Immune System Enhancing Effect

Although previous studies showed that silk peptide stimulates macrophages and the production of proinflammatory cytokines, its effect on natural killer (NK) cell function was investigated by Jang et al.

To evaluate the modulatory activity of the silk peptide on NK cells, mice were given a diet supplemented with various amounts of silk peptides for 2 months and their effects on immune stimulation, including NK cell activation, were evaluated.

As a result of the study, oral administration of silk peptide increased the frequency of mature NK cells in a dose-dependent manner, and even high-dose silk peptide, which inhibited NK cell frequency, significantly increased NK cell maturation. Briefly, oral consumption of silk peptide promotes influencing the innate immune functions of NK cells and can be used as a complementary therapy to support optimal NK cell activity in cancer patients.