contain
 Lysosomes helps destroy antigen
(a) Cell mediated immunity
 T-cellsare the main agents of immune system
 Cell mediated immunity is specific respones
 They act directly with antigen
 These cells get activated upon contact with

antigen produce mediators called

lymphokines
Subgroups of T-cells

Memory
cells

Suppressor Cytotoxic
cells cells

Helper
cells
Clinical measurement of cellular
immunity
‘Delayed Hyper Sensitivity Skin Testing’
 A small amount of antigen to which the patient

has been previously exposed, is injected under

the skin
 Injection site is observed for (erythema)
 Hardening (induration) at 24 and 48 hours.
Clinical measurement of cellular
immunity
A normal positive response manifested by
presence of both erythema and induration,
 Indicating that T-lymphocytes and phagocytes

have migrated to the area as part

of the immune system.

 Usually 3 or more antigens are injected

Clinical measurement of cellular
immunity
 Failed to respond any of these
 Termed as Anergy, occurs in PEM
 But also seen in burns, cancer, various

bacterial and viral infections,

 Liver disease, uremia, chemotherapy etc.
(b) Humor immunity
 Involves lymphocytes and B cells
 B-cells specific to the invading cell produce

plasma cells which in turn produce a variety of

immunoglobulin
 Antibodies bind antigen and form complex
 Complex cells are destroyed by phagocytes
Persons who are at risk

Infants

Drug users Elder people

Alcoholics Food faddists

Hospitalized patients
PROTEIN

 Protein synthesis is an essential prerequisite

 The quality and quantity of protein are both

important in immune response

 Increased incidence of infections is observed

when the diet does not meet the essential

amino acid needs
 Nutrients to monitor that affects immunity:

Proteins
Iron
Zinc
Folate
atty acids
elenium
n A, B6, C and E
ARGININE

 Amino acids plays a pivotal role in

maintaining body homeostasis
 Source of nitrogen in nitric oxide
 Prescribed when stress occurs
 Stimulates secretion of anabolic hormones
 It play role in wound healing
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS

Have anti-
inflammatory effect Found in fish oils
GLUTAMINE

 Becomes essential in the presence of severe

stress and multiple organ failure
 Enhances the immune function
 It is major oxidative substrate
 Boost up the immune system of person
 Demand increase during stress situation
WHEY PROTEINS
 Stimulate cell mediated immune response
 Stimulate humoral immune response
 Improve the body’s nutritional status
 Antioxidant role increasing tissue glutathione
 Glutathione is an anti oxidant
 It inhibits growth of tumors
Assignment (Class Task)
 Explore antioxidant rich foods that help to
boost up the immunity
 Sources of Selenium
 DNA repairing foods
Reference
 Coulston.(2008). Nutrition in prevention and
treatment of disease.
  Krause, M., & Mahan, K. (2006).Food

& Diet Therapy. (12 th ed.). Sylvia

Escott-Stump.
 Staci, N.(2004). Basic Nutrition and Diet

Therapy. New: York: MacMillan Publishing

CO.
Learning outcomes
 After the completion of this lecture students
were able to learn
 Different types of immune responses
 Immune boosting foods
 Different dietary guidelines to boost up

immune system.