Mechanism of Propolis Affecting Oral Flora Structure and Immune Microenvironment of Oral Mucositis in Patients with Leukemia Undergoing Chemotherapy

Abstract

To explore the mechanism of the effect of propolis on the oral flora structure and immune microenvironment of oral mucositis in patients with leukemia after chemotherapy. According to the principle of clinical research guidance of antibacterial drugs, the curative effect of leukemia chemotherapy patients after propolis treatment was judged, the bacteriological detection method was used to detect the species, detection amount and composition ratio of oral flora in the oral cavity and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, enzyme-linked immunoassay and western blot were used to detect the messenger ribonucleic acid expression of interleukin 22 and tumour necrosis factor alpha in the oral mucosa of patients, the levels of chemokines, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 and the expression of interleukin 22 and tumour necrosis factor alpha proteins. After 2 w of chemotherapy, the incidence of oral mucositis was increased and the number of neutrophils was decreased. Besides, the bone marrow hyperplasia was aggravated at the same time compared with the control group, the propolis treatment group had higher cure rate of oral mucositis, neutrophil recovery time, total bacterial count, interleukin 22 and tumour necrosis factor alpha messenger ribonucleic acid expression, chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 9 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 levels and expression levels of interleukin 22 and tumour necrosis factor alpha proteins. Propolis could reduce the symptoms of oral mucosal inflammation after leukemia chemotherapy, adjust the structure of oral flora and improve the oral immune microenvironment by reducing the expression of inflammatory factors.

Recent Update on the Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Propolis

“…In addition, the propolis group patients had significantly shorter oral mucositis recovery time. The mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-22 and TNF-α, and chemokines CXCL9 and CXCL10 were also significantly lower in the propolis group [ 64 ].…”