Hydroxytyrosol modulates Par j 1-induced IL-10 production by PBMCs in healthy subjects

Several papers have demonstrated the importance of substances from natural sources which can exert powerful anti-inflammatory effects. In this respect, hydroxytyrosol, one of the major elements of the phenolic components of olive oil, has been extensively studied for its anti-inflammatory activities and safety profile. In this report, we demonstrate that the co-stimulation of human PBMCs from healthy subjects with the Par j 1 allergen and hydroxytyrosol induced a statistically significant increase in the amount of Par j 1-induced IL-10, demonstrating that hydroxytyrosol can modulate an allergen-specific immune response potentiating a suppressive immune response towards an allergen. Our work opens the way to further studies to elaborate the possibility of using hydroxytyrosol as a nutrient for allergy prevention.