High stress levels and obesity both have consequences for immune cell function and inflammation. This project, led by David Beebe, PhD, professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, aimed to explore the intersection between lifestyle factors, like diet and meditation, and inflammation. High stress levels and obesity both have consequences for immune cell function and inflammation. Previous work at UW–Madison has shown how immune cells respond to injury and help resolve inflammation and that the immune response can be influenced by stress and meditation. However, little research has focused on linking these findings.
The research team investigated the links between sugar consumption and stress on immune response by studying blood samples before and after sugar intake. Within one hour of ingestion, the immune cells exhibited heightened activity, suggesting that sugar intake can significantly impact the function of these cells. The team studied mindfulness practices in lupus patients and found initial evidence that these interventions may influence immune response and offer non-pharmacological insights for managing autoimmune conditions.
The Challenge
Modern lifestyles are characterized by high stress levels and an increased prevalence of obesity, both of which have consequences for immune cell function and inflammation. Inflammation is a key factor in many diseases, including autoimmune conditions, heart disease and cancer. Researchers at UW–Madison have made significant discoveries about how the body handles inflammation. Dr. Anna Huttenlocher’s lab has discovered how immune cells like neutrophils respond to injury and help resolve inflammation, and Dr. Richard Davidson’s lab has shown that the immune response can be influenced by stress and meditation. However, there has been little research linking these findings to understand how lifestyle factors like sugar intake and stress affect the immune system.
Project Goals
The goal of this project was to explore the intersection of lifestyle factors and inflammation, specifically how stress and sugar intake affect the immune system and overall health. Dr. Beebe and his team approached this goal through three specific aims:
Characterize the immune response after acute stress and sugar consumption.
Investigate how meditation can modulate the immune response to stress over time.
Evaluate the influence of meditative practice on lupus patients.
Results
The research team made significant progress toward their goal of understanding the effects of sugar consumption and stress on immune response. By analyzing blood samples collected before and after participants consumed sugar, they discovered that within one hour of ingestion, neutrophils exhibited heightened activity. Specifically, there was an increase in neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and enhanced phagocytic activity. These observations suggest that sugar intake can significantly impact immune cell function, potentially influencing overall immune system health and response.
Despite challenges posed by COVID-19 to their investigation of mindfulness practices on lupus patients, the team managed to recruit and complete study activities with three subjects. The researchers measured changes in neutrophil behavior before and after a mindfulness intervention. Initial results indicated that mindfulness practices may play a role in modulating immune responses in Lupus patients and offer potential insights into managing autoimmune conditions through non-pharmacological approaches. Together, these findings provide evidence on how dietary factors and mindfulness interventions can affect immune responses at a cellular level.
