Effect of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) on activation and expression of receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2 in monocytes from healthy women

• Grant number: 24/05461-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: November 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Maria Terezinha Serrão Peraçoli
• Grantee: Julia Miskolczy Secco
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Introduction: Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-specific syndrome characterized by high levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines that play an important role in the pathophysiology of the disease. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been described as the main pro-inflammatory cytokine produced by peripheral blood mononuclear cells, mainly monocytes, which are activated in PE. This cytokine is detected in high concentrations in the plasma of pregnant women with PE and can interact with its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2, modulating the systemic inflammatory response in PE. Objective: This study aims to evaluate the role of TNF in the activation of monocytes from healthy non-pregnant women by inducing TNF receptors in the membrane of these cells. Subjects and Methods: Monocytes from the peripheral blood of 16 healthy, non-pregnant women will be obtained and cultured in vitro in the presence or absence of TNF for 4h and 18h, and the expression of TNFR1 and TNFR2, on the cell membrane will be determined by flow cytometry. The concentration of soluble TNF receptors (sTNFR1 and sTNFR2) will be determined in the culture supernatant of monocytes by enzyme immunoassay (ELISA). The results will be analyzed using parametric or non-parametric tests with a significance level of 5%.