BOOK REVIEW [2]

TITLE: Nutrition and Immune Function Frontiers in Nutritional Science, No. 1
AUTHOR: Edited by P.C. Calder, C.J. Field and H.S. Gill
PUBLISHER: CABI Publishing, 2002, pp. 426
PRICE: US$ 65.00

REVIEWED BY: Ruth K. Oniang'o and Kennedy M. Shiundu

Nutrition and Immune Function: Frontiers in Nutritional Science No. 1 aims to provide a state of the art description of the interaction between nutrition and immunity with an emphasis on the mechanism(s) of the action of the nutrients concerned and the impact on human health.

The book is delineated into three sections. Individual chapters are actually research presentations and papers from various authors. The book begins by briefly introducing the interactive nature of disease-causing organisms, viruses, bacteria and parasites with the body's immunological system(s) including innate immunity and adaptive immunity.

The first section explains how both macro and micronutrients derived from the diet affect the immune- system. The immune system functions through actions at several levels in the gastrointestinal tract, thymus, spleen, regional lymphnodes and immune cells of circulating blood. The section also discusses old and emerging systems that are employed in assessing the state of the immune systems. For example, research findings are presented to show how the emerging field of nutritional immunology has benefited from the evolution of cellular and molecular immunology.

Section two has 11 chapters. The first two chapters are devoted to the immunological effects of protein- energy malnutrition and of intrauterine growth retardation. Each of the other nine chapters is devoted to a specific nutrient or a family of nutrients: fatty acids, arginine, glutamine, sulphur amino acids, vitamin A, antioxidant vitamins (vitamins C and E and beta carotene), zinc, iron and selenium are all featured. A very interesting chapter on biotics also comes under this section. For both immunostimulatory and immunoregulatory roles, contemporary research has already identified a few promising strains of immunoactive probiotics and these strains are either currently being commercialized or are near commercialization. Major progress in the use of defined probiotics for health improvement is likely to become apparent in the coming decade. The underlying theme in the section appears to explain the fact that to a certain extent, immunological problems can be attributed to the nutritional status of the body.

Section three of the book discusses various topics, all coalescing around the change in immune competency throughout the life cycle and how nutrition affects these. Areas amply covered include the development of productive mucosal immunity and oral tolerance, food allergies that sometimes tend to be life- threatening, the issue of physical exercise and how it relates to the body's immune system and especially the role of lymphocytes. The section also covers nutritional influences on immune responses in the elderly. Some space is also dedicated to the issue of development and implementation of nutrition policies in the developing countries.

In the end then, Nutrition and Immune Function provides a review of the roles of specific nutrients in maintaining the immune response and host protection against infection. It also considers the influence of various factors, such as exercise and ageing on the interaction between nutrition and immune function. The main emphasis is on humans, but comparative mammalian data is also presented. Aspects covered include methods of studying nutrient-immune function interactions, the impact of undernutrition on immune function and infection, the influences of fatty acids, amino acids, antioxidant vitamins and various minerals on immunity, immunological effects of changes throughout the life cycle, and public health policy implications. The book will be of great interest to advanced students and researchers in nutritional science and immunology.