1
|
Batista BKDC, Silva JFOD, Passos JGR, Ferreira MRA, Soares LAL, Rocha HADO, Silva-Júnior AA, Xavier-Santos JB, Fernandes-Pedrosa MDF. Nanoemulsion containing Jatropha gossypiifolia leaf extract reduces dermonecrosis induced by Bothrops erythromelas venom and accelerates wound closure. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 330:118188. [PMID: 38608797 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2024.118188] [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: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE The species Jatropha gossypiifolia, popularly known as "pinhão-roxo", is distributed throughout Brazil, is commonly employed for topical or oral administration in treating wounds, inflammations, and snake bites. Given the significant impact of snakebites on public health and the limitations of antivenom, coupled with the diverse molecular composition of this plant species, investigating its healing and antidermonecrotic capacities is relevant. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aimed to develop a topical nanoemulsion incorporating the hydroethanolic extract of J. gossypiifolia leaves, to evaluate its therapeutic potential, particularly in terms of its efficacy in wound healing and inhibition of dermonecrosis induced by B. erythromelas venom (BeV). MATERIAL AND METHODS The extract of J. gossypiifolia (JgE) leaves was obtained by maceration and remaceration. The phytochemical analysis was conducted and J. gossypiifolia nanoemulsion (JgNe) was obtained, characterized and assessed for stability. The cytotoxicity was determined in normal cells (erythrocytes and 3T3) using hemolytic assay and cell viability assay using crystal violet staining. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the reduction of ABTS and DPPH radicals. The evaluation of wound healing was conducted in vivo following treatment with JgNe, wherein the percentage of wound closure and inflammatory mediators. The skin irritation test was assessed in vivo by applying JgNe directly to the animal's skin. In vitro, the antivenom capacity was evaluated through enzymatic inhibition assays (phospholipase A2 and hyaluronidase) of BeV. Additionally, the in vivo antidermonecrotic activity of JgNe was evaluated by measuring the reduction of the dermonecrotic halo. RESULTS The HPLC-DAD analysis identified flavonoids, specifically vitexin, luteolin derivatives and apigenin derivatives. In addition, 95.08 ± 5.46 mg of gallic acid/g of extract and 137.92 ± 0.99 mg quercetin/g extract, was quantified. JgNe maintained stability over a 4-week period. Moreover, JgE and JgNe demonstrated no cytotoxicity in human erythrocytes and murine fibroblasts at tested concentrations (32.25-250 μg/mL). Additionally, exhibited significant antioxidant activity by reducing ABTS and DPPH radicals. The treatment with JgNe did not induce skin irritation and accelerated wound healing, with significant wound closure observed from 5th day and reduction in nitrite levels, myeloperoxidase activity, and cytokine. Both JgE and JgNe demonstrated in vitro inhibition of the phospholipase and hyaluronidase enzymes of BeV. Moreover, JgNe exhibited antidermonecrotic activity by reducing the dermonecrotic halo caused by BeV after 24 h. CONCLUSIONS JgNe and JgE exhibited no cytotoxicity at the tested concentrations. Additionally, our findings demonstrate that JgNe has the ability to accelerate wound closure and reduce dermonecrosis caused by BeV, indicating to be promising formulation for complementary therapy to antivenom treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Ketlyn da Cunha Batista
- Laboratory of Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Tecbiofar), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59012-570, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - João Felipe Oliveira da Silva
- Laboratory of Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Tecbiofar), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59012-570, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - Júlia Gabriela Ramos Passos
- Laboratory of Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Tecbiofar), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59012-570, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - Magda Rhayanny Assunção Ferreira
- Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-560, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Luiz Alberto Lira Soares
- Pharmacognosy Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Pernambuco, 50740-560, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | - Hugo Alexandre de Oliveira Rocha
- Natural Polymer Biotechnology Laboratory (BIOPOL), Biochemistry Department, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59078-970, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - Arnóbio Antônio Silva-Júnior
- Laboratory of Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Tecbiofar), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59012-570, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - Jacinthia Beatriz Xavier-Santos
- Laboratory of Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Tecbiofar), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59012-570, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| | - Matheus de Freitas Fernandes-Pedrosa
- Laboratory of Technology and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology (Tecbiofar), Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), 59012-570, Natal, RN, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Du TY, Hall SR, Chung F, Kurdyukov S, Crittenden E, Patel K, Dawson CA, Westhorpe AP, Bartlett KE, Rasmussen SA, Moreno CL, Denes CE, Albulescu LO, Marriott AE, Mackay JP, Wilkinson MC, Gutiérrez JM, Casewell NR, Neely GG. Molecular dissection of cobra venom highlights heparinoids as an antidote for spitting cobra envenoming. Sci Transl Med 2024; 16:eadk4802. [PMID: 39018365 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adk4802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/19/2024]
