Preclinical evaluation of Amblyomin-X, a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor with antitumor activity.

Amblyomin-X, a Kunitz-type protease inhibitor, is a recombinant protein that selectively induces apoptosis in tumor cells and promotes tumor reduction in melanoma animal models. Furthermore, Amblyomin-X was able to drastically reduce lung metastasis in a mice orthotopic kidney tumor model. Due to its antitumor activity, Amblyomin-X potential to become a new drug is currently under investigation, therefore the aim of the present study was to perform preclinical assays to evaluate Amblyomin-X toxicity in healthy mice.