Rat skin wound healing induced by alternagin‐C, a disintegrin‐like, Cys‐rich protein from Bothrops alternatus venom

Abstract

Alternagin-C (ALT-C) is a disintegrin-like, Cys-rich protein isolated from Bothrops alternatus snake venom, which has been shown to induce in vivo angiogenesis. Therefore, this protein could be interesting as a new approach for tissue regeneration studies. Here the effects of ALT-C on fibroblasts and inflammatory cells, collagen type III and type I and TGF-α expression in a rat wounded skin model were studied. Thirty-five male Wistar rats (weight 270 ± 20 g) were divided into seven groups with five animals in each of the following groups: a control group which wounded animals received treatment with natrozol(®) gel only; ALT-C10, ALT-C60 and ALT-C100 groups of wounded animals that were treated with the same amount of gel containing 10, 60 and 100 ng of ALT-C, respectively. Animals were treated once a day with 20 µl of gel associated or not with ALT-C for 1, 3, 5 or 7 days. ALT-C treatment increased the fibroblast density, collagen deposition and accelerated the inflammatory process, mostly in the ALT-C60 group. These results indicate that ALT-C improves wound repair process in rat skin. Thus, ALT-C could be a candidate to the development of a novel therapeutic strategy for wounded skin repair.

Therapeutic Effects of Acupuncture through Enhancement of Functional Angiogenesis and Granulogenesis in Rat Wound Healing

“…The expression of α -SMA was observed not only at vascular smooth muscle cells of subcutaneous tissue but also at myofibroblasts around granulated area in connective tissue. Also, increase in the deposition of collagen type I, the major collagen type in skin, is consistent with a more organized and stronger repaired skin [21]. Furthermore, collagen type I play an important role guiding keratinocytes and dermal fibroblasts migration in the wounded area.…”

The seaweed Prasiola crispa (Chlorophyta) neutralizes toxic effects of Bothrops jararacussu snake venom

“…In Brazil, it is distributed in the States of Minas Grais, Espírito Santo, Rio de Janeiro, Bahia, São Paulo, Mato Grosso do Sul, Paraná, Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul, as well as in others countries of South America (Argentina, Bolivia, and Paraguay) (Campbell and Lamar 2004;Fenwick et al 2009). The venom of B. jararacussu is a complex mixture of toxins, as phospholipases A 2 , proteases (metalloproteinases and serine proteases), nucleotidases, L-amino acid oxidase, among others that cause pain, edema, hemorrhage, tissue necrosis, inflammation and disorders in renal, blood clotting and cardiovascular systems (Sant'Ana et al 2011;Campbell and Lamar 2004;Milani Júnior et al 1997). Antivenom has been regularly employed to ameliorate symptoms and to treat victims, and it efficiently prevents the death of victims.…”

Alternagin-C (ALT-C), a Disintegrin-Like Cys-Rich Protein Isolated from the Venom of the Snake Rhinocerophis alternatus, Stimulates Angiogenesis and Antioxidant Defenses in the Liver of Freshwater Fish, Hoplias malabaricus

“…ALT-C successfully induces protein kinase B (PKB) phosphorylation, an essential signaling pathway for endothelial cell proliferation which is activated by many angiogenic factors, including VEGF [ 7 ]. ALT-C also stimulated the formation of new vessels, increased the expression of growth factors, mainly VEGF and fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1), and augmented the fibroblast density and collagen deposition in vivo during the healing of wounded rat skin [ 13 , 14 ]. VEGF stimulates endothelial cell proliferation and differentiation, increases vascular permeability, supports endothelial cell survival, adhesion, and migration, and induces endothelial cell gene expression [ 15 ].…”