Comparison of Phagocytic Activity of Phagocytes in Whole Blood against Live and Heat-treated at 100°C Saccharomyces cerevisiae
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59796/jcst.V16N1.2026.156Keywords:
phagocytosis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, neutrophil, eosinophil, monocyte, inflammationAbstract
Phagocytosis by neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes plays a critical role in inflammation through pathogen clearance and cytokine secretion. Saccharomyces cerevisiae is extensively used in food and beverage fermentation and typically undergoes heat treatment before consumption. While previous studies have examined phagocytic responses to yeast at baking temperatures (190°C), the effects of moderate heat treatment at 100°C commonly used in steaming and boiling remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to compare the phagocytic activity of neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes against live (RT) and heat-treated (ST; 100°C for 20 minutes) S. cerevisiae in human whole blood. Blood samples from 30 healthy volunteers (aged 19–24 years) with normal white blood cell counts were incubated with yeast suspensions (6.30 × 10⁴ cells/µL) for up to 30 minutes. Viability assessment confirmed 96% viability for RT and 0% for ST. All phagocyte types engulfed both RT and ST yeast, indicating recognition of both live and heat-killed cells. At 30 minutes, the phagocytic percentages for neutrophils, eosinophils, and monocytes against RT were 88.76%, 74.11%, and 64.85%, respectively, compared to 83.77%, 53.57%, and 29.08% against ST. Notably, neutrophils against ST showed significantly higher phagocytic indices than against RT at 20–30 minutes, suggesting enhanced ingestion efficiency per cell despite reduced overall activation. Heat treatment significantly decreased phagocytic activity in eosinophils and monocytes. Neutrophils demonstrated superior phagocytic activity compared to eosinophils and monocytes against both RT and ST at all time points. These findings suggest that heat treatment at 100°C alters S. cerevisiae cell wall integrity, differentially affecting phagocyte responses and potentially reducing the immunogenic potential of heat-processed yeast products.
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