The Characterization of the Th1/Th2 Ratio in Moderate-Severe Alzheimer’s Disease Patients and Its Response to an Aloe Polymannose-Based Dietary Supplement
Affiliations: [a] Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| [b] Wellness Quest, LLC, Grand Prairie, TX, USA
| [c]
Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
| [d] Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA
Correspondence:
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Correspondence to: John E. Lewis, PhD, Voluntary Associate Professor, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, 1120 NW 14th Street, Suite #1474 (D21), Miami, FL 33136, USA. Tel.: +1 305 962 5286; E-mail: jelewis@miami.edu.
Abstract: Background:Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a leading killer of Americans, imparting a tremendous societal toll. Relationships between immune function and inflammation with cognition are well-established in AD, but the Th1/Th2 ratio of immune function is unknown. Describing the Th1/Th2 ratio and its relationship with cognition may shed light on the disease’s clinical context. How the Th1/Th2 ratio responds to dietary supplementation is another unknown question in this population. Objective:The objectives of the study were to: 1) characterize the Th1/Th2 ratio according to IL-2/IL-10, IFN-γ/IL-10, IL-2/IL-4, IFN-γ/IL-4, IL-2/TNF-α, and IFN-γ/TNF-α in subjects with moderate-to-severe AD and in comparison to healthy adults; 2) investigate the effect of an aloe polymannose multinutrient complex (APMC) dietary supplement on the Th1/Th2 ratios over 12 months; and 3) compare the changes in the Th1/Th2 ratios with the changes in cognition from baseline to 12 months. Methods:Subjects consumed 2.5 g of the APMC four times per day for 12 months, and they were assessed on cognition and cytokines at baseline and 12 months. Results:The Th1/Th2 ratios in AD patients were significantly higher than the healthy controls, and five of the six ratios decreased from baseline to 12 months follow-up (other than IL-2/TNF-α). Several significant relationships were noted between the changes in Th1/Th2 ratios with cognitive assessments. Conclusions:Our results showed an overall rebalancing of the Th1/Th2 ratio in response to APMC, these changes were related to improved cognition in subjects with moderate-to-severe AD, and the APMC supplement was safely tolerated.
