Antiinflammatory Effects of the Neuropeptide α‐MSH in Acute, Chronic, and Systemic Inflammationa

Anti-inflammatory effects of alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone against rat endotoxin-induced uveitis and the time course of inflammatory agents in aqueous humor

“…It suppresses joint inflammation in rats with experimental arthritis and promotes survival in experimental endotoxemia and peritonitis [23,24]. In addition, a-MSH prevents hepatic injuries in mice with septic shock [25]. It inhibits inflammation by suppressing the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and nitric oxide by macrophages and neutrophils in response to endotoxin, and other pro-inflammatory signals [21,26 -29].…”

The Effect of ??-Melanocyte???Stimulating Hormone on Renal Tubular Cell Apoptosis and Tubulointerstitial Fibrosis in Cyclosporine A Nephrotoxicity

“…Our previous studies showed that tubular cell apoptosis can serve as a part of chronic CsA nephrotoxicity and Fas/FasL systems, and their downstream signaling molecules, FADD and PARP cleavages, can mediate apoptotic cell death in cultured renal tubular cells on CsA stimulation, and these findings were alleviated by ␣-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH) treatment (11). ␣-MSH is a proopiomelanocortin derivative and is an endogenous cytokine that suppresses inflammation in various animal models by means of its inhibitory action on proinflammatory cytokines and chemoattractant cytokines (12)(13)(14)(15). Chiao et al reported a beneficial effect of ␣-MSH in an ischemic acute renal failure (ARF) murine model by means of inhibition of mouse chemokine KC and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression that mediates the adherence of neutrophils to endothelium and subsequent neutrophil infiltration (16).…”

Immunoregulatory Effects of Neuropeptides on Endothelial Cells: Relevance to Dermatological Disorders

“…Other recent in vivo studies confirmed the anti-inflammatory effect of α-MSH in animal models of noncutaneous inflammatory disorders such as asthma, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, ocular inflammation, and brain inflammation [14, 22-26]. Due to the overwhelming evidence that α-MSH is a potent anti-inflammatory mediator in both cutaneous and systemic diseases, significant efforts are being made to develop α-MSH analogues to deliver as a topical or systemic drug.…”

“…More importantly, it was discovered that this suppressed response could be abrogated by administration of antibodies against IL-10, strongly suggesting a vital role for IL-10 in the anti-inflammatory activities of α-MSH [13]. Interestingly, administration of α-MSH to the central nervous system also suppressed the response in the skin to these haptens, and the response was abrogated by spinal cord transection [14]. This suggests involvement of descending anti-inflammatory neurogenic pathways.…”