The more often broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and lettuce are on our plates, the more we can hope to avoid immune system problems, suggests research in the online edition of Cell.
Green vegetables ensure the proper functioning of intraepithelial lymphocytes in the small intestine and skin. Intraepithelial lymphocytes are immune cells that lie beneath a layer of epithelial (epithelial) cells. They play an important role in the body’s first line of defense and in wound healing.
Researchers at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, who fed healthy mice with low-green vegetable food, observed that the levels of intraepithelial cells in rodents decreased by as much as 2-3 percent after 70-80 weeks.
As noted by the lead immunologist Marc Veldhoen, the test results suggesting such a strong link to diet were surprising. At the same time, it turned out that the number of intraepithelial lymphocytes depends on the level of a protein located on the surface of cells, called the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), which may be influenced by the consumption of ingredients present mainly in cruciferous vegetables. The lack of this receptor led mice to lose control of the microbes living on the surface of the intestinal mucosa.
Earlier studies have shown that during the digestion of cruciferous vegetables, a compound may be released that leads to the activation of aryl hydrocarbon receptors. Mice that did not receive this type of food experienced significant reductions in AhR activity and lost intraepithelial cells. This, in turn, led to a reduction in the level of antibacterial proteins, increased susceptibility to damage and impaired regenerative abilities.
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Veldhoen points out that some of the processes seen in mice are similar to those seen in IBD patients. For humans, however, there are many additional factors that should be taken into account.
Nevertheless, the researcher emphasizes, it is worth consuming green vegetables, as the nutrients they contain are an integral part of a healthy diet (PAP).