CHAPTER 10: Modulation of Inflammation by Egg Components

It has been well established that eggs, primarily derived from chickens, can be categorized as a functional food that contains a wide range of bioactive components. When provided as a whole food or in isolated forms, egg-derived bioactive compounds, such as glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, cholesterol, proteins, peptides, and carotenoids, have been shown to impact lipid metabolism as well as antioxidant, inflammatory, and immunomodulatory pathways. Accordingly, egg intake has been shown to impact biomarkers and clinical outcomes of acute and chronic inflammatory diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, and tuberculosis. In this chapter, we highlight recent findings that elucidate how egg intake affects markers and pathways of inflammation in human populations. Further, we review molecular mechanisms by which egg-derived compounds regulate inflammatory responses.