Laboratory of Resolution of Inflammatory Response, Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901, Brazil.
Mar Drugs. 2013 Jul 18;11(7):2595-615. doi: 10.3390/md11072595.
Lithothamnion muelleri (Hapalidiaceae) is a marine red alga, which is a member of a group of algae with anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties. The present study evaluated the effects of treatment with Lithothamnion muelleri extract (LM) in a model of acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), using a model of adoptive splenocyte transfer from C57BL/6 donors into B6D2F1 recipient mice. Mice treated with LM showed reduced clinical signs of disease and mortality when compared with untreated mice. LM-treated mice had reduced tissue injury, less bacterial translocation, and decreased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines (interferon-γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 3 (CCL3) and chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 5 (CCL5)). The polysaccharide-rich fraction derived from LM could inhibit leukocyte rolling and adhesion in intestinal venules, as assessed by intravital microscopy. LM treatment did not impair the beneficial effects of graft-versus-leukaemia (GVL). Altogether, our studies suggest that treatment with Lithothamnion muelleri has a potential therapeutic application in GVHD treatment.
石莼属（石莼科）是一种海洋红藻，属于具有抗炎、抗肿瘤和免疫调节特性的藻类群。本研究评估了石莼属提取物（LM）在急性移植物抗宿主病（GVHD）模型中的治疗效果，该模型使用来自 C57BL/6 供体的过继性脾细胞转移到 B6D2F1 受体小鼠中。与未治疗的小鼠相比，用 LM 治疗的小鼠显示出疾病和死亡率的临床症状减少。与未治疗的小鼠相比，LM 治疗的小鼠组织损伤减少，细菌易位减少，促炎细胞因子和趋化因子（干扰素-γ（IFN-γ）、肿瘤坏死因子-α（TNF-α）、趋化因子（C-C 基元）配体 2（CCL2）、趋化因子（C-C 基元）配体 3（CCL3）和趋化因子（C-C 基元）配体 5（CCL5））水平降低。从 LM 衍生的富含多糖的部分可以通过活体显微镜评估抑制肠道小静脉中白细胞滚动和粘附。LM 治疗不会损害移植物抗白血病（GVL）的有益效果。总之，我们的研究表明，石莼属的治疗具有治疗 GVHD 的潜在治疗应用。
