Effects of crude venom, tityustoxin and toxin Ts-gamma from Tityus serrulatus scorpion on secretion and structure of the rat submandibular gland

Participation of Na(+) channels in the potentiation by Tityus serrulatus alpha-toxin TsTx-V of glucose-induced electrical activity and insulin secretion in rodent islet beta-cells

The effects of TsTx-V, an alpha-toxin isolated from Tityus serrulatus venom, on electrical activity and insulin secretion by rodent pancreatic islet cells were studied. TsTx-V (5.6 microg/ml) depolarized mouse pancreatic beta-cells, diminished the membrane input resistance and increased the duration of the active phase of glucose-induced electrical activity. Similar results were observed with the Na(+) channel agonist veratridine (110 microM). Both agents potentiated glucose (8.3 mM)-induced insulin secretion in rat islet. In the presence of TsTx-V or veratridine, insulin secretion increased 2- and 1.4-fold over basal values, respectively (P<0.001). The Na(+) channel antagonist tetrodotoxin (6 microM) significantly decreased glucose- and TsTx-V-induced insulin secretion (P<0.001). TsTx-V also stimulated insulin secretion at low glucose concentrations (2.8 mM) whereas the beta-toxin, Ts-gamma (gamma toxin), also obtained from Tityus serrulatus venom, significantly reduced TsTx-V-induced secretion at sub- and suprathreshold concentrations of glucose. These results are consistent with a model whereby Na(+) channels participate in glucose-induced electrical activity. Alteration in the activity of these channels changes the length of time during which the beta-cell depolarizes, thereby altering the secretory behavior of the cell. The construction of a three-dimensional model for TsTx-V revealed a conserved core containing an alpha-helix and three beta-strands, with minor differences when compared with toxins from other scorpion venoms.

Mechanisms underlying the structural alterations of the rat submandibular gland induced by Tityus serrulatus tityustoxin

As the mechanisms underlying the structural changes induced in rat submandibular glands by Tityus serrulatus tityustoxin have not been reported, the present study was undertaken to investigate the participation of adrenergic and muscarinic cholinergic receptors in these alterations. Most of the stimulatory effects of the toxin are observed in the secretory cells of the acini and granular convoluted tubules (GCT). We evaluated the ability of the toxin to induce morphological changes in acinar and GCT cells after adrenoreceptor and cholino receptor blockage. The influence of tityustoxin-induced adrenal discharge on the acinar and GCT cells was also investigated after bilateral adrenalectomy. We show that the intense cytoplasmic vacuolation of the acinar cells induced by tityustoxin was prevented by prazosin (alpha(1) adenoreceptor blockade) and atropine (muscarinic cholinoreceptor blockade). The decrease of GCT cell granules following tityustoxin injection was completely blocked by prasozin and partially by propranolol. These results indicate that acinar vacuolation, degranulation of GCT cells, reduction of GCT diameter and height of its epithelium depends on tityustoxin induced adrenergic and cholinergic mechanisms. In contrast, tityustoxin induced acinar cell degranulation was not modified by atropine, prasozin or propranolol (beta(1)-beta(2) adenoreceptor blockade). Thus, acinar degranulation seems to be due to a direct action of tityustoxin on of the rat submandibular glands. The degranulation of the GCT cells and the acinar vacuolation was also prevented by bilateral adrenalectomy, suggesting that these effects are mostly due to catecholamines released from the adrenal glands.