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Wiezel GA, Oliveira IS, Reis MB, Ferreira IG, Cordeiro KR, Bordon KCF, Arantes EC. The complex repertoire of Tityus spp. venoms: Advances on their composition and pharmacological potential of their toxins. Biochimie 2024; 220:144-166. [PMID: 38176606 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2023.12.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/30/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
Animal venoms are a rich and complex source of components, including peptides (such as neurotoxins, anionic peptides and hypotensins), lipids, proteins (such as proteases, hyaluronidases and phospholipases) and inorganic compounds, which affect all biological systems of the envenoming victim. Their action may result in a wide range of clinical manifestations, including tachy/bradycardia, hyper/hypotension, disorders in blood coagulation, pain, edema, inflammation, fever, muscle paralysis, coma and even death. Scorpions are one of the most studied venomous animals in the world and interesting bioactive molecules have been isolated and identified from their venoms over the years. Tityus spp. are among the scorpions with high number of accidents reported in the Americas, especially in Brazil. Their venoms have demonstrated interesting results in the search for novel agents with antimicrobial, anti-viral, anti-parasitic, hypotensive, immunomodulation, anti-insect, antitumor and/or antinociceptive activities. Furthermore, other recent activities still under investigation include drug delivery action, design of anti-epileptic drugs, investigation of sodium channel function, treatment of erectile disfunction and priapism, improvement of scorpion antivenom and chelating molecules activity. In this scenario, this paper focuses on reviewing advances on Tityus venom components mainly through the modern omics technologies as well as addressing potential therapeutic agents from their venoms and highlighting this abundant source of pharmacologically active molecules with biotechnological application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisele A Wiezel
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Isadora S Oliveira
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil; Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Søtolfts Plads, Building 239 Room 006, Kongens Lyngby, 2800, Denmark.
| | - Mouzarllem B Reis
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Isabela G Ferreira
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Kalynka R Cordeiro
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Karla C F Bordon
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
| | - Eliane C Arantes
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Avenida Do Café s/n, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil.
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Pashmforoosh N, Baradaran M. Peptides with Diverse Functions from Scorpion Venom: A Great Opportunity for the Treatment of a Wide Variety of Diseases. IRANIAN BIOMEDICAL JOURNAL 2023; 27:84-99. [PMID: 37070616 PMCID: PMC10314758 DOI: 10.61186/ibj.3863] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
Toxicology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran The venom glands are a rich source of biologically important peptides with pharmaceutical properties. Scorpion venoms have been identified as a reservoir for components that might be considered as great candidates for drug development. Pharmacological properties of the venom compounds have been confirmed in the treatment of different disorders. Ion channel blockers and AMPs are the main groups of scorpion venom components. Despite the existence of several studies about scorpion peptides, there are still valuable components to be discovered. Additionally, owing to the improvement of proteomics and transcriptomics, the number of peptide drugs is steadily increasing, which reflects the importance of these medications. This review evaluates available literatures on some important scorpion venom peptides with pharmaceutical activities. Given that the last three years have been dominated by the COVID-19 from the medical/pharmaceutical perspective, scorpion compounds with the potential against the coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) are discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Masoumeh Baradaran
- Corresponding Author: Masoumeh Baradaran Toxicology Research Center, Medical Basic Sciences Research Institute, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran; E-mail:
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Wainwright CL, Teixeira MM, Adelson DL, Buenz EJ, David B, Glaser KB, Harata-Lee Y, Howes MJR, Izzo AA, Maffia P, Mayer AM, Mazars C, Newman DJ, Nic Lughadha E, Pimenta AM, Parra JA, Qu Z, Shen H, Spedding M, Wolfender JL. Future Directions for the Discovery of Natural Product-Derived Immunomodulating Drugs. Pharmacol Res 2022; 177:106076. [PMID: 35074524 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug discovery from natural sources is going through a renaissance, having spent many decades in the shadow of synthetic molecule drug discovery, despite the fact that natural product-derived compounds occupy a much greater chemical space than those created through synthetic chemistry methods. With this new era comes new possibilities, not least the novel targets that have emerged in recent times and the development of state-of-the-art technologies that can be applied to drug discovery from natural sources. Although progress has been made with some immunomodulating drugs, there remains a pressing need for new agents that can be used to treat the wide variety of conditions that arise from disruption, or over-activation, of the immune system; natural products may therefore be key in filling this gap. Recognising that, at present, there is no authoritative article that details the current state-of-the-art of the immunomodulatory activity of natural products, this in-depth review has arisen from a joint effort between the International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology (IUPHAR) Natural Products and Immunopharmacology, with contributions from a Powered by Editorial Manager® and ProduXion Manager® from Aries Systems Corporation number of world-leading researchers in the field of natural product drug discovery, to provide a "position statement" on what natural products has to offer in the search for new immunomodulatory argents. To this end, we provide a historical look at previous discoveries of naturally occurring immunomodulators, present a picture of the current status of the field and provide insight into the future opportunities and challenges for the discovery of new drugs to treat immune-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cherry L Wainwright
- Centre for Natural Products in Health, Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen, UK.
| | - Mauro M Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - David L Adelson
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia.
| | - Eric J Buenz
- Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, New Zealand.
| | - Bruno David
- Green Mission Pierre Fabre, Pierre Fabre Laboratories, Toulouse, France.
| | - Keith B Glaser
- AbbVie Inc., Integrated Discovery Operations, North Chicago, USA.
| | - Yuka Harata-Lee
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Melanie-Jayne R Howes
- Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK; Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, UK.
| | - Angelo A Izzo
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Italy.
