title: Neovastat (AE-941) inhibits the airway inflammation and hyperresponsiveness in a murine model of asthma.
abstract: Matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma. Neovastat, having significant antitumor and antimetastatic properties, is classified as a naturally occurring multifunctional antiangiogenic agent. We evaluated the therapeutic effect of Neovastat on airway inflammation in a mouse model of asthma. BALB/c mice were immunized subcutaneously with ovalbumin (OVA) on days 0, 7, 14, and 21 and challenged with inhaled OVA on days 26, 29, and 31. Neovastat was administrated by gavage (5 mg/kg body weight) three times with 12 h intervals, beginning 30 min before OVA inhalation. On day 32, mice were challenged with inhaled methacholine, and enhanced pause (Penh) was measured as an index of airway hyperresponsiveness. The severity of airway inflammation was determined by differential cell count of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. The MMP-9 concentration in BAL fluid samples was measured by ELISA, and MMP-9 activity was measured by zymography. The untreated asthma group showed an increased inflammatory cell count in BAL fluid and Penh value compared with the normal control group. Mice treated with Neovastat had significantly reduced Penh values and inflammatory cell counts in BAL fluid compared with untreated asthmatic mice. Furthermore, mice treated with Neovastat showed significantly reduced MMP-9 concentrations and activity in BAL fluid. These results demonstrate that Neovastat might have new therapeutic potential for airway asthmatic inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, 137-701, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sook-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Soon-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Paik
authors.forename: Su-Mi
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Chung
mesh_terms: D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000517:prevention & control; D002356:Cartilage / Q000737:chemistry; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization; D007249:Inflammation / Q000517:prevention & control; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D010047:Ovalbumin / Q000276:immunology; D014020:Tissue Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1 / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D061965:Matrix Metalloproteinase Inhibitors; D014020:Tissue Extracts; D019715:Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase-1; C111481:shark cartilage extract; D010047:Ovalbumin