Melatonin effect on the IL-4/STAT6/SOCS5 axis during the differentiation of dendritic cells from monocytes of healthy donors or cancer patients

• Grant number: 15/03314-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: June 01, 2015
• End date: January 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Jose Alexandre Marzagão Barbuto
• Grantee: Aline Arruda de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Previous studies at our lab have shown that dendritic cells (DCs) stemming from monocytes (Mo-DCs) obtained from cancer patients have functional biases that favor the activation of regulatory T lymphocytes (Treg), possibly contributing to the tumor escape from the immune response. We have also determined that melatonin (MLT) acts on monocytes, increasing their sensitivity to interleukin-4 (IL-4) during their in vitro differentiation in DCs. Another study from our group showed that part of the Mo-DCs' functional bias in cancer patients could be attributed to the decrease in STAT6 signaling, a pathway that is activated by IL-4 and down regulated by SOCS5, whose levels, in turn, were found elevated in cancer patients' monocytes. Thus, this project intends to investigate and compare the effects of MLT on the IL-4/STAT-6/SOCS-5 axis during the in vitro differentiation of DCs, from monocytes obtained from healthy donors or from cancer patients. We expect, thus, to deepen the understanding of how these factors interact and, eventually, to identify intervention points that would correct the functional biases in the patients' DCs. (AU)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

OLIVEIRA, Aline Arruda de. IL-4/STAT-6/SOCS-5 axis in the differentiation of dendritic cells: effects of melatonin.. 2017. Master's Dissertation - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.