| Summary: | Calreticulin (CRT) is an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaperone protein, with many functions such as calcium storage, proper protein folding as well as antiangiogenic and antitumor properties. A wound-healing role for CRT from both human and parasitic origins has been described. However, this function has not been described in species frequently exposed to wounds, such as the domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) and its ancestors, the wolves (C. lupus). Therefore, in this Doctoral Thesis we hypothesize that CRT from C. lupus familiaris (CfCRT) accelerates wound-healing processes in in vivo assays. Native CfCRT was obtained from canine placentas, to be used in a variety of in vivo assays. Furthermore, it was also used in an in vivo wound-healing model in rats (Rattus norvegicus), where CfCRT, human CRT (HuCRT), Trypanosoma cruzi CRT (TcCRT), canine serum albumin (CASA), Platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) or PBS were applied. The results show that: i) Native CfCRT (co-purified with CASA), was obtained, by a combination of chromatographic criteria, reinforced by antigenic and functional approaches, together with Mass Spectrometry; ii). Independent of its source, CRT promotes wound healing, although TcCRT and CfCRT are more effective; iii). The TcCRT effect on wound healing could be mediated, at least in part, by an increment in TGF-β3 expression; iv). An increment in cell proliferation and collagen fibers was evident in tissue granulation. These results agree with previous reports where CRT promotes wound healing. Our comparative results establish different degrees of effectiveness among different CRT’s. As projection of these results, the identification of CfCRT and / or TcCRT domains responsible for the positive modulation of the wound healing effect.
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