RESUMO
We have investigated Amblyomin-X-treated horse melanomas to better understand its mode of action through transcriptome analysis and the in vivo model. Amblyomin-X is a Kunitz-type homologous protein that selectively leads to the death of tumor cells via ER stress and apoptosis, currently under investigation as a new drug candidate for cancer treatment. Melanomas are immunogenic tumors, and a better understanding of the immune responses is warranted. Equine melanomas are spontaneous and not so aggressive as human melanomas are, as this study shows that the in vivo treatment of encapsulated horse melanoma tumors led to a significant reduction in the tumor size or even the complete disappearance of the tumor mass through intratumoral injections of Amblyomin-X. Transcriptome analysis identified ER- and mitochondria-stress, modulation of the innate immune system, apoptosis, and possibly immunogenic cell death activation. Interactome analysis showed that Amblyomin-X potentially interacts with key elements found in transcriptomics. Taken together, Amblyomin-X modulated the tumor immune microenvironment in different ways, at least contributing to induce tumor cell death.
Assuntos
Antineoplásicos/uso terapêutico , Proteínas de Artrópodes/uso terapêutico , Doenças dos Cavalos/tratamento farmacológico , Melanoma/veterinária , Proteínas e Peptídeos Salivares/uso terapêutico , Animais , Morte Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Descoberta de Drogas , Cavalos , Masculino , Melanoma/tratamento farmacológico , Microambiente Tumoral/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Neuropathic pain is a common type of chronic pain caused by trauma or chemotherapy. However, this type of pain is undertreated. TsNTxP is a non-toxic protein isolated from the venom of the scorpion Tityus serrulatus, and it is structurally similar to neurotoxins that interact with voltage-gated sodium channels. However, the antinociceptive properties of this protein have not been characterized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antinociceptive effects of TsNTxP in acute and neuropathic pain models. Male and female Swiss mice (25-30â¯g) were exposed to different models of acute pain (tail-flick test and nociception caused by capsaicin intraplantar injection) or neuropathic pain (chronic pain syndrome induced by paclitaxel or chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve). Hypersensitivity to mechanical or cold stimuli were evaluated in the models of neuropathic pain. The ability of TsNTxP to alter the release of glutamate in mouse spinal cord synaptosomes was also evaluated. The results showed that TsNTxP exerted antinociceptive effects in the tail-flick test to a thermal stimulus and in the intraplantar capsaicin administration model. Furthermore, TsNTxP was non-toxic and exerted antiallodynic effects in neuropathic pain models induced by chronic constriction injury of the sciatic nerve and administration of paclitaxel. TsNTxP reduced glutamate release from mouse spinal cord synaptosomes following stimulation with potassium chloride (KCl) or capsaicin. Thus, this T. serrulatus protein may be a promising non-toxic drug for the treatment of neuropathic pain.
Assuntos
Analgésicos/farmacologia , Proteínas de Artrópodes/farmacologia , Ácido Glutâmico/metabolismo , Venenos de Escorpião/química , Escorpiões , Analgésicos/uso terapêutico , Animais , Proteínas de Artrópodes/uso terapêutico , Feminino , Masculino , Camundongos , Neuralgia/tratamento farmacológico , Neuralgia/metabolismo , Medula Espinal/efeitos dos fármacos , Sinaptossomos/efeitos dos fármacos , Sinaptossomos/metabolismoRESUMO
Allergic diseases are considered a major problem for healthcare systems in both developed and developing countries. House dust mites are well-known triggers of allergic manifestations. While the Dermatophagoides genus is widely distributed globally, Blomia tropicalis is the most prominent mite species in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Over the last decades, an increase in sensitization rates to B. tropicalis has been reported, leading to increased research efforts on Blomia allergens. In fact, 8 new allergens have been identified and characterized to different degrees. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments concerning the identification and production of recombinant Blomia allergens, as well as their structural and immunological characterization. Although considerable progress has been achieved, detailed molecule-based studies are still needed to better define the clinical relevance of Blomia allergens. Thus, the establishment of a well-standardized and fully characterized panel of allergens remains a challenge for the development of better diagnosis and therapy of allergic diseases induced by B. tropicalis.
Assuntos
Alérgenos , Proteínas de Artrópodes , Ácaros/imunologia , Alérgenos/química , Alérgenos/imunologia , Alérgenos/metabolismo , Alérgenos/uso terapêutico , Animais , Proteínas de Artrópodes/química , Proteínas de Artrópodes/imunologia , Proteínas de Artrópodes/metabolismo , Proteínas de Artrópodes/uso terapêutico , Dessensibilização Imunológica , Humanos , Hipersensibilidade/diagnóstico , Hipersensibilidade/terapia , Processamento de Proteína Pós-Traducional , Proteínas Recombinantes/química , Proteínas Recombinantes/imunologia , Proteínas Recombinantes/metabolismo , Proteínas Recombinantes/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
PnTx4(6-1), henceforth renamed δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a (δ-CNTX-Pn1a), a peptide from Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom, initially described as an insect toxin, binds to site 3 of sodium channels in nerve cord synaptosomes and slows down sodium current inactivation in isolated axons in cockroaches (Periplaneta americana). δ-CNTX-Pn1a does not cause any apparent toxicity to mice, when intracerebroventricularly injected (30 µg). In this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive effect of δ-CNTX-Pn1a in three animal pain models and investigated its mechanism of action in acute pain. In the inflammatory pain model, induced by carrageenan, δ-CNTX-Pn1a restored the nociceptive threshold of rats, when intraplantarly injected, 2 h and 30 min after carrageenan administration. Concerning the neuropathic pain model, δ-CNTX-Pn1a, when intrathecally administered, reversed the hyperalgesia evoked by sciatic nerve constriction. In the acute pain model, induced by prostaglandin E2, intrathecal administration of δ-CNTX-Pn1a caused a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect. Using antagonists of the receptors, we showed that the antinociceptive effect of δ-CNTX-Pn1a involves both the cannabinoid system, through CB1 receptors, and the opioid system, through µ and δ receptors. Our data show, for the first time, that δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a is able to induce antinociception in inflammatory, neuropathic and acute pain models.