Abstract
Bee venom has long been used to treat various inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Previously, we reported that bee venom phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) has an anti-inflammatory effect through the induction of regulatory T cells. Radiotherapy is a common anti-cancer method, but often causes adverse effects, such as inflammation. This study was conducted to evaluate the protective effects of bvPLA2 in radiation-induced acute lung inflammation. Mice were focally irradiated with 75 Gy of X-rays in the lung and administered bvPLA2 six times after radiation. To evaluate the level of inflammation, the number of immune cells, mRNA level of inflammatory cytokine, and histological changes in the lung were measured. BvPLA2 treatment reduced the accumulation of immune cells, such as macrophages, neutrophils, lymphocytes, and eosinophils. In addition, bvPLA2 treatment decreased inflammasome-, chemokine-, cytokine- and fibrosis-related genes’ mRNA expression. The histological results also demonstrated the attenuating effect of bvPLA2 on radiation-induced lung inflammation. Furthermore, regulatory T cell depletion abolished the therapeutic effects of bvPLA2 in radiation-induced pneumonitis, implicating the anti-inflammatory effects of bvPLA2 are dependent upon regulatory T cells. These results support the therapeutic potential of bvPLA2 in radiation pneumonitis and fibrosis treatments.
Highlights
Bee venom has long been used in alternative medicine to treat various diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, and possesses strong immune modulatory effects [1,2,3,4,5,6]
Bee venom consists of phospholipase A2, melittin, adolapin, apamin, and mast cell degranulating peptide [7]
The goal of this study was to elucidate the effects of Bee venom consists of phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) on IR-induced lung inducedThe lung injury.ofThe the present study demonstrate that radiation induces injury
Summary
Bee venom (apitoxin) has long been used in alternative medicine to treat various diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases, and possesses strong immune modulatory effects [1,2,3,4,5,6]. The therapeutic effect of bee venom is associated with its anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and anti-nociceptive activity. BvPLA2 has been considered as a major allergenic compound of bee venom; new experimental data has shown the protective immune responses of bvPLA2 against a wide range of diseases, including inflammatory disorders [8]. Radiotherapy (Irradiation; IR) is a treatment involving the use of high-energy radiation, commonly used to treat cancer. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) delivers a higher dose of radiation with improved accuracy, compared to conventional radiotherapy, and many SBRT studies in lung cancer have reported excellent results [9,10]
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