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Coimbra FCP, Sanchez EE, Lomonte B, Gutiérrez JM, Calvete JJ, Fry BG. Blood Lines: Intraspecific and Interspecific Variations in Anticoagulant Actions of Agkistrodon Viperid Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:291. [PMID: 39057931 PMCID: PMC11281148 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16070291] [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: 05/28/2024] [Revised: 06/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
This study investigated the intraspecific and interspecific variability in the venom effects of Agkistrodon viperid snake species and subspecies (eleven venoms total) on plasma clotting times, fibrinogen levels, and fibrin clot strength. Significant delays in plasma clotting time were observed for A. conanti, A. contortrix mokasen, A. contortrix phaeogaster, A. howardgloydi, A. piscivorus leucostoma, and A. piscivorus piscivorus. Notably, the phylogenetically disjunct lineages A. conanti, A. contortrix mokasen, and A. howardgloydi exhibited the most potent anticoagulant effects, indicating the independent amplification of a basal trait. Inhibition assays with the activated clotting enzymes Factors XIa, IXa, Xa, and IIa (thrombin) revealed that FXa inhibition is another basal trait amplified independently on multiple occasions within the genus, but with A. howardgloydi, notably more potent than all others. Phospholipid degradation and zymogen destruction were identified as mechanisms underlying the variability in venom effects observed experimentally and in previous clinical reports. Thromboelastography demonstrated that the venoms did not clot fibrinogen directly but affected fibrin clot strength by damaging fibrinogen and that thrombin was subsequently only able to cleave into weak, unstable clots. The ability to activate Protein C, an endogenous anticoagulant enzyme, varied across species, with some venoms exceeding that of A. contortrix contortrix, which previously yielded the protein diagnostic agent Protac®. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that both fibrinogen degradation and Protein C activation were each amplified multiple times within the genus, albeit with negative correlation between these two modes of action. This study highlights the evolutionary, clinical, and biodiscovery implications of venom variability in the Agkistrodon species, underscoring their dynamic evolution, emphasising the need for tailored clinical approaches, and highlighting the potential for novel diagnostic and therapeutic developments inspired by the unique properties of snake venoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco C. P. Coimbra
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
| | - Elda E. Sanchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 224, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA;
| | - Bruno Lomonte
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica; (B.L.); (J.M.G.)
| | - José María Gutiérrez
- Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José 11501, Costa Rica; (B.L.); (J.M.G.)
| | - Juan J. Calvete
- Laboratorio de Venómica Evolutiva y Traslacional, Instituto de Biomedicina de Valencia, CSIC, 46010 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia;
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Dobson J, Chowdhury A, Tai-A-Pin J, van der Ploeg H, Gillett A, Fry BG. The Clot Thickens: Differential Coagulotoxic and Cardiotoxic Activities of Anguimorpha Lizard Venoms. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:283. [PMID: 38922177 PMCID: PMC11209219 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060283] [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: 05/29/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Despite their evolutionary novelty, lizard venoms are much less studied in comparison to the intense research on snake venoms. While the venoms of helodermatid lizards have long been assumed to be for defensive purposes, there is increasing evidence of toxic activities more useful for predation than defence (such as paralytic neurotoxicity). This study aimed to ascertain the effects of Heloderma, Lanthanotus, and Varanus lizard venoms on the coagulation and cardiovascular systems. Anticoagulant toxicity was demonstrated for the Varanus species studied, with the venoms prolonging clotting times in human and bird plasma due to the destructive cleavage of fibrinogen. In contrast, thromboelastographic analyses on human and bird plasmas in this study demonstrated a procoagulant bioactivity for Heloderma venoms. A previous study on Heloderma venom using factor-depleted plasmas as a proxy model suggested a procoagulant factor was present that activated either Factor XI or Factor XII, but could not ascertain the precise target. Our activation studies using purified zymogens confirmed FXII activation. Comparisons of neonate and adult H. exasperatum, revealed the neonates to be more potent in the ability to activate FXII, being more similar to the venom of the smaller species H. suspectum than the adult H. exasperatum. This suggests potent FXII activation a basal trait in the genus, present in the small bodied last common ancestor. This also indicates an ontogenetic difference in prey preferences in the larger Heloderma species paralleing the change in venom biochemistry. In addition, as birds lack Factor XII, the ability to clot avian plasma suggested an additional procoagulant site of action, which was revealed to be the activation of Factor VII, with H. horridum being the most potent. This study also examined the effects upon the cardiovascular system, including the liberation of kinins from kininogen, which contributes to hypotension induction. This form of toxicity was previously described for Heloderma venoms, and was revealed in this study was to also be a pathophysiological effect of Lanthanotus and Varanus venoms. This suggests that this toxic activity was present in the venom of the last common ancestor of the anguimorph lizards, which is consistent with kallikrein enzymes being a shared toxin trait. This study therefore uncovered novel actions of anguimorph lizard venoms, not only contributing to the evolutionary biology body of knowledge but also revealing novel activities to mine for drug design lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Dobson
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.D.); (A.C.)
