Vitamin E, Immune Response, and Disease Resistancea

Vitamin E as a dietary supplement or as part of an adjuvant vaccine formulation increases humoral and cell-mediated immunity and disease resistance in laboratory animals, farm animals, and humans. Adjuvant administration has far greater effect than dietary supplementation. Vitamin E as an antioxidant protects the cells of the immune response from peroxidative damage; possibly through a modulation of lipoxygenation of arachidonic acid, vitamin E alters cell membrane functions and cell-cell interactions. The most pronounced effect of vitamin E is on immune phagocytosis. Dietary supplementation is beneficial to animals, especially under stress, in decreasing susceptibility to infections. Vitamin E adjuvant vaccines have provided greater immunoprotection against enterotoxemia and epididymitis in sheep than conventional vaccines.