Abstract
Snakebites affect about 1.8 million people annually. The current standard of care involves antibody-based antivenoms, which can be difficult to access and are generally not effective against local tissue injury, the primary cause of morbidity. Here, we used a pooled whole-genome CRISPR knockout screen to define human genes that, when targeted, modify cell responses to spitting cobra venoms. A large portion of modifying genes that conferred resistance to venom cytotoxicity was found to control proteoglycan biosynthesis, including EXT1, B4GALT7, EXT2, EXTL3, XYLT2, NDST1, and SLC35B2, which we validated independently. This finding suggested heparinoids as possible inhibitors. Heparinoids prevented venom cytotoxicity through binding to three-finger cytotoxins, and the US Food and Drug Administration-approved heparinoid tinzaparin was found to reduce tissue damage in mice when given via a medically relevant route and dose. Overall, our systematic molecular dissection of cobra venom cytotoxicity provides insight into how we can better treat cobra snakebite envenoming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tian Y Du
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Steven R Hall
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Felicity Chung
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Sergey Kurdyukov
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Edouard Crittenden
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Karishma Patel
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2008, Australia
| | - Charlotte A Dawson
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Adam P Westhorpe
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Keirah E Bartlett
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Sean A Rasmussen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and Dalhousie University, 7th Floor of MacKenzie Building, 5788 University Avenue, Halifax, NS B3H 1V8, Canada
| | - Cesar L Moreno
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Christopher E Denes
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Laura-Oana Albulescu
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Amy E Marriott
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - Joel P Mackay
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2008, Australia
| | - Mark C Wilkinson
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - José María Gutiérrez
- Clodomiro Picado Institute, School of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, P.O. Box 15501, 11501-2060 San José, Costa Rica
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, L3 5QA, Liverpool, UK
| | - G Gregory Neely
- Charles Perkins Centre, Dr. John and Anne Chong Lab for Functional Genomics, and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW 2006, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Alsolaiss J, Leeming G, Da Silva R, Alomran N, Casewell NR, Habib AG, Harrison RA, Modahl CM. Investigating Snake-Venom-Induced Dermonecrosis and Inflammation Using an Ex Vivo Human Skin Model. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:276. [PMID: 38922170 PMCID: PMC11209077 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/06/2024] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that causes >100,000 deaths and >400,000 cases of morbidity annually. Despite the use of mouse models, severe local envenoming, defined by morbidity-causing local tissue necrosis, remains poorly understood, and human-tissue responses are ill-defined. Here, for the first time, an ex vivo, non-perfused human skin model was used to investigate temporal histopathological and immunological changes following subcutaneous injections of venoms from medically important African vipers (Echis ocellatus and Bitis arietans) and cobras (Naja nigricollis and N. haje). Histological analysis of venom-injected ex vivo human skin biopsies revealed morphological changes in the epidermis (ballooning degeneration, erosion, and ulceration) comparable to clinical signs of local envenoming. Immunostaining of these biopsies confirmed cell apoptosis consistent with the onset of necrosis. RNA sequencing, multiplex bead arrays, and ELISAs demonstrated that venom-injected human skin biopsies exhibited higher rates of transcription and expression of chemokines (CXCL5, MIP1-ALPHA, RANTES, MCP-1, and MIG), cytokines (IL-1β, IL-1RA, G-CSF/CSF-3, and GM-CSF), and growth factors (VEGF-A, FGF, and HGF) in comparison to non-injected biopsies. To investigate the efficacy of antivenom, SAIMR Echis monovalent or SAIMR polyvalent antivenom was injected one hour following E. ocellatus or N. nigricollis venom treatment, respectively, and although antivenom did not prevent venom-induced dermal tissue damage, it did reduce all pro-inflammatory chemokines, cytokines, and growth factors to normal levels after 48 h. This ex vivo skin model could be useful for studies evaluating the progression of local envenoming and the efficacy of snakebite treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaffer Alsolaiss
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; (R.D.S.); (N.A.); (N.R.C.); (R.A.H.); (C.M.M.)
- Abqaiq General Hospital, Rural Health Network, Eastern Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Abqaiq 33241, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gail Leeming
- Department of Veterinary Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology, School of Veterinary Science, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZX, UK;
| | - Rachael Da Silva
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; (R.D.S.); (N.A.); (N.R.C.); (R.A.H.); (C.M.M.)
| | - Nessrin Alomran
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; (R.D.S.); (N.A.); (N.R.C.); (R.A.H.); (C.M.M.)
