Immunomodulatory ant antidepressant properties of Whole Body Hyperthermia
| Title of the project |
Immunomodulatory ant antidepressant properties of Whole Body Hyperthermia |
| Primary and secondary scientific disciplines |
Biology, Social Sciences |
| Description of the project | Overheating of the body is a well-known healing method applicated since ancient times. Romans and Greeks have known its beneficial effects. For many years we can observe a big coming back to forgotten therapies in medicine. The main information about the effect of overheating became from physiological observation but little is known about molecular and cellular effectors induced by heat. Some of the favourable effects of Hyperthermia were proved. For example, enhancing immune response, decreasing inflammation, decreasing pain, stimulation of self-healing, increasing blood flow, doubling perfusion in tumours, enhancing the delivery of medications, increasing oxygen to the tumour making radiation therapy more effective, promotion of repair and regenerative processes in each individual cell. Since XX century Whole Body Hyperthermia found application in medicine to boost the immune system and to fight against cancer. According to common known knowledge, the heat is one of the cardinal signs of inflammation. All these features make hyperthermia interesting for immunologists.Characteristics and main objectives of the research project: • in vitro studies on heat-induced changes in gene expression, viability and proper functioning in cell lines; • ex vivo studies on changes in Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in patients cured with the Whole Body Hyperthermia; • changes in the immune system functioning induced by the Whole Body Hyperthermia; • in vivo studies on the effect of Mistletoe extracts therapy combined with the Whole Body Hyperthermia – rats model; • Changes in Quality of life patients cured with the Whole Body Hyperthermia – questionnaire analysis. The results obtained from all these analyses lead us to answer how the heat (as a component of fever) influence on the immune system. We will able to conclude the molecular mechanism involved in the physiological effect induced by heat exposure. The project is conducted in cooperation with Von Ardenne Institut für Angewandte Medizinische Forschung, Dresden, Germany Principal supervisor: dr hab. Sylwia Wrotek, prof. UMK Subsidiary supervisor: dr Małgorzata Rębiałkowska-Stankiewicz Foreign scientific advisor: dr Alexander Von Ardenne |