2011 Annual Report 4.Accomplishments 1. Green tea active component alleviates autoimmune disorders. Incidence of autoimmune diseases increases with aging. Higher consumption of green tea and its component Epigallocatechin (EGCG) have been shown to affect the function of immune cells that are involved in the development or pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. ARS-funded researchers at JMUSDA-HNRCA at Tufts University, Boston, MA, conducted a study to determine the impact of increasing consumption of EGCG on pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases using different doses of EGCG on an animal model for a human autoimmune disease, multiple sclerosis. We found that giving mice EGCG in amounts equivalent to that found in 10 cups of green tea or that in supplements resulted in prevention of clinical signs and symptoms of the disease. EGCG alleviated disease incidence and associated central nervous system symptoms (CNS) by inhibiting immune cell infiltration into CNS and by favorably modulating the balance among pro-and anti-autoimmune T cell subpopulations.The information obtained in this study not only identifies green tea as a nutritional strategy to reduce the symptoms of autoimmune diseases but also indicates potential targets to develop new preventative measures for these diseases in humans.