[HTML][HTML] Effect of Brazilian propolis on exacerbation of respiratory syncytial virus infection in mice exposed to tetrabromobisphenol A, a brominated flame retardant

T Takeshita, W Watanabe, S Toyama… - Evidence-Based …, 2013 - hindawi.com
T Takeshita, W Watanabe, S Toyama, Y Hayashi, S Honda, S Sakamoto, S Matsuoka…
Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2013hindawi.com
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a brominated flame retardant, has been found to
exacerbate pneumonia in respiratory syncytial virus-(RSV-) infected mice. We examined the
effect of Brazilian propolis (AF-08) on the exacerbation of RSV infection by TBBPA exposure
in mice. Mice were fed a powdered diet mixed with 1% TBBPA alone, 0.02% AF-08 alone, or
1% TBBPA and 0.02% AF-08 for four weeks and then intranasally infected with RSV. TBBPA
exposure increased the pulmonary virus titer and level of IFN-γ, a representative marker of …
Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), a brominated flame retardant, has been found to exacerbate pneumonia in respiratory syncytial virus- (RSV-) infected mice. We examined the effect of Brazilian propolis (AF-08) on the exacerbation of RSV infection by TBBPA exposure in mice. Mice were fed a powdered diet mixed with 1% TBBPA alone, 0.02% AF-08 alone, or 1% TBBPA and 0.02% AF-08 for four weeks and then intranasally infected with RSV. TBBPA exposure increased the pulmonary virus titer and level of IFN-γ, a representative marker of pneumonia due to RSV infection, in the lungs of infected mice without toxicity. AF-08 was significantly effective in reducing the virus titers and IFN-γ level increased by TBBPA exposure. Also, AF-08 significantly reduced proinflammatory cytokine (TNF-α and IL-6) levels in the lungs of RSV-infected mice with TBBPA exposure, but Th2 cytokine (IL-4 and IL-10) levels were not evidently increased. Neither TBBPA exposure nor AF-08 treatment affected the anti-RSV antibody production in RSV-infected mice. In flow cytometry analysis, AF-08 seemed to be effective in reducing the ratio of pulmonary CD8a+ cells in RSV-infected mice with TBBPA exposure. TBBPA and AF-08 did not exhibit anti-RSV activity in vitro. Thus, AF-08 probably ameliorated pneumonia exacerbated by TBBPA exposure in RSV-infected mice by limiting excess cellular immune responses.
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