Modulatory effect of gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157 on angiogenesis in muscle and tendon healing.

Journal of physiology and pharmacology : an official journal of the Polish Physiological Society2009PMID: 20388964

Animal StudyIn VitroBPC-157

Plain Language Summary

Investigates BPC 157's angiogenic mechanism using in vitro cell culture and in vivo muscle/tendon healing models. BPC 157 had no direct angiogenic effect in cell culture (no isolated endothelial effect) but consistently upregulated VEGF expression in immunohistochemistry of healing muscle and tendon tissue. CD34 and Factor VIII staining confirmed increased vascular density in vivo. Establishes that BPC 157's pro-angiogenic effect is context-dependent and wound-coupled, operating through VEGF upregulation in the healing tissue environment rather than direct vascular stimulation.

Abstract

Angiogenesis is a natural and complex process controlled by angiogenic and angiostatic molecules, with a central role in healing process. One of the most important modulating factors in angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Pentadecapeptide BPC 157 promotes healing demonstrating particular angiogenic/angiomodulatory potential. We correlated the angiogenic effect of BPC 157 with VEGF expression using in vitro (cell culture) and in vivo (crushed muscle and transected muscle and tendon) models. Results revealed that there is no direct angiogenic effect of BPC 157 on cell cultures. On the other hand, immunohistochemical analysis of muscle and tendon healing using VEGF, CD34 and FVIII antibodies showed adequately modulated angiogenesis in BPC 157 treated animals, resulting in a more adequate healing. Therefore the angiogenic potential of BPC 157 seems to be closely related to the healing process in vivo with BPC 157 stimulating angiogenesis by up-regulating VEGF expression.

Authors

Brcic, L; Brcic, I; Staresinic, M; Novinscak, T; Sikiric, P; Seiwerth, S