| | - Abhinandan Chowdhury
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.D.); (A.C.)
| | | | - Harold van der Ploeg
- Working Group Adder Research Netherlands, RAVON, 6525 ED Nijmegen, The Netherlands;
| | - Amber Gillett
- FaunaVet Wildlife Consultancy, Glass House Mountains, QLD 4518, Australia;
| | - Bryan G. Fry
- Adaptive Biotoxicology Lab, School of the Environment, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (J.D.); (A.C.)
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Román-Domínguez L, Neri-Castro E, Vázquez López H, García-Osorio B, Archundia IG, Ortiz-Medina JA, Petricevich VL, Alagón A, Bénard-Valle M. Biochemical and immunochemical characterization of venoms from snakes of the genus Agkistrodon. Toxicon X 2019; 4:100013. [PMID: 32550570 PMCID: PMC7285990 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxcx.2019.100013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 06/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the present work, venoms from five species of the genus Agkistrodon were evaluated in terms of their enzymatic (Phospholipase A2 and caseinolytic) and biological (edema forming, hemorrhagic, procoagulant and lethal) effects. Horses were used to produce monovalent hyperimmune sera against each of three venoms (A. bilineatus, A. contortrix and A. piscivorus) and their neutralizing potency, expressed as Median Effective Dose (ED50), was determined against the venoms of all five species. In terms of PLA2 and caseinolytic activities, all venoms are extremely homogeneous. PLA2 activity is high, while caseinolytic activity is low when in contrast with that of the rattlesnake Crotalus simus. On the other hand, biological activities showed marked interspecific differences, particularly between the species from Mexico and those from the United States. Mexican species displayed higher edema-forming, hemorrhagic and lethal effects than US species, while none of the species studied presented procoagulant activity. All three monovalent hyperimmune sera showed good neutralizing potency against the analyzed venoms. Nonetheless, we observed relevant immunochemical differences among the venoms using ELISA and Western Blot assays. We conclude that the venoms of A. piscivorus (USA) and A. bilineatus would be ideal to use as immunogens for the production of a polyvalent antivenom with good neutralizing potency against the venoms of all the species of the genus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Román-Domínguez
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Edgar Neri-Castro
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Hilda Vázquez López
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Belem García-Osorio
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Irving G. Archundia
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Javier A. Ortiz-Medina
- Campus de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán. Km 15.5, Carretera Mérida-Xmatkuil. C.P: 97315. Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
- Unidad de Manejo para la Conservación de la Vida Silvestre Tsáab Kaan. Km. 2.8, Carretera Baca-Dzemul, C.P. 97450. Baca, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Vera L. Petricevich
- Facultad de Medicina. Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos. Calle Leñeros S/N, Colonia Vista Hermosa. CP: 62290. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Alagón
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
| | - Melisa Bénard-Valle
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México. Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa. CP: 62210. Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico
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Gempeler-Messina PM, Müller C. DIAGNOSTIC USE OF THE PROTEIN C ACTIVATOR FROMAGKISTRODON CONTORTRIX. TOXIN REV 2008. [DOI: 10.1080/15569540600567362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Kini RM. Serine proteases affecting blood coagulation and fibrinolysis from snake venoms. PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HAEMOSTASIS AND THROMBOSIS 2006; 34:200-4. [PMID: 16707928 DOI: 10.1159/000092424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Snake venom proteases, in addition to their contribution to the digestion of the prey, affect various physiological functions. They affect platelet aggregation, blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, complement system, blood pressure and nervous system. This review provides a ready reference for serine proteases that interfere in blood coagulation and fibrinolysis. They exhibit their activity by activation of specific zymogens of coagulation factors. These serine proteases serve as tools to study molecular details in the activation of specific factors involved in coagulation and fibrinolytic cascades and are useful in treating various thrombotic and hemostatic conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Manjunatha Kini
