The effect of coal-derived humic substances and their silver-containing bionanocomposites on arginine balance in peritoneal macrophages of intact mice

Background. Antigen-presenting cells (APCs), especially macrophages, play an important role in the body defense against various pathogens. Their dysfunction and polarization are associated with most inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. The inflammatory process is regulated by activation and / or inhibition of genes differentially expressed by macrophages. Successful correction of inflammation leads firstly to elimination of inflammatory stimuli and then to remodeling and restoration of tissues and organs. It was experimentally confirmed that silvercontaining bionanocomposites based on natural humic substances (HS) obtained from coal of different origin, as well as initial matrices of these HS, are capable of activating pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of macrophages.

Aim. To study cytotoxic, pyrogenic, and immunomodulatory properties (arginine balance) of initial HS samples and samples of silver nanoparticles ultradispersed in these HS matrices (HS-AgNPs) in the cell culture of peritoneal macrophages, as well as their effect on pro- and anti-inflammatory properties of APCs.

Materials and methods. Cultural and biochemical methods were used in the study.

Results. The study showed that the samples CHE-K, CHE-AgNPs, CHS-K, and CHP-K increased M1 macrophage polarization due to stimulation of the NO-synthase activity and inhibition of arginase. The samples CHI-K, CHIAgNPs, CHP-AgNPs, and CHS-AgNPs modulated an alternative M2 or M2-like state of macrophage activation. At the same time, HS are not cytotoxic at effective concentrations, and three out of four studied samples did not contain pyrogenic impurities.

Conclusion. The use of HS and their silver-containing bionanocomposites, which have the ability to greatly affect the polarization of antigen-presenting cells, is a promising research area in correction of the inflammatory response for solving an important social and medical problem of treating chronic wounds. 

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