Evaluation of Immune Gene Expression Reveals Immunomodulatory Activity of Chlorella vulgaris in a Mouse Model

Chlorella vulgaris, a unicellular freshwater microalga, is widely recognised as a functional food and supplement with immunomodulatory properties attributed to its bioactive components. These bioactive components include proteins, fatty acids, polysaccharides, pigments, and antioxidants. Nonetheless, a comprehensive gene-expression profile related to the innate and adaptive immune responses of C. vulgaris supplementation is lacking. This study aimed to evaluate the immunomodulatory effects of C. vulgaris in a mouse model through the oral administration of C. vulgaris biomass into BALB/c mice. Seven days after the oral administration, spleen tissues were analysed via a qPCR array to assess the expression of 84 genes related to the innate and adaptive immune response. Results show a significant upregulation (fold change > 2.0) of seven essential immune genes, such as Irf7, Mpo, Stat1, Tlr6, Tlr7, Tlr9, and Tyk2. In contrast, five immune-related genes, including Ccl5, Ccr6, Csf2, Myd88, and Rorc, were significantly downregulated (fold change <-2.0). These results show a comprehensive immune-gene expression profile elicited following seven days after the oral administration of C. vulgaris in mice. This work offers novel insights into the immunomodulatory properties of C. vulgaris through the immune gene expression profile it exhibited and underscores its known potential as an alternative therapy to boost immunity in various health conditions.