Effects of three mamba venoms on the haemostatic mechanism

A Combined Bioassay and Nanofractionation Approach to Investigate the Anticoagulant Toxins of Mamba and Cobra Venoms and Their Inhibition by Varespladib

Envenomation by elapid snakes primarily results in neurotoxic symptoms and, consequently, are the primary focus of therapeutic research concerning such venoms. However, mounting evidence suggests these venoms can additionally cause coagulopathic symptoms, as demonstrated by some Asian elapids and African spitting cobras. This study sought to investigate the coagulopathic potential of venoms from medically important elapids of the genera Naja (true cobras), Hemachatus (rinkhals), and Dendroaspis (mambas). Crude venoms were bioassayed for coagulant effects using a plasma coagulation assay before RPLC/MS was used to separate and identify venom toxins in parallel with a nanofractionation module. Subsequently, coagulation bioassays were performed on the nanofractionated toxins, along with in-solution tryptic digestion and proteomics analysis. These experiments were then repeated on both crude venoms and on the nanofractionated venom toxins with the addition of either the phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor varespladib or the snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) inhibitor marimastat. Our results demonstrate that various African elapid venoms have an anticoagulant effect, and that this activity is significantly reduced for cobra venoms by the addition of varespladib, though this inhibitor had no effect against anticoagulation caused by mamba venoms. Marimastat showed limited capacity to reduce anticoagulation in elapids, affecting only N. haje and H. haemachatus venom at higher doses. Proteomic analysis of nanofractionated toxins revealed that the anticoagulant toxins in cobra venoms were both acidic and basic PLA2s, while the causative toxins in mamba venoms remain uncertain. This implies that while PLA2 inhibitors such as varespladib and metalloproteinase inhibitors such as marimastat are viable candidates for novel snakebite treatments, they are not likely to be effective against mamba envenomings.

Mechanisms Responsible for the Anticoagulant Properties of Neurotoxic Dendroaspis Venoms: A Viscoelastic Analysis

Using thrombelastography to gain mechanistic insights, recent investigations have identified enzymes and compounds in Naja and Crotalus species' neurotoxic venoms that are anticoagulant in nature. The neurotoxic venoms of the four extant species of Dendroaspis (the Black and green mambas) were noted to be anticoagulant in nature in human blood, but the mechanisms underlying these observations have never been explored. The venom proteomes of these venoms are unique, primarily composed of three finger toxins (3-FTx), Kunitz-type serine protease inhibitors (Kunitz-type SPI) and <7% metalloproteinases. The anticoagulant potency of the four mamba venoms available were determined in human plasma via thrombelastography; vulnerability to inhibition of anticoagulant activity to ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) was assessed, and inhibition of anticoagulant activity after exposure to a ruthenium (Ru)-based carbon monoxide releasing molecule (CORM-2) was quantified. Black mamba venom was the least potent by more than two orders of magnitude compared to the green mamba venoms tested; further, Black Mamba venom anticoagulant activity was not inhibited by either EDTA or CORM-2. In contrast, the anticoagulant activities of the green mamba venoms were all inhibited by EDTA to a greater or lesser extent, and all had anticoagulation inhibited with CORM-2. Critically, CORM-2-mediated inhibition was independent of carbon monoxide release, but was dependent on a putative Ru-based species formed from CORM-2. In conclusion, there was great species-specific variation in potency and mechanism(s) responsible for the anticoagulant activity of Dendroaspis venom, with perhaps all three protein classes-3-FTx, Kunitz-type SPI and metalloproteinases-playing a role in the venoms characterized.

Cardiotoxicity of Kenyan green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) venom and its fractionated components in primary cultures of rat myocardial cells

The cardiotoxic actions of Kenyan green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) venom have been investigated using primary myocardial cell cultures isolated from neonatal rat hearts. The cardiotoxic actions of the whole venom and its fractionated components were evaluated on the basis of leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), changes in morphology, cell membrane lysis, decreases in viability and inhibition of spontaneous beating activity. The whole venom caused time- and concentration-dependent arrest of myocardial contraction, leakage of LDH, extensive disruption of cell monolayer, and decreases in viability. The venom was separated into 6 (DaI to DaVI) fractions by gel permeation chromatography on Sephadex G-50. Spontaneous beating activity was abolished by DaI to DaVI at high concentrations, while at lower doses they induced progressive depression of beating frequency after a 3-h treatment period. DaI to DaIV caused significant leakage of LDH, morphological damage, and decreases in viability after a 6-h incubation period. The most cardiotoxic fraction (DaIV), which also contains about 54% of the total protein of the whole venom, was fractionated into 18 polypeptides (Da1 to Da18) by ion exchange chromatography on Bio-Rex 70. On the basis of their ability to abolish myocardial contractility, release LDH, alter cellular structure, lyse cell membranes and reduce viability, the 18 fractions have been divided into 4 arbitrary subgroups of cytotoxins: cardiotoxins, Da1 to Da3; cardiotoxin-like polypeptides, Da4 to Da12, Da14; less active membrane lytic polypeptides, Da13, Da15 to Da17; and membrane lytic polypeptide, Da18. Marked synergistic cell membrane lysis occurred in myocardial cell cultures treated simultaneously with 2 cardiotoxin-like polypeptides, Da7 and Da11. It is suggested that the additive and synergistic cardiotoxic effects of high molecular weight cytotoxic proteins (DaI to DaIII), very low molecular weight cholinomimetic substances (DaV to DaVI) and the 4 subgroups of cardiotoxins may directly contribute to the pronounced cardiovascular problems observed in victims of green mamba bites.

Cardiotoxicity of Jamesoni's mamba (Dendroaspis jamesoni) venom and its fractionated components in primary cultures of rat myocardial cells

Primary cultures of spontaneously beating myocardial cells isolated from neonatal rat hearts were used to screen the cardiotoxic effects of Jamesoni's mamba (Dendroaspis jamesoni) venom and components isolated from the venom by gel filtration and ion exchange chromatography. Cardiotoxicity was evaluated on the basis of leakage of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), changes in morphology, cell membrane lysis, cellular viability, and alterations in spontaneous beating activity. The whole venom caused dose- and time-dependent leakage of LDH, disruption of the cell monolayer, decreases in viability, and inhibition of beating activity. Gel filtration of the venom yielded eight fractions (DjI to DjVIII). DjI (30 micrograms/ml), DjII (20 micrograms/ml), and DjV (20 micrograms/ml) caused significant (P less than 0.001) leakage of LDH, extensive morphologic damage, and decreases in viability. At lower concentrations DjI to DjVIII caused progressive inhibition of spontaneous beating activity. The main fraction (DjV), which was the most toxic, was further separated into 14 polypeptides (Dj1 to Dj14) by ion-exchange chromatography using Bio-Rex 70. Based on the ability to induce LDH leakage, produce morphologic damage, lyse cell membranes, and arrest beating activity, four categories of polypeptides were identified: cardiotoxins, Dj1 and Dj2; cardiotoxinlike polypeptides, Dj3 to Dj8; less active membrane lytic polypeptides, Dj9 to Dj13; and membrane lytic polypeptide, Dj14.