ABSTRACT
Infections with Trichuris trichiura and other trichurid nematodes have been reported to display protective effects against atopy, allergic and autoimmune diseases. The aims of the present study were to investigate the immunomodulatory properties of T. trichiura adult worm extract (TtE) and its fractions (TtEFs) on the production of cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells and to identify their proteinaceous components. Fourteen TtEFs were obtained by ion exchange chromatography and tested for effects on cytokine production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The molecular constituents of the six most active fractions were evaluated using nano-LC/mass spectrometry. The homology between T. trichiura and the related nematode Trichinella spiralis was used to identify 12 proteins in TtEFs. Among those identified, fructose biphosphate aldolase, a homologue of macrophage migration inhibitory factor and heat-shock protein 70 may contribute to the immunomodulatory effects of TtEFs. The identification of such proteins could lead to the development of novel drugs for the therapy of allergic and other inflammatory diseases.
Subject(s)
Cytokines/blood , Helminth Proteins/immunology , Leukocytes, Mononuclear/immunology , Trichuris/immunology , Adult , Animals , Child , Chromatography, Ion Exchange , Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase/chemistry , Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase/immunology , HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/immunology , Helminth Proteins/chemistry , Humans , Proteomics , Trichinella spiralis/chemistry , Trichuriasis/immunology , Trichuriasis/parasitology , Trichuris/chemistry , Young AdultABSTRACT
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The bee pollen is used in folk medicine to alleviate allergic reactions. The bee pollen phenolic extract (BPPE) consists in phenolic compounds (flavonoids) from plants picked by Apis mellifera bee. AIM OF THIS STUDY: Here we evaluated the anti-allergic property of the BPPE and the flavonoid myricetin (MYR) in murine model of ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study focused on the BPPE or myricetin treatment of OVA-sensitized BALB/c mice and their effects on the IgE and IgG1 production, pulmonary cell migration, eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) activity and anaphylactic shock reaction. RESULTS: The BPPE treatment (200mg/kg) showed inhibition of the paw edema, IgE and IgG(1) OVA-specific production, leukocyte migration to the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and EPO activity in lungs. In addition, BPPE treatment showed partial protection on the anaphylactic shock reaction induced by OVA. Treatment with myricetin (5 mg/kg) also inhibited pulmonary cell migration and IgE and IgG(1) OVA-specific production. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the hypothesis the myricetin is one of the flavonoids of BPPE responsible for the anti-allergic effect and a potential tool to treat allergies.