Atividade imunomoduladora da alga Chlorella vulgaris em camundongos portadores de tumos ascitico de Ehrlich / Immunolmodulatory activity of the alga Chlorella vulgaris in Ehrlich ascites tumor bearing mice

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2008

RESUMO

Chlorella vulgaris (CV) is a microscopic alga rich in nutrients. Besides the high nutritive value, this alga has shown important therapeutic properties. Many studies from our laboratory and others have shown the protective effects of CV against viral and bacterial infections, tumors, among others. In this work we evaluated the effects of the prophylactic/therapeutic treatment with a dose of 50 mg/Kg/day in normal and Ehrlich ascites tumor (EAT)-bearing mice. The study of the mechanisms involved in the protection produced by the CV against the EAT, induced alterations in the immune-hematopoietic system; demonstrating significant improvements in the NK cells activity, Th1 (IL-2 and INF-g) and TNF-a cytokines production by mononuclear spleen cells, concomitantly with the decrease of IL-10 (Th2) production. Moreover, treatment with CV protected the host of myelosuppression caused by tumor development, it is acting directly in the formation and maintenance of bone marrow stroma, by stimulating the activity of stromal cells, or stimulating the production of important hematopoiese regulatory cytokines like IL-6 and IL-1a. We are also certain that the treatment with CV increases the colony-stimulating activity (CSA) in the serum of tumor bearing mice and the proliferative capacity of spleen cells. Other results that deserve attention are those related to macrophage activation. Our results show that in normal mice, treatment with CV, promotes significant increase in the TNF-a levels in upernatants of the cultures of peritoneal and spleen macrophages without altering the production of IFN-g and IL-10. Moreover, restoration of the normal production of TNF-a, IFN-g and IL-10 by peritoneal macrophages from animal carriers of EAT and partial reversal of the effects produced by the presence of tumor in the splenic macrophages activity were also observed. Another effect of CV on peritoneal macrophages of tumor bearing mice was the stimulation in the production of NO2 - and H2O2. Looking at our results we can say that the alga Chorella vulgaris in addition to its high nutritional value, antioxidant capacity and antiviral and antibacterial activities, it also presents important immunomodulatory activity against tumor development, since that in the presence of the tumor, the host that has received Chlorella is able to react more promptly and with greater force in the induction of essential mechanisms of immune defense. Accordingly, we suggest that the alga Chlorella vulgaris can be a candidate for the preventive and complementary treatment of cancer by strengthening the immune system

ASSUNTO(S)

chlorella carcinoma de ehrlich chlorella ehrlich ascites tumor killer cells citocinas natural macrofagos celulas nk tumor necrosis factor-alpha hematopoiesis hematopoese fator de necrose de tumoral alfa macrophages

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