Dietary flavanones and citrus fruits influence cytokines and thyroid transcription factor-1 in an HDM-induced chronic asthma murine model

The effects of hesperetin plus naringenin, orange juice and grapefruit juice on mRNA expression of TNF-α, TGF-β1 and TTF-1 in a house dust mite (HDM)-induced asthma animal model were investigated. Interventional mice exposed to HDM for 6 weeks received hesperetin plus naringenin, orange plus grapefruit juice, orange juice, grapefruit juice or water during the last 4 weeks, whereas non-asthmatic control mice consumed water. Lung tissue TNF-α and TGF-β1 expressions in supplemented groups were significantly reduced (p < 0.0001 and p < 0.001, respectively) compared with asthmatic controls. Hesperetin plus naringenin and orange plus grapefruit juice intake reduced expression of TGF-β1 more than grapefruit juice (p ≤ 0.02) or orange juice compared with the asthmatic control group. All supplemented groups had non-significantly higher TTF-1 expression compared with water intake groups. Orange plus grapefruit juice or hesperetin plus naringenin with down-regulation of TNF-α and TGF-β1 may ameliorate lung damage in the lung tissue of asthmatic subjects.