Vaccinia virus complement control protein modulates inflammation following spinal cord injury.

The vaccinia virus complement control protein (VCP) possesses multiple modulatory functions. Functioning as a complement inhibitory protein, VCP reduces production of proinflammatory chemotactic factors produced during complement activation. Additionally, VCP binds heparin and heparan sulfate proteoglycans, resulting in added. functions shown to block monocyte chemotaxis in vitro. Using an in vivo spinal cord contusive injury model in rats, the inflammation-modulating abilities of VCP were evaluated. The results of both myeloperoxidase assaying and H&E stained section counts of spinal tissue reveal that neutrophil infiltration to the area of the lesion was reduced in animals that received VCP as compared to saline-injected controls.