RESUMEN
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease characterized by persistent inflammation and pain. Alternative therapies to reduce these symptoms are needed. Marine algae are valuable sources of diverse bioactive compounds. Lithothamnion muelleri (Hapalidiaceae) is a marine algae with anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties. Here, we investigated the potential anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities of L. muelleri in a murine model of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in mice. Our results demonstrate that treatment with L. muelleri prevented inflammation and hypernociception in arthritic mice. Mechanistically, the crude extract and the polysaccharide-rich fractions of L. muelleri may act impairing the production of the chemokines CXCL1 and CXCL2, and consequently inhibit neutrophil influx to the knee joint by dampening the adhesion step of leukocyte recruitment in the knee microvessels. Altogether our results suggest that treatment with L.muelleri has a potential therapeutic application in arthritis treatment.
Asunto(s)
Artritis Experimental/patología , Inflamación/patología , Nocicepción , Rhodophyta/química , Analgésicos/farmacología , Analgésicos/uso terapéutico , Animales , Antiinflamatorios/farmacología , Antiinflamatorios/uso terapéutico , Artritis Experimental/tratamiento farmacológico , Carbonato de Calcio/química , Adhesión Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Células Endoteliales/efectos de los fármacos , Células Endoteliales/patología , Citometría de Flujo , Articulaciones/irrigación sanguínea , Articulaciones/efectos de los fármacos , Articulaciones/patología , Leucocitos/efectos de los fármacos , Leucocitos/patología , Ganglios Linfáticos/efectos de los fármacos , Ganglios Linfáticos/patología , Masculino , Ratones Endogámicos C57BL , Nocicepción/efectos de los fármacos , Polisacáridos/química , Membrana Sinovial/irrigación sanguínea , Membrana Sinovial/efectos de los fármacos , Membrana Sinovial/patologíaRESUMEN
We report herein the chemical characterization and antiherpes activity of polysaccharides from the red alga Lithothamnion muelleri (Hapalidiaceae). The polysaccharide-rich fractions B1 and B2 were obtained by extraction with Na2CO3 and were purified by size exclusion chromatography to afford Fra-B1 and Fra-B2. The polysaccharides were characterized by FT-IR and chemical analysis (total contents of carbohydrates, proteins, sulfate and uronic acid), whereas their average molecular weights were estimated by high performance gel permeation chromatography. The monosaccharide analysis detected galactose, glucose, xylose, mannose, rhamnose and arabinose in the four polysaccharide samples. Antiherpetic in vitro assays showed that B1 and B2 inhibited Herpes Simplex Virus types 1 and 2 (HSV-1 and HSV-2) when added simultaneously to viral infection affording selectivity indices (SI=CC50/EC50) higher than 20. Investigation of the mechanism of action indicated that B1 and B2 act on the initial steps of HSV replication, mainly inhibiting viral adsorption but also viral penetration into the cells.