Atividade moduladora do triterpeno penacíclico UVAOL sobre macrófagos de camundongos in vitro

Abstract

Many substances from plants have been used as immune system modulating and his cells against microorganisms and foreign agents. Among them, the triterpene uvaol can be highlighted, found in the olive oil (Olea europea). The aim of this study was to evaluate the modulating effect of pentacyclic triterpene uvaol on peritoneal macrophages from mice in vitro. The studies were performed in vitro with resident peritoneal macrophages from swiss mice aged 6-8 weeks. The viability cell assay showed that uvaol 10-2 e 10-1 μM did not affect cells viability compared to the control. This result was confirmed by microscopy analyses which showed a typical morphology for these cells. The immunofluorescence analysis showed that macrophages treated with uvaol for 24 hours revealed increased fibronectin deposition and decreased laminin deposition compared to the control group. By the same way, flow cytometry demonstrated that there was a increase expression of the fibronectin receptor (VLA-5), while decreased the expression of the laminin receptor (VLA-6). By Immunofluorescence was observed alteration in the f-actin cytoskeleton after treatment with uvaol. In the adhesion assay the treatment with uvaol positively stimulated macrophage adhesion. However, we observed a decrease in the migration of these cells in transwell chambers with treatment. The treatment with uvaol increased percentage of phagocytosis also increased phagocytic capacity by macrophages compared to the control group. The results suggest that uvaol possesses modulatory effect on macrophages.