Body protective compound-157 (BPC-157) is a stable gastric pentadecapeptide that has been effective in trials aiming to increase wound healing capabilities and decrease inflammatory cell influx, including studies on the healing of muscles and tendons. There are no studies about the effect of BPC-157 on pain transmission via nociception. This study examined the antinociceptive effects of BPC-157 using formalin tests and immunohistochemistry.

Rats were randomly divided into the control, morphine and BPC-157 groups. Pain behavior was quantified periodically at 5- and 35- min intervals (representative values of phases 1 and 2) by counting the number of flinches exhibited by the injected paw after injection. The dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal cords (SC) were collected, and then, the number of cytokine-positive cells was determined via immunostaining.

BPC-157 dose-dependently decreased the number of flinches during phase 1 but did not decrease the number of flinches during phase 2. During phase 1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the DRG tissue was significantly different in the morphine, 10 μg/kg BPC-157, and 20 μg/kg BPC-157 groups. During phase 2, statistical significance was achieved in the DRG tissue in the morphine, 20 μg/kg BPC-157, and 40 μg/kg BPC-157 groups. During phase 1, interleukin-6 was significantly different in the DRG tissue in the morphine group and the SC tissue in the 10 μg/kg BPC-157 group. During phase 2, statistical significance was achieved in the morphine group and the BPC-157 20 μg/kg group in both the DRG and SC tissues. There were no significant differences in tumor necrosis factor-α between the DRG and SC tissues.

BPC-157 was effective during phase 1 but not during phase 2, as determined by the formalin test. BPC-157 decreased the expression of IL-1β in the DRG tissue in phases 1 and 2.

Some helminths have been known to have a treatment effect in inflammatory bowel diseases, including Crohn’s disease (CD); however, live parasite therapy can cause unwanted side effects. To develop a safe therapeutic, we investigated the preventive or therapeutic potential of proteins from the third stage larva of A. simplex in a mouse model. We also analyzed the cytokine profile from splenic and mesenteric lymph node lymphocytes to elucidate the underlying immunological mechanism.

CD was induced in mice with DSS, and the effect of an A. simplex larval protein on CD was assessed. A change in body weight and DAI (disease activity index) were observed in mice. The expression levels of cytokines from mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) compared to splenic lymphocytes were measured with ELISA.

Peritoneal administration of preventive and therapeutic A. simplex larval proteins attenuated DSS-induced CD by a reduction of the DAI and weight loss. A shortening of colon length was more definitely observed in the therapeutic group than in the preventive group. The cytokine expression levels were more obvious in lymphocytes from mesenteric lymph nodes than from splenic lymphocytes.

Taken together, these results suggest that A. simplex proteins can change cytokine profiles and may have a preventive effect in DSS-induced CD mice.