Therapeutic potential of Artepillin C in experimental allergic asthma

Abstract

Asthma is a chronic pulmonary inflammatory disease, characterized by Th2 profile, eosinophilia and IgE production that together induces shortness of breath, cough and wheezing. Cortico therapy configures treatment that is more efficient but can favor the development of infection and 5 a 10% of asthmatic patients are resistant to this. Then, new therapies for asthma is interesting and challenging. Propolis is a natural compound synthesized by bees from different botanical sources, witch present anti-inflammatory activities. Fewer studies demonstrate that propolis can be able to down modulated inflammation in experimental asthma. However, the mechanism is which a propolis reduces a pulmonary inflammation in asthma is not known. Previous results of our group showed that the treatment of mice exposed to allergen (OVA) with a Brazilian propolis resulted in increase of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and T regulatory cells (Treg) in the lungs. In addition, propolis in vitro increased the differentiation of MDSC and Treg cells. The major compound of Brazilian propolis is artepillin C and our hypothesis is that this compound is responsible for attenuate Th2 pulmonary inflammation thought the induction of MDSC and Treg cells. In the present project, our aim is evaluate the effect of artepillin C in MDSC and Treg differentiation in vitro and the involvement of these treated cells in asthma control. This project is a result of a collaboration between our group and the company Apis Flora of Ribeirão Preto, and together we seek alternatives for treat the symptoms of asthma through a product already marketed in pharmaceutical industry. Therefore, the differential of this project is the use of a purified product looking to increase of therapeutic efficacy or alternatively considering the use of MDSC in immunotherapy for experimental asthma. (AU)