Figure - available from: Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
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Repetitive application of Serp-1 produces no obviously toxic effects. (A) Changes of body weight before and after experiments were measured and calculated (n = 5 for control group, n = 9 for Serp-1 group. *P < 0.05). (B) Histochemical analysis of eye cross-sections shows reduced rates of inflammatory cell infiltration and swelling of the cornea in Serp-1 treated mice. Enlarged images of the corneal region of two mice visibly show more swelling and a higher presence of inflammatory cells in the control mice. Inflammatory cell nuclei are stained by the deep-purple spots marked with white triangles in the light pink stromal layer of the cornea.
Source publication
Purpose: Chemical corneal injuries carry a high morbidity and commonly lead to visual impairment. Here, we investigate the role of Serp-1, a serine protease inhibitor, in corneal wound healing.
Methods: An alkaline-induced corneal injury was induced in 14 mice. Following injury, five mice received daily topical saline application while nine mice re...
Citations
... Serp-1 was deemed as a potential therapeutic for reducing scarring in deep wounds [31]. Topical Serp-1 treatment also proved effective at improving wound healing after alkali-induced corneal injury in mice [29,45] 2.1A)-1-7. Cancer Therapeutics Angiogenesis is a critical factor in the development of a broad range of chronic diseases such as malignant tumors, as well as a natural defense against vascular occlusions in arthritis, wound healing, and cardiovascular disease. ...
Serine protease inhibitors, SERPINS, are a highly conserved family of proteins that regulate serine proteases in the central coagulation and immune pathways, representing 2–10% of circulating proteins in the blood. Serine proteases form cascades of sequentially activated enzymes that direct thrombosis (clot formation) and thrombolysis (clot dissolution), complement activation in immune responses and also programmed cell death (apoptosis). Virus-derived serpins have co-evolved with mammalian proteases and serpins, developing into highly effective inhibitors of mammalian proteolytic pathways. Through interacting with extracellular and intracellular serine and cysteine proteases, viral serpins provide a new class of highly active virus-derived coagulation-, immune-, and apoptosis-modulating drug candidates. Viral serpins have unique characteristics: (1) function at micrograms per kilogram doses; (2) selectivity in targeting sites of protease activation; (3) minimal side effects at active concentrations; and (4) the demonstrated capacity to be modified, or fine-tuned, for altered protease targeting. To date, the virus-derived serpin class of biologics has proven effective in a wide range of animal models and in one clinical trial in patients with unstable coronary disease. Here, we outline the known viral serpins and review prior studies with viral serpins, considering their potential for application as new sources for immune-, coagulation-, and apoptosis-modulating therapeutics.
... As known, α-SMA is a marker of myofibroblasts, and the spreading of α-SMA positive fibers across the extracellular matrix indicates tissue fibrosis [31,33]. CD31 is a marker of neovascularization that is enriched during corneal wound healing [34]. Therefore, our findings suggest that BMSC-Exos alleviate the fibrosis and vascularization of corneal tissues following alkali-burn injury, contributing to corneal wound healing. ...
PurposeThis study was aimed at exploring the function of Exosomes isolated from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSC-Exos) in corneal wound healing and at revealing the underlying mechanisms involving the p44/42 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway.Methods
The isolated BMSC-Exos were identified by transmission electron microscopy, Western blot, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. After coculture with BMSC-Exos, the proliferation and migration of human corneal epithelial cells (HCEs) were evaluated. The protein expression of p-MEK/MEK and p44/42 MAPK was detected by Western blot. A mouse model of alkali-burned cornea was established via NaOH exposure. After injection with BMSC-Exos, the pathological changes and expression of α-SMA (a fibrosis marker) and CD31 (a vascularization marker) in corneal tissues were detected.ResultsBMSC-Exos enhanced the proliferation and migration of HCEs in a dose-dependent manner. The p44/42 MAPK pathway was activated by the treatment of BMSC-Exos, and its blocking using U0126 partially abrogated the effects of BMSC-Exos on promoting the proliferation and migration of HCEs. In vivo, the injection of BMSC-Exos facilitated the remission of the pathological changes (inflammation) and weakened the upregulation of α-SMA (fibrosis) and CD31 (vascularization) in corneal tissues of mice with alkali-burn injury.ConclusionBMSC-Exos promoted the proliferation and migration of HCEs via activating the p44/42 MAPK pathway in vitro and also inhibited alkali burn-induced inflammation, fibrosis, and vascularization in corneal tissues in vivo. BMSC-Exos may be promising resources for promoting corneal wound healing.
... Treatment with purified native Serp-1 has demonstrated both acute and long-term efficacy in modulating inflammation in a wide range of inflammatory disorders and injuries, including atherosclerosis, transplant, wound healing, and spinal cord injury [39][40][41][42]. More recently, a modified Serp-1 protein, PEGSerp-1, with a longer halflife (~8 h), was shown to reduce inflammation and fibrosis in healing corneal wounds, and reduced macrophage invasion of alveoli in a mouse model of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage [43][44][45]. Based on these previous studies, we examined whether the pegylated version of the viral Serp-1 protein, PEGSerp-1, would ameliorate the chronic inflammatory pathology of DMD. ...
... We examined whether a pegylated version of the Myxoma virus serpin, Serp-1, would ameliorate the chronic inflammatory environment in DMD mdx /Utrn −/− mice. This protein has been shown to induce an anti-inflammatory response in wound healing, transplants, and other acute injuries without any demonstrated increase in adverse effects in multiple animal models and in one Phase IIa clinical trial [39][40][41][42][43][44][45]52,53]. Systemic PEGSerp-1 treatment of DKO mice significantly decreased muscle fibrosis and the number of infiltrating M1 pro-inflammatory macrophages. ...
Duchenne muscular dystrophy is an X-linked disease afflicting 1 in 3500 males that is characterized by muscle weakness and wasting during early childhood, and loss of ambulation and death by early adulthood. Chronic inflammation due to myofiber instability leads to fibrosis, which is a primary cause of loss of ambulation and cardiorespiratory insufficiency. Current standard of care focuses on reducing inflammation with corticosteroids, which have serious adverse effects. It is imperative to identify alternate immunosuppressants as treatments to reduce fibrosis and mortality. Serp-1, a Myxoma virus-derived 55 kDa secreted glycoprotein, has proven efficacy in a range of animal models of acute inflammation, and its safety and efficacy has been shown in a clinical trial. In this initial study, we examined whether pegylated Serp-1 (PEGSerp-1) treatment would ameliorate chronic inflammation in a mouse model for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Our data revealed a significant reduction in diaphragm fibrosis and increased myofiber diameter, and significantly decreased pro-inflammatory M1 macrophage infiltration. The M2a macrophage and overall T cell populations showed no change. These data demonstrate that treatment with this new class of poxvirus-derived immune-modulating serpin has potential as a therapeutic approach designed to ameliorate DMD pathology and facilitate muscle regeneration.
