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Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of a mucin-binding agglutinin isolated from the red marine alga Hypnea cervicornis

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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-inflamatory activity via interaction with the lectin carbohydrate-binding site.

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Fig. 1a, b
Fig. 2

Abbreviations

HCA:

Hypnea cervicornis agglutinin

ALT:

Alanine amine transferase

AST:

Aspartate amine transferase

Cg:

Carrageenan

fMLP:

N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenyl alanine

Dexa:

Dexamethasone

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Fundação Cearense de Amparo à Pesquisa (FUNCAP). Drs. Alexandre H. Sampaio, Ana M. S. Assreuy, Benildo S. Cavada and Nylane M.N. de Alencar are senior investigators of CNPq (Brazil). Dr. A. Leyva provided English editing of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Flávio da S. Bitencourt, Mário R. L. Mota, Carla C. R. Bezerra, Priscila P. Silvestre, Marcus R. Vale & Nylane M. N. de Alencar

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Jozi G. Figueiredo, Kyria S. Nascimento & Benildo S. Cavada

  3. Department of Fishing Engineering, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil

    Alexandre H. Sampaio, Celso S. Nagano, Silvana Saker-Sampaio & Wladimir R. L. Farias

  4. Superior Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceará, Av. Paranjana 1700, CEP 60740-000, Fortaleza-Ceará, Brazil

    Ana M. S. Assreuy

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  1. Flávio da S. Bitencourt
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  2. Jozi G. Figueiredo
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  13. Ana M. S. Assreuy
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  14. Nylane M. N. de Alencar
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Correspondence to Ana M. S. Assreuy.

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Bitencourt, F.d.S., Figueiredo, J.G., Mota, M.R.L. et al. Antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects of a mucin-binding agglutinin isolated from the red marine alga Hypnea cervicornis . Naunyn-Schmied Arch Pharmacol 377, 139–148 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00210-008-0262-2

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