The anti‐inflammatory effect of Alloferon on UVB irradiated human skin keratinocyte cell line, HaCaT via the regulation of pro‐inflammatory cytokine production

Abstract

UVB irradiation modulates immune responses and activates inflammatory reactions, leading to skin damage like sunburn. Alloferon is isolated from the blood of an experimentally infected insect, the blow fly Calliphora vicina (Diptera), and shows a variety of biomedical efficacies such as antiviral and antitumoral capabilities. However, the specific molecular mechanisms for the action of alloferon still remain to be clarified. In this study, we investigated the effects of alloferon on cutaneous inflammation induced by UVB‐irradiation in human HaCaT keratinocytes. RPA and ELISA data showed alleferon decreased the production of UVB‐induced pro‐inflammatory cytokine, such as IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐18, both on the mRNA and protein level. Western blot analysis showed alleferon inhibited the activation of p38 MAPK induced by UVB irradiation. Furthermore, the topical application of alloferon on hairless mouse skin exposed to UVB has shown that post‐treatment of alloferon significantly reduced the thickness of epidermal layer of chronically UVB exposed mice skin. In addition, alloferon inhibited increased production of the IL‐6 in hairless mice skin. These findings suggest that alleferon has significant anti‐inflammatory effects on the UVB‐induced response on the cutaneous inflammation and may offer an effective approach to reduction or prevention of skin inflammation resulting from UVB irradiation.

Alloferon improves the growth performance and developmental time of mealworms (Tenebrio molitor)

“…Other beneficial biological activities of alloferons have been reported, such as stimulation of interferon synthesis in mice and humans in vivo (18), suppression of herpes simplex virus in vitro proliferation (19), deblocking of the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer mediated signaling pathway (20), and modification of proinflammatory cytokine production (21).…”