Blocking of urotensin receptors as new target for treatment of carrageenan induced inflammation in rats

This study investigated possible role of U-II and its receptor expression in inflammation by using UTR agonist and antagonist in carrageenan induced acute inflammation. Rats were divided into 5 groups as (1) Healthy control, (2) Carrageenan control, (3) Carrageenan +Indomethacin 20 mg/kg, orally, (4) Carrageenan +AC7954 (U-II receptor agonist, intraperitoneally) 30 mg/kg and (5) Carrageenan +SB657510 (UTR antagonist, intraperitoneally) 30 mg/kg. 1 h after drug administration, carrageenan was injected. At the 3rd hour after carrageenan injection, agonist produced no effect while antagonist 63% anti-inflammatory effect respectively. UTR and UT-II expression increased in carrageenan induced paw tissue. Antagonist administration prevented the decrease in an antioxidant system and also capable to decrease TNF-alpha and IL-6 mRNA expressions. This study showed the role of urotensin II receptors in the physiopathogenesis of acute inflammatory response that underlying many diseases accompanied by inflammation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.