Alternagin-C (ALT-C), a disintegrin-like protein obtained from the venom of Bothrops alternatus, is able to modulate cellular behaviors such as adhesion, migration and proliferation, as well as the production of various growth factors via α2β1 integrin, important processes during inflammation, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis, which although appear as distinct events, act concomitantly in several chronic inflammatory diseases. Our objective was to investigate the effects of ALT-C on components of the sponge-induced inflammatory response in balb/c mice. The polyester-polyurethane sponges were implanted in mice's subcutaneous layer of the dorsal region and daily injected with saline (control group) or ALT-C (10, 100 or 1000 ng). Nine days after implantation the implants were removed and processed. ALT-C inhibited the inflammatory response, observed through mast cell reduction, NAG-activity and also by the inhibition of TNF-α, CXCL-1 and CCL2/JE/MCP-1 cytokines. ALT-C was also able to reduce hemoglobin content, number of vessels and the concentrations of VEGF and FGF cytokines. Finally, at its highest dose (1000 ng), ALT-C increased all evaluated markers associated with fibrogenesis (collagen production and TGF-β1 levels). All these factors reveal that ALT-C is a strong candidate to be exploited in the development of anti-inflammatory and anti-angiogenic therapies in chronic inflammatory processes.
Keywords: Chronic inflammation; Cytokines; Disintegrin; Sponge implant.
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