Effects of Single Cell Products of Apple on Stimulating Various Functions of Murine Peritoneal Macrophages

The objective of this study was to investigate the possible effects of oral administration of single cell products (SCP) of apple on activating peritoneal macrophages. Apples were processed either for cold-pressed juice or SCP, which were produced by incubating sliced apples with a protopectinase, Sumyzyme MC. Both cold-pressed juice and SCP of apple were administered to C57BL/6 mice for 10 days to compare their efficacy, along with the control group, in stimulating peritoneal macrophages. The viability of macrophages was significantly increased by up to 161% of that of the control following the administration of apple SCP, whereas the viability of macrophages was increased to a lesser extent of up to 143% in the apple juice (AJ) administered group. Administration of apple SCP also induced a significantly higher production of $H_2O_2$ from macrophages (317% of the control) than that of cold-pressed AJ (210%). Although nitric oxide (NO) production was not increased by the administration of either AJ or SCP, the latter slightly but significantly increased tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ ($TNF-{\alpha}$) production from macrophages from 560.4 to 579.8 pg/mL. The results of this study suggest that administering SCP is more efficient than administering AJ to stimulate functions of peritoneal macrophages.