Additional file 1 of Plasma carotenoids are inversely correlated with granulocyte counts and soluble inflammatory markers in a middle-aged population: a cross-sectional study with mediation analysis

Additional file 1: Supplementary methods, Figures S1-5, and Tables S1-11. Figure S1—Flow chart of exclusion and inclusion procedures. Figure S2—Chromatogram of representative plasma carotenoid profile. Figure S3—Gating strategy for absolute cell counts of leukocytes, granulocytes, monocytes, lymphocytes as well as CD3+ , CD4+ , and CD8+ T cells in whole blood. Figure S4—Gating strategy for CD16+ and CD56 + natural killer cells and CD19 + B cells in whole blood. Figure S5 – Heat map indicating correlations between cells and inflammatory markers. Table S1—Behavioral, physiological and biochemical variables across lower (t1) and upper (t3) tertiles of lutein, β-cryptoxanthin, and lycopene in plasma. Table S2—Behavioral, physiological and biochemical variables across lower (t1) and upper (t3) tertiles of α-carotene and β-carotene in plasma. Table S3—Immune cell counts and levels of inflammatory markers between lower (t1) and upper (t3) tertiles of lutein, β-cryptoxanthin, or lycopene in plasma. Table S4—Immune cell counts and levels of inflammatory markers between lower (t1) and upper (t3) tertiles of plasma α-carotene, or β-carotene in plasma. Table S5—Nutritional parameters in participants within lower (t1) and upper (t3) tertiles of total plasma levels of carotenoids. Table S6—Linear regression models between immune cell counts and total carotenoids, lutein, or β-cryptoxanthin in plasma. Table S7—Linear regression models between immune cell counts and lycopene, α-carotene, or β-carotene in plasma. Table S8—Linear regression models between inflammatory markers and total carotenoids, lutein, or β-cryptoxanthin in plasma. Table S9—Linear regression models between inflammatory markers and lycopene, α-carotene, or β-carotene in plasma. Table S10—Mediation analysis between total carotenoids in plasma, inflammatory markers, and immune cell counts. Table S11—Mediation analysis between individual plasma carotenoids, inflammatory markers, and granulocyte count.