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Alves BFA, Ferreira RS. Antineoplastic properties and pharmacological applications of Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2022; 55:S0037-86822022000100207. [PMID: 36542014 PMCID: PMC9757715 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0323-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Snake toxins are widely studied owing to their importance in snakebite accidents, a serious public health issue in tropical countries, and their broad therapeutic potential. Isolated fractions from venom produced by snakes of the genus Crotalus sp. present a wide variety of pharmacological uses such as antifungal, antiviral, antibacterial, and antitumor properties, among other therapeutic potentialities. Given the direct effect of this venom on tumor cells, isolation of its compounds is important for the characterization of its anticarcinogenic actions. Crotalus durissus terrificus venom and its toxins have been widely evaluated as potential candidates for the development of new antineoplastic therapies that are efficient against different tumor lines and cellular targets. This review highlights the venom toxins of this species, with a focus on their antineoplastic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rui Seabra Ferreira
- Center for the Study of Venoms and Venomous Animals (CEVAP), São
Paulo State University (UNESP), Botucatu, SP, Brazil.
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Cerebral Complications of Snakebite Envenoming: Case Studies. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14070436. [PMID: 35878174 PMCID: PMC9320586 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14070436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
There are an estimated 5.4 million snakebite cases every year. People with snakebite envenoming suffer from severe complications, or even death. Although some review articles cover several topics of snakebite envenoming, a review of the cases regarding cerebral complications, especially rare syndromes, is lacking. Here, we overview 35 cases of snakebite by front-fanged snakes, including Bothrops, Daboia, Cerastes, Deinagkistrodon, Trimeresurus, and Crotalus in the Viperidae family; Bungarus and Naja in the Elapidae family, and Homoroselaps (rare cases) in the Lamprophiidae family. We also review three rare cases of snakebite by rear-fanged snakes, including Oxybelis and Leptodeira in the Colubridae family. In the cases of viper bites, most patients (17/24) were diagnosed with ischemic stroke and intracranial hemorrhage, leading to six deaths. We then discuss the potential underlying molecular mechanisms that cause these complications. In cases of elapid bites, neural, cardiac, and ophthalmic disorders are the main complications. Due to the small amount of venom injection and the inability to deep bite, all the rear-fanged snakebites did not develop any severe complications. To date, antivenom (AV) is the most effective therapy for snakebite envenoming. In the six cases of viper and elapid bites that did not receive AV, three cases (two by viper and one by elapid) resulted in death. This indicates that AV treatment is the key to survival after a venomous snakebite. Lastly, we also discuss several studies of therapeutic agents against snakebite-envenoming-induced complications, which could be potential adjuvants along with AV treatment. This article organizes the diagnosis of hemotoxic and neurotoxic envenoming, which may help ER doctors determine the treatment for unidentified snakebite.
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Proteomic analysis reveals rattlesnake venom modulation of proteins associated with cardiac tissue damage in mouse hearts. J Proteomics 2022; 258:104530. [PMID: 35182786 PMCID: PMC9308947 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2022.104530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Snake envenomation is a common but neglected disease that affects millions of people around the world annually. Among venomous snake species in Brazil, the tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) accounts for the highest number of fatal envenomations and is responsible for the second highest number of bites. Snake venoms are complex secretions which, upon injection, trigger diverse physiological effects that can cause significant injury or death. The components of C. d. terrificus venom exhibit neurotoxic, myotoxic, hemotoxic, nephrotoxic, and cardiotoxic properties which present clinically as alteration of central nervous system function, motor paralysis, seizures, eyelid ptosis, ophthalmoplesia, blurred vision, coagulation disorders, rhabdomyolysis, myoglobinuria, and cardiorespiratory arrest. In this study, we focused on proteomic characterization of the cardiotoxic effects of C. d. terrificus venom in mouse models. We injected venom at half the lethal dose (LD50) into the gastrocnemius muscle. Mouse hearts were removed at set time points after venom injection (1 h, 6 h, 12 h, or 24 h) and subjected to trypsin digestion prior to high-resolution mass spectrometry. We analyzed the proteomic profiles of >1300 proteins and observed that several proteins showed noteworthy changes in their quantitative profiles, likely reflecting the toxic activity of venom components. Among the affected proteins were several associated with cellular deregulation and tissue damage. Changes in heart protein abundance offer insights into how they may work synergistically upon envenomation. SIGNIFICANCE: Venom of the tropical rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terririficus) is known to be neurotoxic, myotoxic, nephrotoxic and cardiotoxic. Although there are several studies describing the biochemical effects of this venom, no work has yet described its proteomic effects in the cardiac tissue of mice. In this work, we describe the changes in several mouse cardiac proteins upon venom treatment. Our data shed new light on the clinical outcome of the envenomation by C. d. terrificus, as well as candidate proteins that could be investigated in efforts to improve current treatment approaches or in the development of novel therapeutic interventions in order to reduce mortality and morbidity resulting from envenomation.
