phycocyanobilin and Disease-Models--Animal

Topics: Alzheimer Disease; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Antioxidants; Dietary Supplements; Disease Models, Animal; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Immunologic Factors; Microglia; Nerve Tissue Proteins; Oxidative Stress; Phycobilins; Phycocyanin; Rats; Reactive Nitrogen Species; Reactive Oxygen Species; Remyelination

C-Phycocyanin (CPC) exerts therapeutic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory actions. It prevents oxidative stress and acute kidney damage caused by HgCl

Topics: Acute Kidney Injury; Animals; Disease Models, Animal; Kidney; Male; Mercury; Mice; Phycobilins; Phycocyanin; Protective Agents; Random Allocation

The only three oral treatments currently available for multiple sclerosis (MS) target the relapsing forms of the disease and concerns regarding efficacy, safety and tolerability limit their use. Identifying novel oral disease-modifying therapies for MS, targeting both its inflammatory and neurodegenerative components is still a major goal.. The scope of this study was to provide evidence that the oral administration of C-Phycocyanin (C-PC), the main biliprotein of the Spirulina platensis cyanobacteria and its tetrapyrrolic prosthetic group, Phycocyanobilin (PCB), exert ameliorating actions on rodent models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE).. EAE was induced in Lewis rats using the spinal cord encephalitogen from Sprague Dawley rats and in C57BL6 mice with MOG. Either prophylactic or early therapeutic administration of C-PC to Lewis rats with EAE, significantly improved clinical signs and restored the motor function of the animals. Furthermore, C-PC positively modulated oxidative stress markers measured in brain homogenate and serum and protected the integrity of cerebral myelin sheaths as shown by transmission electron microscopy analysis. In C57BL/6 mice with EAE, PCB orally improved clinical status of the animals and reduced the expression levels of brain IL-6 and IFN-γ proinflammatory cytokines.. These results, for the first time, support the fact that both C-PC and PCB administered orally could potentially improve neuroinflammation, protect from demyelination and axonal loss, which may be translated into an improved quality of life for MS patients.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Brain; Cytokines; Disease Models, Animal; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental; Female; Interleukin-6; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Neuroprotective Agents; Phycobilins; Phycocyanin; Rats, Inbred Lew; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Spirulina

To investigate the hepatoprotective effects of phycocyanobilin (PCB) in reducing hepatic injury and accelerating hepatocyte proliferation following carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) treatment.. C57BL/6 mice were orally administered PCB 100 mg/kg for 4 d after CCl4 injection, and then the serum and liver tissue of the mice were collected at days 1, 2, 3, 5 and 7 after CCl4 treatment. A series of evaluations were performed to identify the curative effects on liver injury and recovery. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), albumin and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected to indirectly assess the anti-inflammatory effects of PCB. Meanwhile, we detected the expressions of hepatocyte growth factor, transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α), TGF-β, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), the factors which are associated with inflammation and liver regeneration. The protein expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), TNF-α and cytochrome C were detected by western blot. Furthermore, the survival rates were analyzed of mice which were administered a lethal dose of CCl4 (2.6 mg/kg) with or without PCB.. In our research, PCB showed a strongly anti-inflammatory effect on CCl4-induced liver injury in mice. The ALT was significantly decreased after CCl4 treatment from day 1 (P < 0.01) and the AST was significantly decreased from day 2 (P < 0.001). Both albumin and liver SOD were increased from day 2 (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01), but serum SOD levels did not show a significant increase (P > 0.05). PCB protected the structure of liver from the injury by CCl4. TUNEL assay showed that PCB dramatically reduced the number of apoptotic cells after CCl4 treatment compared to the control (101.0 ± 25.4 vs 25.7 ± 6.4, P < 0.01). The result of western blotting showed that PCB could increase PCNA expression, decrease TNF-α and cytochrome C expression. Furthermore, data shows that PCB could improve the survival rate of acute liver failure (ALF) mice which were injected with a lethal dose of CCl4 (60.0% vs 20.0%).. Our study indicated that PCB could be an ideal candidate for reversing acute liver injury or ALF.

Topics: Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Apoptosis; Biomarkers; Carbon Tetrachloride; Cell Proliferation; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury; Disease Models, Animal; Liver; Liver Failure, Acute; Liver Regeneration; Male; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Necrosis; Phycobilins; Phycocyanin; Time Factors

We and other investigators have reported that bilirubin and its precursor biliverdin may have beneficial effects on diabetic vascular complications, including nephropathy, via its antioxidant effects. Here, we investigated whether phycocyanin derived from Spirulina platensis, a blue-green algae, and its chromophore phycocyanobilin, which has a chemical structure similar to that of biliverdin, protect against oxidative stress and renal dysfunction in db/db mice, a rodent model for Type 2 diabetes. Oral administration of phycocyanin (300 mg/kg) for 10 wk protected against albuminuria and renal mesangial expansion in db/db mice, and normalized tumor growth factor-β and fibronectin expression. Phycocyanin also normalized urinary and renal oxidative stress markers and the expression of NAD(P)H oxidase components. Similar antioxidant effects were observed following oral administration of phycocyanobilin (15 mg/kg) for 2 wk. Phycocyanobilin, bilirubin, and biliverdin also inhibited NADPH dependent superoxide production in cultured renal mesangial cells. In conclusion, oral administration of phycocyanin and phycocyanobilin may offer a novel and feasible therapeutic approach for preventing diabetic nephropathy.

Topics: Administration, Oral; Albuminuria; Animals; Antioxidants; Bilirubin; Biliverdine; Cells, Cultured; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2; Diabetic Nephropathies; Disease Models, Animal; Fibronectins; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; Kidney; Male; Mice; Mice, Inbred C57BL; NADPH Oxidases; Oxidative Stress; Phycobilins; Phycocyanin; Spirulina; Superoxides; Time Factors; Transforming Growth Factor beta