Bone marrow-derived dendritic cells play a role in attenuating inflammation on Bothrops jararacussu venom muscle...

The immune system is regulated by dendritic cells (DCs), which are highly specialized cells for presenting antigens. They are thought of as natural sentinels that start the immune response triggered by naive T cells against invasive infections. DCs participate in the initial stage of muscle damage in conjunction with monocytes, macrophages, and myogenic cells. The goal of this study was to determine whether DCs might mitigate tissue damage and aid in the regeneration of the gastrocnemius muscle following envenomation with Bothrops jararacussu venom (BjV). Mature bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) were used to treat mice in an experimental envenomation model with BjV by activation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). BMDCs were injected into the gastrocnemius muscle at the same site of the BjV injury, in a single dose, 3 h after envenomation, and envenoming effects were observed at different periods for 7 days. In both untreated (NT) and treated (T) groups tissue necrosis, leukocyte influx, and hemorrhage at the injury site were observed. Results showed an increase in serum and tissue CK as well as IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β release in the first hours after envenoming. In contrast, after treatment with BMDCs results obtained demonstrated an attenuated local effect with a small leukocyte influx, decreased or non-existent necrosis and hemorrhage, as well as a reduction in both serum and tissue CK levels as well as cytokine release and, consequently, the onset of a moderate regenerative process. The present study's findings concluded that BjV causes a severe inflammatory reaction at the site of injury and that treating envenoming with BMDCs in the muscle was crucial for minimizing damage to the muscle and the inflammatory reaction and promoting the early onset of the tissue repair process.