- Qatif Medical Fitness Center, Clinical Laboratory Department, Qatif Health Network, Eastern Health Cluster, Ministry of Health, Qatif 31911, Saudi Arabia
| | - Nicholas R. Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; (R.D.S.); (N.A.); (N.R.C.); (R.A.H.); (C.M.M.)
| | - Abdulrazaq G. Habib
- African Snakebite Research Group (ASRG) Project, Bayero University, Kano 700251, Nigeria;
| | - Robert A. Harrison
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; (R.D.S.); (N.A.); (N.R.C.); (R.A.H.); (C.M.M.)
| | - Cassandra M. Modahl
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool L3 5QA, UK; (R.D.S.); (N.A.); (N.R.C.); (R.A.H.); (C.M.M.)
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Bartlett KE, Hall SR, Rasmussen SA, Crittenden E, Dawson CA, Albulescu LO, Laprade W, Harrison RA, Saviola AJ, Modahl CM, Jenkins TP, Wilkinson MC, Gutiérrez JM, Casewell NR. Dermonecrosis caused by a spitting cobra snakebite results from toxin potentiation and is prevented by the repurposed drug varespladib. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2315597121. [PMID: 38687786 PMCID: PMC11087757 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2315597121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that causes substantial mortality and morbidity globally. The venom of African spitting cobras often causes permanent injury via tissue-destructive dermonecrosis at the bite site, which is ineffectively treated by current antivenoms. To address this therapeutic gap, we identified the etiological venom toxins in Naja nigricollis venom responsible for causing local dermonecrosis. While cytotoxic three-finger toxins were primarily responsible for causing spitting cobra cytotoxicity in cultured keratinocytes, their potentiation by phospholipases A2 toxins was essential to cause dermonecrosis in vivo. This evidence of probable toxin synergism suggests that a single toxin-family inhibiting drug could prevent local envenoming. We show that local injection with the repurposed phospholipase A2-inhibiting drug varespladib significantly prevents local tissue damage caused by several spitting cobra venoms in murine models of envenoming. Our findings therefore provide a therapeutic strategy that may effectively prevent life-changing morbidity caused by snakebite in rural Africa.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Keirah E. Bartlett
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Steven R. Hall
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs & Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Sean A. Rasmussen
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre and Dalhousie University, Halifax, NSB3H 1V8, Canada
| | - Edouard Crittenden
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Charlotte A. Dawson
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Laura-Oana Albulescu
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs & Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - William Laprade
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens LyngbyDK-2800, Denmark
| | - Robert A. Harrison
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs & Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony J. Saviola
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Colorado Denver, Aurora, CO80045
| | - Cassandra M. Modahl
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - Timothy P. Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens LyngbyDK-2800, Denmark
| | - Mark C. Wilkinson
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| | - José María Gutiérrez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José11501–2060, Costa Rica
| | - Nicholas R. Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research & Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs & Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, LiverpoolL3 5QA, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Khochare S, Jaglan A, Rashmi U, Dam P, Sunagar K. Harnessing the Cross-Neutralisation Potential of Existing Antivenoms for Mitigating the Outcomes of Snakebite in Sub-Saharan Africa. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4213. [PMID: 38673799 PMCID: PMC11050326 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Over 32,000 individuals succumb to snake envenoming in sub-Saharan Africa (sSA) annually. This results from several factors, including a lack of antivenom products capable of neutralising the venoms of diverse snake species in this region. Most manufacturers produce polyvalent antivenoms targeting 3 to 16 clinically important snake species in sSA. However, specific products are unavailable for many others, especially those with a restricted geographic distribution. While next-generation antivenoms, comprising a cocktail of broadly neutralising antibodies, may offer an effective solution to this problem, given the need for their clinical validation, recombinant antivenoms are far from being available to snakebite victims. One of the strategies that could immediately address this issue involves harnessing the cross-neutralisation potential of existing products. Therefore, we assessed the neutralisation potency of PANAF-Premium antivenom towards the venoms of 14 medically important snakes from 13 countries across sSA for which specific antivenom products are unavailable. Preclinical assays in a murine model of snake envenoming revealed that the venoms of most snake species under investigation were effectively neutralised by this antivenom. Thus, this finding highlights the potential use of PANAF-Premium antivenom in treating bites from diverse snakes across sSA and the utility of harnessing the cross-neutralisation potential of antivenoms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Kartik Sunagar
- Evolutionary Venomics Lab, Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore 560012, Karnataka, India; (S.K.); (A.J.); (U.R.); (P.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Antivenom slithers back to life. Nat Biotechnol 2024; 42:537-538. [PMID: 38570693 DOI: 10.1038/s41587-024-02221-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
|
7
|
