The Effect of Lutein Supplementation on Blood Plasma Levels of Complement Factor D, C5a and C3d

Lutein is selectively taken up by the primate retina and plays an as a filter for harmful blue light and as an antioxidant. Recent studies shown that lutein has systemic anti-inflammatory properties. Dietary been associated with reduced circulating levels of inflammatory as CRP and sICAM. Whether lutein also affects activation of the has not yet been addressed and was the purpose of the study described Seventy-two subjects with signs of early macular degeneration were assigned to receive either a 10 mg lutein supplement or a placebo during year. EDTA blood samples were collected at 0, 4, 8 and 12 months. factor D (CFD), a rate limiting component of the alternative pathway of complement activation and the complement activation products C5a and C3d determined in the plasma samples by ELISA. A significant 0.11 microg/ml decrease in plasma CFD concentration was observed in the lutein group resulting in a 51% decrease from 2.3 microg/ml at baseline to 1.0 months. The C5a concentration showed a significant 0.063ng/ml monthly the lutein group (p<0.001) resulting in a 36% decrease from 2.2ng/ml at to 1.6ng/ml at 12 months. The C3d concentration showed a significant 0.19microg/ml monthly decrease in the lutein group (p=0.004) that gave 9% decrease from 15.4microg/ml at baseline to 14.4microg/ml at 12 placebo group we found a significant 0.04 microg/ml monthly decrease in CFD concentration, whereas no changes were observed for C5a and C3d. supplementation markedly decreases circulating levels of the complement CFD, C5a and C3d levels, which might allow a simple method to control inflammatory pathway of the innate immune system.