Blocking TNF-α by combination of TNF-α- and TNFR-binding cyclic peptide ameliorates the severity of TNBS-induced colitis in rats.

Abstract Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease. TNF antagonists are effectively used to treat these patients, although the efficiency of different antagonists varies. In the present study we combined TNF-α binding cyclic peptide (TBCP) and TNFR1 binding cyclic peptide (TRBCP) to treat TNBS-induced colitis in rats for one week. The symptoms of colitis including bloody diarrhea, rectal prolapse, and a profound and sustained weight loss were significantly ameliorated and the colon inflammatory damage, both macroscopic and histological scores, MPO activity, and NO production were markedly decreased in rats by neutralization of TNF-α and blocking TNFR1, as compared with those in rats treated with irrelevant peptide or normal saline ( P P