FIGURE 5.

Blocking TLR2 completely reduced the plant sterol- and plant stanol-induced Th1 shift. Results shown are most representative of three experiments. Human PBMCs were cultured for 52 h in the presence of 50 μg/ml PHA, 2 nm cyclodextrin (carrier), and either 1.2 μm or 12 μm cholesterol or 1.2 μm sitostanol or 12 μm sitosterol or 12 μm α-amyrin. After blocking TLR2, the IFNγ production in human PBMCs decreased to the same level seen under cholesterol control conditions. Effects were similar for sitostanol, sitosterol, and α-amyrin. For IL-4 production, no changes were seen after blocking TLR. IL-10 production increased in all conditions after TLR2 was blocked. This effect was independent of the sterol/stanol treatment to cells.