PROPOLIS: MODULATION OF ANTIGEN PRESENTATION AND DIFFERENTIAL ACTIVATION OF T LYMPHOCYTES

• Grant number: 15/03493-3
• Support type: Regular Research Grants
• Duration: April 01, 2016 - November 30, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Ethnopharmacology
• Principal researcher: José Maurício Sforcin
• Grantee: José Maurício Sforcin
• Home Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Assoc. researchers: João Pessoa Araújo Junior ; Maria Teresa de Teixeira Cruz Rosete ; Maria Terezinha Serrão Peraçoli ; Rodrigo Tavanelli Hernandes

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous product made by bees from different parts of plants, showing several pharmacological properties with possible application the pharmaceutical and food industry. Most of the papers on propolis and immunity were performed with animals and there are few studies with humans regarding its immunomodulatory action. Recently, we initiated the studies with human cells evaluating the effect of propolis in monocytes and dendritic cells and in this project we aim to investigate the cellular mechanisms modulated by propolis in antigen presentation and T lymphocyte differential activation. Thus, an infectious antigen (heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit from E. coli), a tumor antigen (MAGE-1), retinoic acid and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) will be used to assess the expression of cell receptors (TLR-2, TLR-4, MHC- II, CD80, CD40), activation of transcription factors (NF-kB and STAT-3) and TNF-±, IL-6, IL-10 and IL-12 production by monocytes. Lymphocyte proliferation, transcription factors (T-bet, GATA-3, ROR³t, Foxp3) activation and cytokine production (IFN-³, IL-4, IL-17, TGF-²) by T lymphocytes will be analyzed as well, in order to investigate whether propolis could favor any activation profile, culminating preferentially in Th1, Th2, Th17 or Treg one. We assume that a particular biological event could be favored by propolis, culminating for example in the cellular immune response (Th1) against tumors, or humoral (Th2) against extracellular antigens or regulatory (Treg) response. These findings will be original and relevant and this protocol may be adopted in vaccination schedules or antitumor protocols, demonstrating the practical implication of this research project. (AU)