JVATiTD - Articles
Official publication of CEVAP/UNESP
Propolis anti-inflammatory effects on MAGE-1 and retinoic acid-treated dendritic cells and on Th1 and T regulatory cells
Karina Basso Santiago1, Bruno José Conti1, Eliza de Oliveira Cardoso1, Fernanda Lopes Conte1, Karen Ingrid Tasca1, Graziela Gorete Romagnoli1, Marjorie de Assis Golim2, Maria Tereza Cruz3, José Maurício Sforcin1 [ + show more ]
Received: 14 July 2022 | Accepted: 13 December, 2022 | Published online: 13 January 2023
https://doi.org/10.1590/1678-9199-JVATITD-2022-0044
Abstract
Background: Propolis exhibits huge potential in the pharmaceutical industry. In the present study, its effects were investigated on dendritic cells (DCs) stimulated with a tumor antigen (MAGE-1) and retinoic acid (RA) and on T lymphocytes to observe a possible differential activation of T lymphocytes, driving preferentially to Th1 or Treg cells. Methods: Cell viability, lymphocyte proliferation, gene expression (T-bet and FoxP3), and cytokine production by DCs (TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6 and IL-1β) and lymphocytes (IFN-γ and TGF-β) were analyzed. Results: MAGE-1 and RA alone or in combination with propolis inhibited TNF-α production and induced a higher lymphoproliferation compared to control, while MAGE-1 + propolis induced IL-6 production. Propolis in combination with RA induced FoxP3 expression. MAGE-1 induced IFN-γ production while propolis inhibited it, returning to basal levels. RA inhibited TGF-β production, what was counteracted by propolis. Conclusion: Propolis affected immunological parameters inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines and favoring the regulatory profile, opening perspectives for the control of inflammatory conditions.
Keywords: Dendritic cells; T CD4+ cells; MAGE-1; Retinoic acid; Propolis; Immunomodulation.