Albulescu LO, Westhorpe A, Clare RH, Woodley CM, James N, Kool J, Berry NG, O’Neill PM, Casewell NR. Optimizing drug discovery for snakebite envenoming via a high-throughput phospholipase A2 screening platform. Front Pharmacol 2024; 14:1331224. [PMID: 38273832 PMCID: PMC10808766 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1331224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenoming is a neglected tropical disease that causes as many as 1.8 million envenomings and 140,000 deaths annually. To address treatment limitations that exist with current antivenoms, the search for small molecule drug-based inhibitors that can be administered as early interventions has recently gained traction. Snake venoms are complex mixtures of proteins, peptides and small molecules and their composition varies substantially between and within snake species. The phospholipases A2 (PLA2) are one of the main pathogenic toxin classes found in medically important viper and elapid snake venoms, yet varespladib, a drug originally developed for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome, remains the only PLA2 inhibitor shown to effectively neutralise venom toxicity in vitro and in vivo, resulting in an extremely limited drug portfolio. Here, we describe a high-throughput drug screen to identify novel PLA2 inhibitors for repurposing as snakebite treatments. We present method optimisation of a 384-well plate, colorimetric, high-throughput screening assay that allowed for a throughput of ∼2,800 drugs per day, and report on the screening of a ∼3,500 post-phase I repurposed drug library against the venom of the Russell's viper, Daboia russelii. We further explore the broad-spectrum inhibitory potential and efficacy of the resulting top hits against a range of medically important snake venoms and demonstrate the utility of our method in determining drug EC50s. Collectively, our findings support the future application of this method to fully explore the chemical space to discover novel PLA2-inhibiting drugs of value for preventing severe pathology caused by snakebite envenoming.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laura-Oana Albulescu
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Adam Westhorpe
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel H. Clare
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Nivya James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Jeroen Kool
- Division of BioAnalytical Chemistry, Department of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Amsterdam Institute of Molecular and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Neil G. Berry
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Paul M. O’Neill
- Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas R. Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
- Centre for Drugs and Diagnostics, Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Laprade W, Bartlett KE, Christensen CR, Kazandjian TD, Patel RN, Crittenden E, Dawson CA, Mansourvar M, Wolff DS, Fryer T, Laustsen AH, Casewell NR, Gutiérrez JM, Hall SR, Jenkins TP. Machine-learning guided Venom Induced Dermonecrosis Analysis tooL: VIDAL. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21662. [PMID: 38066189 PMCID: PMC10709447 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-49011-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Snakebite envenoming is a global public health issue that causes significant morbidity and mortality, particularly in low-income regions of the world. The clinical manifestations of envenomings vary depending on the snake's venom, with paralysis, haemorrhage, and necrosis being the most common and medically relevant effects. To assess the efficacy of antivenoms against dermonecrosis, a preclinical testing approach involves in vivo mouse models that mimic local tissue effects of cytotoxic snakebites in humans. However, current methods for assessing necrosis severity are time-consuming and susceptible to human error. To address this, we present the Venom Induced Dermonecrosis Analysis tooL (VIDAL), a machine-learning-guided image-based solution that can automatically identify dermonecrotic lesions in mice, adjust for lighting biases, scale the image, extract lesion area and discolouration, and calculate the severity of dermonecrosis. We also introduce a new unit, the dermonecrotic unit (DnU), to better capture the complexity of dermonecrosis severity. Our tool is comparable to the performance of state-of-the-art histopathological analysis, making it an accessible, accurate, and reproducible method for assessing dermonecrosis in mice. Given the urgent need to address the neglected tropical disease that is snakebite, high-throughput technologies such as VIDAL are crucial in developing and validating new and existing therapeutics for this debilitating disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- William Laprade
- Department of Applied Mathematics and Computer Science, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Keirah E Bartlett
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Charlotte R Christensen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Taline D Kazandjian
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Rohit N Patel
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Edouard Crittenden
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Charlotte A Dawson
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - Marjan Mansourvar
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Darian S Wolff
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Thomas Fryer
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andreas H Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Nicholas R Casewell
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK
| | - José María Gutiérrez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica
| | - Steven R Hall
- Centre for Snakebite Research and Interventions, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, UK.
- Lancaster Medical School and Biomedical & Life Sciences, Lancaster University, Lancaster, UK.
| | - Timothy P Jenkins
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| |
Collapse
|