Abstract
Background: Antioxidant vitamins are important for the immune system to function efficiently through several mechanisms. However, according to several previous studies, individual step of leucocyte phagocytosis is not correlated with different antioxidant vitamins.
 Methods: This study included 50 healthy Nigerians whose cellular phagocytic mechanism such as percentage leucocyte migration (%LM) and intracellular killing (%Nitroblue Tetrazolium Test) were determined by microscopy, neutrophil chemokines [plasma interleukin 8 (IL-8)] was determined using ELISA, and respiratory burst indices [plasma catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), myeloperoxidase (MPO), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and nitric oxide (NO)] were determined by spectrophotometry. While the plasma antioxidant vitamins (Vitamins A, C, and E) were determined using HPLC, the phagocytic indices, chemokines, and respiratory burst indices were correlated with plasma antioxidant vitamins using Spearman’s Correlation analysis at α0.05.
 Results: The results show that although among the healthy Nigerian adults, vitamin C was significantly and positively correlated with %NBT, it was negatively correlated with CAT activity. Vitamin A showed a significantly positive correlation with SOD while Vitamin E showed a significantly negative correlation with MPO.
 Conclusions: These findings suggest that antioxidant vitamins affect different stages of phagocytosis. It is advisable to use a combination of antioxidant vitamins as supplements with recommended treatment strategies against intracellular micro-organisms or inflammatory diseases.
 Keywords: Antioxidants, Intracellular microbial killing, Vitamins
Highlights
Inadequate intake of antioxidant vitamins suppresses immunity and predisposes to microbial infections that increase morbidity and mortality
Engulfed micro-organisms are digested in phagosomes by hydrolyzing enzymes of the polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNL) and macrophages [2]
Provide additional mechanisms for these earlier observations, the present study determined and correlated separate steps of phagocytosis such as adherence, chemotaxis, digestion, and intracellular killing with antioxidants vitamins
Summary
Inadequate intake of antioxidant vitamins suppresses immunity and predisposes to microbial infections that increase morbidity and mortality. A study reported that the entire steps of phagocytosis were increased after the addition of vitamin E and ascorbic acid in the medium containing peritoneal macrophages [4]. Both phagocytosis and superoxide anion production were enhanced in Kupffer cells treated in vivo with all-trans-retinol [5]. Supplementing adults with vitamin E improved chemotaxis and phagocytosis of neutrophils, natural killer cell activity, and mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation [14]. Provide additional mechanisms for these earlier observations, the present study determined and correlated separate steps of phagocytosis such as adherence, chemotaxis, digestion, and intracellular killing with antioxidants vitamins
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