Treatment with a Zinc Metalloprotease Purified from Bothrops moojeni Snake Venom (BmooMP-Alpha-I) Reduces the Inflammation in an Experimental Model of Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis

Figure 1

Macroscopic features at the colon. (a) The murine experimental design was set up to induce colitis by DSS administration. For the experiments, mice were divided into groups of six animals each, receiving the following inocula: I: sterile saline (vehicle, negative control); II: 50 μg of BmooMP-alpha-I (positive control); III: DSS only (model group); IV: DSS plus BmooMP-alpha-I, at the doses of 50, 25, or 12.5 μg/animal/day (treated group). At the end of 6 days, mice from all groups were subject the clinical evaluation and euthanized. (b) Control group (without DSS), BmooMP-alpha-I (50 μg) group, 3% DSS administration group (DSS), and 3% DSS plus BmooMP-alpha-I (50 μg to 12.5 μg). (c) Intestine length (cm). Data shown are expressed as ( per group). Results represent out of five analyses for each experimental condition. Comparisons were carried out by using one-way ANOVA and Dunnett’s Multiple Comparison Test. and ; ns: not significant in relation to the DSS or negative control (Crtl).

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