| | - Pasquale Maffia
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples Federico II, Italy; Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
| | - Alejandro Ms Mayer
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Graduate Studies, Midwestern University, IL, USA.
| | - Claire Mazars
- Green Mission Pierre Fabre, Pierre Fabre Laboratories, Toulouse, France.
| | | | | | - Adriano Mc Pimenta
- Laboratory of Animal Venoms and Toxins, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
| | - John Aa Parra
- Laboratory of Animal Venoms and Toxins, Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Zhipeng Qu
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | - Hanyuan Shen
- Molecular & Biomedical Science, University of Adelaide, Australia
| | | | - Jean-Luc Wolfender
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Switzerland; Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Western Switzerland, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
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das Dores Pereira R, Rabelo RAN, Leite PG, Cramer A, Botelho AFM, Cruz JS, Régis WCB, Perretti M, Teixeira MM, Machado FS. Role of formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) in modulating immune response and heart inflammation in an experimental model of acute and chronic Chagas disease. Cell Immunol 2021; 369:104427. [PMID: 34482259 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2021.104427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is an important disease of the heart. Lipoxins have important regulatory functions in host immune response (IR). Herein, we examined whether the receptor for lipoxin A4, the formyl peptide receptor (FPR) 2, had an effect on Trypanosoma cruzi infection. In vitro, FPR2 deficiency or inhibition improved the activity of macrophages against T. cruzi. In vivo, during the acute phase, the absence of FPR2 reduced parasitemia and increased type 2 macrophages, type 2 neutrophils, and IL-10-producing dendritic cells. Moreover, the acquired IR was characterized by greater proportions of Th1/Th2/Treg, and IFNγ-producing CD8+T cells, and reductions in Th17 and IL-17-producing CD8+T cells. However, during the chronic phase, FPR2 deficient mice presented and increased inflammatory profile regarding innate and acquired IR cells (Th1/IFN-γ-producing CD8+T cells). Notably, FPR2 deficiency resulted in increased myocarditis and impaired heart function. Collectively, our data suggested that FPR2 is important for the orchestration of IR and prevention of severe T. cruzi-induced disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafaela das Dores Pereira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Program in Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine/Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Rayane Aparecida Nonato Rabelo
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Program in Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine/Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Paulo Gaio Leite
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Allysson Cramer
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Flávia Machado Botelho
- Departament of Veterinary Medicine, Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Jader Santos Cruz
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Wiliam César Bento Régis
- Postgraduate Program in Vertebrate Biology at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Mauro Perretti
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mauro Martins Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Program in Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine/Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Simão Machado
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Program in Health Sciences, Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine/Interdisciplinary Laboratory of Medical Investigation, Faculty of Medicine, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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de Assis DRR, Pimentel PMDO, Dos Reis PVM, Rabelo RAN, Vitor RWA, Cordeiro MDN, Felicori LF, Olórtegui CDC, Resende JM, Teixeira MM, Borges MH, de Lima ME, Pimenta AMDC, Machado FS. Tityus serrulatus (Scorpion): From the Crude Venom to the Construction of Synthetic Peptides and Their Possible Therapeutic Application Against Toxoplasma gondii Infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:706618. [PMID: 34354963 PMCID: PMC8329421 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.706618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis, caused by Toxoplasma gondii, is a major public concern owing to its neurotropic nature and high morbidity and mortality rates in immunocompromised patients and newborns. Current treatment for this disease is inefficient and produces side effects. Inflammatory mediators produced during T. gondii infection (e.g., cytokines and nitric oxide) are crucial in controlling parasite replication. In this context, Tityus serrulatus venom (TsV) induces the production of inflammatory mediators by immune cells. Thus, this study aimed to isolate and identify the components of TsV with potential anti-T. gondii activity. TsV was extracted from scorpions and lyophilized or loaded onto a column to obtain its fractions. TsV subfractions were obtained using chromatography, and its amino acid sequence was identified and applied to peptide design using bioinformatics tools. The C57BL/6 mice and their harvested macrophages were used to test the anti-Toxoplasma activity of TsV components and peptides. TsV and its fraction F6 attenuated the replication of tachyzoites in macrophages and induced nitric oxide and cytokine (IL-12, TNF, and IL-6) production by infected cells, without host cell toxicity. Moreover, Su6-B toxin, a subfraction of F6, demonstrated anti-T. gondii activity. The partially elucidated and characterized amino acid sequence of Sub6-B demonstrated 93% similarity with T. serrulatus 2 toxin (Ts2). Ts2 mimetic peptides (“Pep1,” “Pep2a,” and “Pep2b”) were designed and synthesized. Pep1 and Pep2a, but not Pep2b, reduced the replication of tachyzoites in macrophages. In vivo, treatment of T. gondii-infected mice with Pep1, Pep2a, or Pep2b decreased the number of cerebral cysts and did not induce hepatotoxicity in the animals. Taken together, our data show promising immunomodulatory and antiparasitic activity of TsV that could be explored and applied in future therapies for treating infectious parasitic diseases such as toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego Rodney Rodrigues de Assis
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Pablo Victor Mendes Dos Reis
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rayane Aparecida Nonato Rabelo
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Wagner Almeida Vitor
- Department of Parasitology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Liza Figueiredo Felicori
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Carlos Delfin Chávez Olórtegui
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Jarbas Magalhães Resende
- Department of Chemistry, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mauro Martins Teixeira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Maria Elena de Lima
- Faculdade Santa Casa de Belo Horizonte: Programa de Pós Graduação em Medicina-Biomedicina, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Adriano Monteiro de Castro Pimenta
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Simão Machado
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.,Program in Health Sciences: Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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