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dos Santos Silva N, Willemart RH, Cunha da Silva JR, da Silva Junior PI. Protein Components of the Arthrodial Membrane Gland in a Neotropical Harvestman (Arachnida, Opiliones). ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:35250-35255. [PMID: 34984257 PMCID: PMC8717388 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c02525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The content of arthrodial membrane glands in arthropods has seldom been studied. Here, we have analyzed the proteins of the arthrodial membrane gland of the trochanter-coxa articulation of the fourth pair of legs in the harvestman Mischonyx cuspidatus via reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC), polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE), and nanoscale liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS) analysis. Most of the fractions studied are hydrophobic, being proteins with molecular weights of ∼28, 62, and ∼198 kDa. These proteins seem to be homologous to proteins involved in product secretion, cytoskeleton, protein binding, cellular metabolism, and antimicrobial action among others. Lubricant function is also possible based on the literature. We were able to identify 147 proteins in the inner region, 91 proteins from the outer dorsal region, and 36 proteins from the outer ventral region. Some proteins are present only in one of these regions and some are shared by one or more regions. Our work provides, to the best of our knowledge, the first proteome characterization of the content of an arthrodial membrane gland in arachnids. Dataset Identifier: ftp://massive.ucsd.edu/MSV000087195/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norton
Felipe dos Santos Silva
- Laboratório
de Histofisiologia Evolutiva (LHE), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas
(ICB 1), Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade de São Paulo, Av Professor Lineu Prestes 1524, CEP 05508900 São Paulo
- SP, Brasil
- Programa
de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Sistemas, Instituto
de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB 1), Universidade de São Paulo, Av Professor Lineu Prestes 1524, CEP
05508900 São Paulo - SP, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo Hirata Willemart
- Laboratório
de Ecologia Sensorial e Comportamento de Artrópodes (LESCA),
Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua Arlindo Béttio 1000, Ermelino Matarazzo, CEP 03828-000 São Paulo
- SP, Brasil
- Programa
de Pós-Graduação em Zoologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão 321, Travessa 1, CEP 05508-090 São Paulo
- SP, Brasil
| | - José Roberto
Machado Cunha da Silva
- Laboratório
de Histofisiologia Evolutiva (LHE), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas
(ICB 1), Departamento de Biologia Celular e do Desenvolvimento, Universidade de São Paulo, Av Professor Lineu Prestes 1524, CEP 05508900 São Paulo
- SP, Brasil
- Programa
de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Sistemas, Instituto
de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB 1), Universidade de São Paulo, Av Professor Lineu Prestes 1524, CEP
05508900 São Paulo - SP, Brasil
| | - Pedro Ismael da Silva Junior
- Programa
de Pós-Graduação em Biologia de Sistemas, Instituto
de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB 1), Universidade de São Paulo, Av Professor Lineu Prestes 1524, CEP
05508900 São Paulo - SP, Brasil
- Laboratório
de Toxinologia Aplicada (LETA), Instituto
Butantan, Av Vital Brasil 1500, CEP 05503-900 São Paulo - SP, Brasil
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Adinortey MB. Botanical treatments for snakebite in rural Ghana: A narrative review. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 280:114432. [PMID: 34274442 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114432] [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: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE In the countryside, there are some limitations with the use of venom antisera to manage snake bites. Due to poor access to healthcare and as a result of the difficulty in receiving treatment for cases of snake bites, most rural people in Ghana, a West African country, rely on plant medicine as a first aid to manage cases of venomous snakebite. This calls for more research into the species of plants used to medically manage snakebite envenomation. AIM OF THE STUDY This review sought to present plants that are used in managing snakebite cases and also gather data supporting their use. METHODOLOGY This is a systematic search and review of information obtained from textbooks and databases such as PubMed and ScienceDirect between January 1975 and August 2020. RESULTS A search done identified 43 plant species and these were found to belong to 25 taxonomic families with the most frequent ones being, Fabaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Apocynaceae, and Solanaceae. Experimental data gathered indicate that among the many plants identified to be used to manage snakebites, only 5 were found with anti-venom in vitro and in vivo evidence-based data. CONCLUSION Data collated hint that a few plant species identified namely Anacardium occidentale, Euphorbia hirta, Mimosa pudica, Musa paradisiaca and Mangifera indica, work by targeting diverse physiopathological and biochemical processes involved in the clinical manifestations of snakebites. This review has also unearthed knowledge gaps that can form the basis for broad investigations and development of these and other medicinal plants into useful anti-venom medications.
