title: Propolis efficacy on TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL2 cytokines production in old mice with and without systemic candidiasis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of propolis on cytokine levels in old healthy mice and old mice with systemic candidiasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty 8-month-old Balb/C mice were divided into five groups. Group 1 received orally the ethanolic extract of propolis (100mg/kg per day) for 7 days, group 2 received intravenously Candida albicans (C. albicans) (2 × 10(5) cell) and orally the ethanolic extract of propolis, and group 3 received intravenously C. albicans. After 18 days of experiments, all mice were euthanized. Then, blood samples were collected, and the spleens were excised. Splenocytes were isolated immediately and cultured in RPMI-1640 medium without stimulation and/or stimulated in the presence of Concanavalin A (Con A) for 48 h. The supernatant of splenocyte cultures and the sera of mice were tested for cytokines such as TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL2 by Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Orally-administered propolis treatments showed that it alone suppressed all cytokines understudy (TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL2) in the sera of mice when compared to controls, whereas the cytokine production was strongly stimulated in old mice receiving propolis altogether with C. albicans.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results indicated that propolis was not able to stimulate cytokine production in old mice, but it may have a beneficial effect on pathogenesis of systemic candidiasis by modulating levels of cytokines such as TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL2.
authors.affiliation: Mycology Research Center, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, PO Box 14155-6453, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fatahinia
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Khosravi
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Shokri
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D058365:Candidiasis, Invasive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003208:Concanavalin A / Q000494:pharmacology; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D008264:Macrophages / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D011429:Propolis / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011897:Random Allocation; D013154:Spleen / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D007376:Interleukin-2; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003208:Concanavalin A; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D011429:Propolis