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
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Abstract
Evidence is presented, confirming the presence of an anticoagulant system in the plasma of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss Walbaum) (Order: Teleostei, Family: Salmonidae) that bears striking similarities with the protein C anticoagulant system in mammals; its vitamin K-dependence was documented through a warfarin feeding trial. A potent activator of this system is the protein C activator from the venom of the Central American Moccasin, Agkistrodon bilineatus. When activated, the system splits the tripeptide substrate glu-pro-arg-pNa, which is the substrate preferred for the in vitro assay of human protein C. It also prolongates the plasma activated partial thromboplastin time, indicating that the system is of clinical relevance. A temperature dependence of the plasma protein C-like activity was evident, the mean activity being 5- to 10-fold higher, but also more variable, in both species in summer and early fall, than it was in winter. There was also a species difference, with rainbow trout having the higher levels. In man, subnormal values of protein C implies an increased risk of thrombosis. Whether this applies to fish is not known. It is, however, a fact that microvascular thromboses are prevalent in farmed Atlantic salmon in winter, whereas thrombotic disease is not a problem in rainbow trout; in the present study plasma protein C-like activity was 30% (of a human reference plasma) in salmon at 4 degrees C compared to a level of 60% in rainbow trout. A complicating factor for the assay of protein C-like activity in salmonid plasma, is the poor stability of the inhibitory system upon storage. Consequently, assays have to be done with freshly prepared citrated plasma.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Salte
- AKVAFORSK (Institute of Aquaculture Research Ltd), As, Norway
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Kogan AE, Bashkov GV, Bobruskin ID, Romanova EP, Makarov VA, Strukova SM. Protein C activator from the venom of Agkistrodon blomhoffi ussuriensis retards thrombus formation in the arterio-venous shunt in rats. Thromb Res 1993; 70:385-93. [PMID: 8378894 DOI: 10.1016/0049-3848(93)90080-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Protein C (PC) is an anticoagulant protein which, being activated by thrombin, degrades factors V/Va and VIII/VIIIa and releases a tissue-type plasminogen activator. Some Agkistrodon snake venoms contain PC activators which, in experiments, exert an anticoagulant action. An antithrombotic effect of the PC activator from the venom of A. blomhoffi ussuriensis on the model of thrombus formation in the arterio-venous shunt in rats was under investigation. Administration of the PC activator resulted in a dose-dependent prolongation of the thrombus formation time and a decrease in plasma PC activity, which were accompanied by a decrease in factor V activity and APTT prolongation. No reliable changes in the t-PA level, ADP- and epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation were observed. Platelet adhesion to glass beads diminished. We assume that the antithrombotic effect of the PC activator from the A. blomhoffi venom in the platelet-dependent thrombosis model is caused by PC activation and subsequent factor V inactivation as well as by platelet adhesiveness reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- A E Kogan
- Laboratory of Blood Coagulation, Moscow State University, Russia
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Kogan AE, Makarov AN, Bobruskin ID, Strukova SM. Comparative study of protein C activators from the Agkistrodon snake venoms. Thromb Res 1991; 62:775-80. [PMID: 1926067 DOI: 10.1016/0049-3848(91)90381-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- A E Kogan
- Department of Human Physiology, Biological Faculty, Moscow State University, USSR
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