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Prune Consumption Attenuates Proinflammatory Cytokine Secretion and Alters Monocyte Activation in Postmenopausal Women: Secondary Outcome Analysis of a 12-Mo Randomized Controlled Trial: The Prune Study.

  • 2024-05
  • The Journal of nutrition 154(5)
    • Janhavi J Damani
    • Ester S Oh
    • Mary Jane De Souza
    • Nicole Ca Strock
    • Nancy I Williams
    • Cindy H Nakatsu
    • Hang Lee
    • Connie Weaver
    • Connie J Rogers

Study Design

Type
Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT)
Sample size
n = 235
Population
postmenopausal women (55-75 y old; n = 235 recruited; n = 183 completed)
Methods
single-center, parallel-arm, 12-mo randomized controlled trial; assigned to 1 of 3 groups: "no-prune" control, 50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d groups
Duration
12 mo
  • Large Human Trial

Background

Proinflammatory cytokines are implicated in the pathophysiology of postmenopausal bone loss. Clinical studies demonstrate that prunes prevent bone mineral density loss; however, the mechanism underlying this effect is unknown.

Objective

We investigated the effect of prune supplementation on immune, inflammatory, and oxidative stress markers.

Methods

A secondary analysis was conducted in the Prune Study, a single-center, parallel-arm, 12-mo randomized controlled trial of postmenopausal women (55-75 y old; n = 235 recruited; n = 183 completed) who were assigned to 1 of 3 groups: "no-prune" control, 50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d groups. At baseline and after 12 mo of intervention, blood samples were collected to measure serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC), plasma 8-isoprostane, proinflammatory cytokines [interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α] concentrations in plasma and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) culture supernatants, and the percentage and activation of circulating monocytes, as secondary outcomes.

Results

Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations. However, percent change from baseline in circulating activated monocytes was lower in the 100 g prune/d group compared with the control group (mean ± SD, -1.8% ± 4.0% in 100 g prune/d compared with 0.1% ± 2.9% in control; P < 0.01). Furthermore, in LPS-stimulated PBMC supernatants, the percent change from baseline in TNF-α secretion was lower in the 50 g prune/d group compared with the control group (-4.4% ± 43.0% in 50 g prune/d compared with 24.3% ± 70.7% in control; P < 0.01), and the percent change from baseline in IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 secretion was lower in the 100 g prune/d group compared with the control group (-8.9% ± 61.6%, -4.3% ± 75.3%, -14.3% ± 60.8% in 100 g prune/d compared with 46.9% ± 107.4%, 16.9% ± 70.6%, 39.8% ± 90.8% in control for IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, respectively; all P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Dietary supplementation with 50-100 g prunes for 12 mo reduced proinflammatory cytokine secretion from PBMCs and suppressed the circulating levels of activated monocytes in postmenopausal women. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02822378.

Research Insights

  • prune→Increased Total Serum Antioxidant Capacity

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced 8-Isoprostane Level

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Hs-CRP Level

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Interleukin-1β Level

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Interleukin-6 Levels

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Interleukin-8 Level

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Interleukin-8 Secretion

    the percent change from baseline in IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 secretion was lower in the 100 g prune/d group compared with the control group (-8.9% ± 61.6%, -4.3% ± 75.3%, -14.3% ± 60.8% in 100 g prune/d compared with 46.9% ± 107.4%, 16.9% ± 70.6%, 39.8% ± 90.8% in control for IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8, respectively; all P < 0.05)

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Monocyte Adhesion

    percent change from baseline in circulating activated monocytes was lower in the 100 g prune/d group compared with the control group (mean ± SD, -1.8% ± 4.0% in 100 g prune/d compared with 0.1% ± 2.9% in control; P < 0.01)

    Effect
    Beneficial
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Level

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
  • prune→Reduced Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha

    Prune supplementation did not alter hs-CRP, TAC, 8-isoprostane, and plasma cytokine concentrations.

    Effect
    Neutral
    Effect size
    Small
    Dose
    50 g prune/d and 100 g prune/d
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