ANTIMICROBIAL POTENTIAL OF OBLONGIFOLIN A ISOLATED FROM BRAZILIAN RED PROPOLIS AGAINST METHICILLIN-RESISTANT Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) AND ITS IMMUNOMODULATORY ACTION ON THP-1 CELLS

• Grant number: 23/01282-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Effective date (Start): May 01, 2023
• Effective date (End): April 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Pharmacology - Ethnopharmacology
• Principal Investigator: José Maurício Sforcin
• Grantee: Jônatas Felipe Santos de Almeida
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 17/04138-8 - Attainment of chemical, analytical, biological, pharmacological and technological studies to fill the gaps on the development of Brazilian propolis sector, AP.TEM

Abstract

Propolis is a resinous substance produced by bees exhibiting several biological activities, such as antimicrobial and immunomodulatory. Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) have been a problem faced by health institutions and the pharmaceutical industry, due to the resistance to most existing ²-lactam antibiotics. Thus, it is mandatory to study the action of new antibacterial agents, such as propolis, more specifically the compounds isolated from red propolis, which were shown by our group to be promising in combating this pathogen. The goal of this project is to analyze the antimicrobial activity of oblongifolin A isolated from Brazilian red propolis in combination with ²-lactam microbials and their effectiveness in reducing bacterial resistance, with consequent elimination of MRSA in vitro. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) and a possible synergism with antibiotics will be assessed. The best combination will be evaluated for the immunomodulatory action on THP-1 cells differentiated into macrophages, assessing cell viability by MTT test, the production of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-±, IL-1², IL-6, IL-8 and IL -10) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and the killing capacity of MRSA-infected macrophages. Such findings may be of interest to the pharmaceutical industry, aiming to combat multiresistant bacteria without compromising macrophage functions.