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Bothrops Jararaca Snake Venom Modulates Key Cancer-Related Proteins in Breast Tumor Cell Lines. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13080519. [PMID: 34437390 PMCID: PMC8402457 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer is characterized by the development of abnormal cells that divide in an uncontrolled way and may spread into other tissues where they may infiltrate and destroy normal body tissue. Several previous reports have described biochemical anti-tumorigenic properties of crude snake venom or its components, including their capability of inhibiting cell proliferation and promoting cell death. However, to the best of our knowledge, there is no work describing cancer cell proteomic changes following treatment with snake venoms. In this work we describe the quantitative changes in proteomics of MCF7 and MDA-MB-231 breast tumor cell lines following treatment with Bothrops jararaca snake venom, as well as the functional implications of the proteomic changes. Cell lines were treated with sub-toxic doses at either 0.63 μg/mL (low) or 2.5 μg/mL (high) of B. jararaca venom for 24 h, conditions that cause no cell death per se. Proteomics analysis was conducted on a nano-scale liquid chromatography coupled on-line with mass spectrometry (nLC-MS/MS). More than 1000 proteins were identified and evaluated from each cell line treated with either the low or high dose of the snake venom. Protein profiling upon venom treatment showed differential expression of several proteins related to cancer cell metabolism, immune response, and inflammation. Among the identified proteins we highlight histone H3, SNX3, HEL-S-156an, MTCH2, RPS, MCC2, IGF2BP1, and GSTM3. These data suggest that sub-toxic doses of B. jararaca venom have potential to modulate cancer-development related protein targets in cancer cells. This work illustrates a novel biochemical strategy to identify therapeutic targets against cancer cell growth and survival.
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A lipidomics approach reveals new insights into Crotalus durissus terrificus and Bothrops moojeni snake venoms. Arch Toxicol 2020; 95:345-353. [PMID: 32880718 DOI: 10.1007/s00204-020-02896-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Snakebite envenomation causes > 81,000 deaths and incapacities in another 400,000 people worldwide every year. Snake venoms are complex natural secretions comprised of hundreds of different molecules with a wide range of biological functions that after injection cause local and systemic manifestations. Although several studies have investigated snake venoms, the majority have focused on the protein portion (toxins), without significant attention paid to the lipid fraction. Therefore, an untargeted lipidomic approach based on liquid chromatography with high-resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) was applied to investigate the lipid constituents of venoms of the snake species Crotalus durissus terrificus and Bothrops moojeni. Phosphatidylcholines (PC), Lyso-PCs, phosphatidylethanolamines (PE), Lyso-PE, phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), ceramides (Cer), and sphingomyelin (SM) species were detected in the analyzed snake venoms. The identified lipids included bioactive compounds such as platelet-activating factor (PAF) precursor, PAF-like molecules, plasmalogens, ceramides, and sphingomyelins with long fatty acid chain lengths, which may be associated with the systemic responses triggered by C. d. terrificus and B. moojeni envenomation. These responses include platelet aggregation, activation of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM1), apoptosis, as well as the production of pro-inflammatory lipid mediators, cytokines, and reactive species. The newly proposed lipidomics strategy provided valuable information regarding the lipid profiles of viperid venoms, which could lead to increased understanding of the complex pathology promoted by snakebite envenomation.
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