Immune Activation and Radioprotection byPropolis

Abstract

In this study, we focused on immune stimulation by Propolis, and examined changes in the effect of irradiation after Propolis administration. We also examined the radioprotective effect of Propolis by observing its effect on the immune system. The effect of immune activation by Propolis was investigated by measuring the total immunoglobulin (Ig) G and IgM. The radioprotective effect of immune activation by Propolis was investigated by measuring the T-lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of mice following whole body irradiation. Compared with the control group, the IgG was significantly reduced in the Propolis group, indicating that Propolis suppressed IgG production. ELISA revealed that the amount of IgM in mouse serum was significantly higher in the Propolis group as compared with the control group, indicating that Propolis increased IgM production. The number of CD4-positive cells was increased only in the Propolis group. Likewise, the number of CD4-positive cells increased by 81% in the Propolis with irradiation group compared with the irradiation group alone. Compared with the control group, the Propolis group increased CD8-positive cells. Compared with the irradiation alone group, CD8-positive cells were decreased by Propolis with irradiation group. Propolis activated macrophages to stimulate interferon (IFN)-gamma production in association with the secondary activation of T-lymphocytes, resulting in a decrease in IgG and IgM production. Cytokines released from macrophages in mouse peripheral blood after Propolis administration activated helper T-cells to proliferate. In addition, activated macrophages in association with the secondary T-lymphocyte activation increased IFN-gamma production and stimulated proliferation of cytotoxic T-cells and suppressor T-cells, indicating the activation of cell-mediated immune responses.

Topical ‘Sydney’ Propolis Protects against UV-Radiation-Induced Inflammation, Lipid Peroxidation and Immune Suppression in Mouse Skin

“…The relationship between propolis and the immune system has been recently reviewed [10], and past studies have identified correlations between its immune-modulating properties and the inhibition of tumour growth [15,40]. Furthermore, propolis has been found to alter cytokine patterns, to activate T-helper cells to proliferate and to stimulate cell-mediated immune responses [41], factors intimately connected with the protection of the T-cell-mediated immunity in the skin against photodamage [2]. It was therefore consistent to find that treatment with 100 mg/kg propolis reduced the SSUV-induction of IL-10, the cytokine most closely associated with the immunosuppressed state, but protected the expression of IL-12 from SSUV depletion.…”

Egyptian Propolis 12: Influence of Propolis on Cytokines of Toxoplasma gondii Infected Rats

“…It has been used since ancient times as a medicine (Hegazi, 1998) due to its biological properties as an antimicrobial (Hegazi et al, 2014a), antifungal (Hegazi et al, 2000), antiprotozoal (Hegazi et al, 2014b), antiparasitic (Hegazi et al, 2007a,b) and antiviral agent (Hegazi et al, 2012a;Fan et al, 2013), antioxidant (Abd El Hady et al, 2007), hepatoprotective (Gonzales et al, 1995), immunostimulating (Hegazi and Abd El Hady, 1994;Takagi et al, 2005), localized plaque psoriasis (Hegazi et al, 2013) and cytostatic (Banskota et al, 2001). The chemical composition of propolis appeared to be extremely complex and more than 300 compounds have been identified so far (Marcucci, 1995), the most important ones being polyphenols (Hegazi and Abd El Hady, 1997).…”

Effects of diets containing different concentrations of propolis on hematological and immunological variables in laying hens

“…It has also been suggested that dietary bioactive food components that interact with the immune response have considerable potential to reduce susceptibility to infectious diseases (Kogut, 2009). Several reports on the immunomodula-tory activities of water-soluble derivatives of propolis (WSDP) have been published (Orsi et al, 2000;Takagi et al, 2005;Fischer et al, 2007), but little is known about the effect of ethanolic extracts of propolis on the immunological variables in hens. Also, the long-term effect of propolis administration on the biochemical and physiological parameters of hens has not yet been studied.…”