title: Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of a mucin-binding agglutinin isolated from the red marine alga Hypnea cervicornis.
abstract: The agglutinin from the red marine alga Hypnea cervicornis (HCA) was tested in models of nociception and inflammation. The role of carbohydrate-binding sites and the systemic toxicity were assessed. HCA (10(-1), 1, and 10 mg/kg) administered i.v. to mice inhibited writhes induced by acetic acid and, at 10 mg/kg, inhibited the second phase of the formalin test, but did not alter the response latency in the hot-plate test. HCA (1 mg/kg) administered i.v. to rats reduced carrageenan-induced paw edema at 1, 2, and 3 h after challenge, but not edema induced by dextran. The neutrophil migration induced by both N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) and carrageenan was inhibited by HCA at 10(-1), 1, and 10 mg/kg. The combination of HCA (1 mg/kg) and its ligand mucin reversed the lectin inhibitory effect on carrageenan-induced neutrophil migration and acetic acid-induced writhes. The i.v. treatment of rats with HCA (1 mg/kg) for 7 days did not affect body mass; liver, kidney or heart wet weight; blood leukocyte counts; urea, creatinine or serum transaminase activity; or macroscopy of the organs examined. In short, H. cervicornis agglutinin showed important antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity via interaction with the lectin carbohydrate-binding site.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flávio da S
authors.initials: Fda S
authors.lastname: Bitencourt
authors.forename: Jozi G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: Mário R L
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: Carla C R
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Bezerra
authors.forename: Priscila P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Silvestre
authors.forename: Marcus R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Vale
authors.forename: Kyria S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Nascimento
authors.forename: Alexandre H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Celso S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Nagano
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saker-Sampaio
authors.forename: Wladimir R L
authors.initials: WR
authors.lastname: Farias
authors.forename: Benildo S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Cavada
authors.forename: Ana M S
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Assreuy
authors.forename: Nylane M N
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: de Alencar
mesh_terms: D000373:Agglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000700:Analgesics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D037102:Lectins / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009077:Mucins / Q000378:metabolism*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000373:Agglutinins; D000700:Analgesics; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D037102:Lectins; D009077:Mucins