Folic acid treatment and IL-2 methylation levels in adipocytes from lupus´ patients: in vitro study

• Grant number: 22/13317-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date until: March 01, 2023
• End date until: April 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Medical Clinics
• Principal Investigator: Carolina Nicoletti Ferreira Fino
• Grantee: Lucas de Moura Carvalho
• Supervisor: Ana Belén Crujeiras Martínez
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina (FM). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Universidade de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago (USC), Spain
• Associated to the scholarship: 21/09777-4 - Do patients with lupus and obesity have altered methylation profile of inflammatory-related genes? A cross-sectional study, BP.MS

Abstract

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic disease that causes inflammation. It is associated with a complex immune dysregulation and its pathophysiology multifactorial interaction between several factors including genetic and epigenetic components. In this way, the change in epigenetic patterns is proposed as an important contributing factor for the development of autoimmunity and specific and phenotypic manifestations to treatment. On the other hand, obesity prevalence had reached epidemic proportion that affects almost all areas of health, including the management of patients with SLE. Epigenetic mechanisms can be modulated by diverse factors such as nutrients. Folic acid is considered a methyl donor that participates in the synthesis of S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), which is the universal methyl donor for DNA and for methylation pathway reactions. Recent evidence suggests that low folate concentrations is associated with low global DNA methylation, which has been associated with an increased risk of SLE and autoimmune diseases. Also, some studies support that supplementation of methyl group donors can exert potential anti-inflammatory and overweight effects. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate a direct and mechanical link between folic acid treatment, epigenetic patterns and inflammation in adipose tissue cells. This study presents a novelty: the use of a medium secreted from the tissue of patients with SLE for the cultivation of an environment, which allows a greater representation of the use of lupus using secret factors of human adipose tissue. Given the treatment of folic acid therapy and considering that it is a simple strategy and for the treatment of SLE the treatment of obesity potential, and the involvement of initiation in disease surgery, the present study of physical therapy accessible to the proposal of a linear proposal between affordable folic acid supplementation and global or site-specific DNA methylation level, especially in the context of SLE. (AU)