Polyphenols affect the humoral response in cancer, infectious and allergic diseases and autoimmunity by modulating the activity of TH1 and TH2 cells

Monica Benvenuto; Chiara Focaccetti; Sara Ciuffa; Sara Fazi; Arianna Bei; Martino Tony Miele; Loredana Albonici; Loredana Cifaldi; Laura Masuelli; Roberto Bei

doi:10.1016/j.coph.2021.08.005

Polyphenols affect the humoral response in cancer, infectious and allergic diseases and autoimmunity by modulating the activity of T_H1 and T_H2 cells

Curr Opin Pharmacol. 2021 Oct:60:315-330. doi: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.08.005. Epub 2021 Sep 11.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Saint Camillus International University of Health and Medical Sciences, Via di Sant'Alessandro 8, 00131 Rome, Italy; Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
² Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; Department of Human Science and Promotion of the Quality of Life, San Raffaele University Rome, Via di Val Cannuta 247, 00166 Rome, Italy.
³ Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
⁴ Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Sapienza", Viale Regina Elena 324, 00161 Rome, Italy.
⁵ Medical School, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", 00133 Rome, Italy.
⁶ Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy.
⁷ Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy; Academic Department of Pediatrics (DPUO), Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù, IRCCS, Piazza Sant'Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy.
⁸ Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: bei@med.uniroma2.it.

PMID: 34520942
DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.08.005

Abstract

Polyphenols are a wide class of natural substances, pleiotropic molecules capable of modulating several processes, involved in the humoral and cellular immune response. The activation, differentiation of B cells, and production of antibodies to protein antigens by plasma cells depend on T helper (T_H) CD4⁺ cells and secreted cytokines. Cancer, infectious, allergic, and autoimmune diseases are characterized by an imbalance of T_H1/T_H2 immunity and abnormal activation of the humoral response. Accordingly, polyphenols modulate the T_H1/T_H2 ratio, the secretion of multiple cytokines, the levels of antibodies, and therefore could contribute to recovering the state of health in these diseases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the effects of polyphenols in modulating the humoral response in cancer, infectious and allergic diseases and in autoimmunity by affecting the activity of T_H1 and T_H2 cells.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Autoimmune Diseases* / immunology
Cytokines
Humans
Hypersensitivity* / immunology
Infections* / immunology
Neoplasms* / immunology
Polyphenols* / pharmacology
Th1 Cells / immunology
Th2 Cells / immunology

Substances

Cytokines
Polyphenols