Bee venom (BV) has been used as an alternative medicine for the treatment of immune-related diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis for centuries, but what component and how it regulates the immune response is mostly unclear. Fox...
Bee venom (BV) has been used as an alternative medicine for the treatment of immune-related diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis for centuries, but what component and how it regulates the immune response is mostly unclear. Foxp3-expressing CD4+ regulatory T cells (Treg) maintain immune tolerance and protect against inflammatory diseases. We show that phospholipase A2 from BV (bvPLA2) induces Treg differentiation and suppresses immune disorders including asthma, multiple sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease in mice. Accordingly, beneficial effects of bvPLA2 disappeared in Treg depleted mice. We also demonstrate that CD206 on DC is a receptor of bvPLA2 on Treg induction. bvPLA2 binds to CD206 on DC and facilitates prostaglandin E2 secretion, which results in Treg differentiation via EP2 receptor signaling in naïve CD4+ T cells. Interestingly, the enzymatic activity of bvPLA2, which causes allergy, is not required for Treg induction. These findings show that clinical and therapeutic implications for bvPLA2 as an immune-regulatory drug, and that clarify its molecular and cellular mechanisms.