The proteolytic fraction from vasconcellea cundinamarcensis latex displays anti-inflammatory effect in a mouse model of acute TNBS-induced colitis

Abstract

The proteolytic fraction (P1G10) from Vasconcellea cundinamarcensis, displays gastric protective and healing activities in different skin lesions in mice and human. In an excisional model, this fraction accelerates resolution of lesions and modulates inflammatory mediators. Based on these data, we assessed its anti-inflammatory activity in murine colitis model, induced by 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) adopted by its physiopathological similarity with human colitis. Twenty four hours after colitis induction followed by three days of treatment, P1G10 at 0.3 and 3.0 mg/Kg induced 30% increase in body weight (p < 0.0001) and ~80% reduction in colon macroscopic damage score (p < 0.05) compared to the untreated TNBS-induced colitis group. Histological analyses showed that 0.3 mg/Kg P1G10 reduced the inflammatory profile and tissue damage (47%, p < 0.05) when it was proteolytically active. Compared to TNBS group, 0.3 mg/Kg P1G10 reduced MPO activity (80%, p < 0.01), MCP-1 (47%, p < 0.05) and TNF-α (50%, no significant) and increased IL-10 (330%, p < 0.001) levels in the supernatant of colonic tissue homogenate. P1G10 treatment also reduced COX-2 expression (60%, p < 0.05) and metalloprotease-2 activity (39%, p < 0.05) while increased globet cell density (140%, p < 0.01), that contributes to mucus layer protection in colonic tissue. Taken together, these findings suggest that low doses of active P1G10 promotes lesion resolution, at least in part by its anti-inflammatory activity, in TNBS-colitis model.