In vivo anti-inflammatory action evaluation of protease inhibitors from Cecropia hololeuca and their protein profile by electrophoretic and spectroscopic techniques

Abstract This work describes the electrophoretic and spectroscopic assessment of bioactive proteins from Cecropia hololeuca through SDS-PAGE, CE-UV, FT-IR and NMR, and their anti-inflammatory potential. In vitro assays were performed on murine macrophages J774A.1 and RAW 264.7 cells, and the in vivo anti-inflammatory potential on acute carrageenan edema in mice. The protein extract significantly inhibited the levels of NO, TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6, and the expression of NF-κB in J774A.1 and RAW 264.7 cells, without causing toxicity to cells. In in vivo and ex vivo assay, the protein extract also reduced the formation of paw edema in animals, and the expression of IL-12 in macerate in the soft tissue of the paw. In the analysis of genotoxicity, the protein extract decreased the frequency of micronucleated erythrocytes when compared to the group treated with Dexamethasone. The analysis by SDS-PAGE, CE-UV, FT-IR and NMR corroborated the presence of proteins in the analyzed samples.