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Musick S, Mann N, Margres MJ, Solis Solis SS, Parkinson C. Fab Antivenom Reversal of Neurotoxicity Caused by a Juvenile Crotalus horridus Lacking Canebrake Toxin. Wilderness Environ Med 2024:10806032241253823. [PMID: 38836377 DOI: 10.1177/10806032241253823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
We present a case of neurotoxic effects in a pediatric patient after envenomation by a timber rattlesnake (Crotalus horridus) in the Appalachian upstate of South Carolina. Though some members of this species are capable of primarily neurotoxic envenomation, there is heterogeneity in venom composition, and neurotoxic timber rattlesnakes are not endemic to the Appalachian region. However, neurotoxic effects caused by C horridus species lacking typical neurotoxins have been suspected, though not previously confirmed in the medical literature. This case presents a patient who was envenomated by a genotypically confirmed non-neurotoxic C horridus but who nevertheless presented with symptoms consistent with primary neurotoxicity. Neurotoxic effects can be variable in their response to traditional antivenom, though this patient demonstrated rapid response to treatment, representing a novel case in the literature of neurotoxic effects from a snake lacking typical neurotoxins with documented improvement with traditional antivenom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefanie Musick
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Prisma Health Upstate, Greenville, SC
- School of Medicine Greenville, University of South Carolina, Greenville, SC
| | - Nathaniel Mann
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Prisma Health Upstate, Greenville, SC
- School of Medicine Greenville, University of South Carolina, Greenville, SC
| | - Mark J Margres
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
| | | | - Chris Parkinson
- Department of Biological Sciences and Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC
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Oyadomari WY, Anthero GL, Silva MRDA, Porta LC, Oliveira V, Reid PF, Sant'Anna OA, Alves WA, Nani JV, Hayashi MAF. Evaluation of tumor growth remission in a murine model for subcutaneous solid tumors - Benefits of associating the antitumor agent crotamine with mesoporous nanosilica particles to achieve improved dosing frequency and efficacy. Int J Pharm 2023; 646:123420. [PMID: 37778514 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Crotamine is a highly cationic polypeptide first isolated from South American rattlesnake venom, which exhibits affinity for acidic lysosomal vesicles and proliferating cells. This cationic nature is pivotal for its in vitro cytotoxicity and in vivo anticancer actions. This study aimed to enhance the antitumor efficacy of crotamine by associating it with the mesoporous SBA-15 silica, known for its controlled release of various chemical agents, including large proteins. This association aimed to mitigate the toxic effects while amplifying the pharmacological potency of several compounds. Comprehensive characterization, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential analysis, confirmed the successful association of crotamine with the non-toxic SBA-15 nanoparticles. The TEM imaging revealed nanoparticles with a nearly spherical shape and variations in uniformity upon crotamine association. Furthermore, DLS showed a narrow unimodal size distribution, emphasizing the formation of small aggregates. Zeta potential measurements indicated a distinct shift from negative to positive values upon crotamine association, underscoring its effective adsorption onto SBA-15. Intraperitoneal or oral administration of crotamine:SBA-15 in a murine melanoma model suggested the potential to reduce the frequency of crotamine doses without compromising efficacy. Interestingly, while the oral route enhanced the antitumor efficacy of crotamine, pH-dependent release from SBA-15 was observed. Thus, associating crotamine with SBA-15 could reduce the overall required dose to inhibit solid tumor growth, bolstering the prospect of crotamine as a potent anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Yoshio Oyadomari
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil; Departamento de Biofísica, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
| | - Gabriel Lessa Anthero
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
| | - Marcos R de A Silva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Brazil.
| | - Lucas C Porta
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
| | - Vitor Oliveira
- Departamento de Biofísica, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
| | | | | | - Wendel A Alves
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Brazil.
| | - João V Nani
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
| | - Mirian Akemi Furuie Hayashi
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Brazil.
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Jang J, Nguyen MQ, Park S, Ryu D, Park H, Lee G, Kim CJ, Jang YJ, Choe H. Crotamine-based recombinant immunotoxin targeting HER2 for enhanced cancer cell specificity and cytotoxicity. Toxicon 2023; 230:107157. [PMID: 37196787 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2023.107157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2023] [Revised: 04/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
Crotamine, one of the major toxins present in the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, exhibits potent cytotoxic properties and has been suggested for cancer therapy applications. However, its selectivity for cancer cells needs to be improved. This study designed and produced a novel recombinant immunotoxin, HER2(scFv)-CRT, composed of crotamine and single-chain Fv (scFv) derived from trastuzumab targeting human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The recombinant immunotoxin was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified using various chromatographic techniques. The cytotoxicity of HER2(scFv)-CRT was assessed in three breast cancer cell lines, demonstrating enhanced specificity and toxicity in HER2-expressing cells. These findings suggest that the crotamine-based recombinant immunotoxin has the potential to expand the repertoire of recombinant immunotoxin applications in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaepyeong Jang
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Minh Quan Nguyen
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Sangsu Park
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Dayoung Ryu
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Hyeseon Park
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Gunsup Lee
- R&D Center, Fatiabgen Co. Ltd., Seoul, 05855, South Korea
| | - Chong Jai Kim
- Department of Pathology, Asan-Minnesota Institute for Innovating Transplantation, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Yeon Jin Jang
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea
| | - Han Choe
- Department of Physiology, Bio-Medical Institute of Technology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, 05505, South Korea.
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Almeida JR, Gomes A, Mendes B, Aguiar L, Ferreira M, Brioschi MBC, Duarte D, Nogueira F, Cortes S, Salazar-Valenzuela D, Miguel DC, Teixeira C, Gameiro P, Gomes P. Unlocking the potential of snake venom-based molecules against the malaria, Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis triad. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124745. [PMID: 37150376 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are vector-borne protozoal infections with a disproportionately high impact on the most fragile societies in the world, and despite malaria-focused research gained momentum in the past two decades, both trypanosomiases and leishmaniases remain neglected tropical diseases. Affordable effective drugs remain the mainstay of tackling this burden, but toxicicty, inneficiency against later stage disease, and drug resistance issues are serious shortcomings. One strategy to overcome these hurdles is to get new therapeutics or inspiration in nature. Indeed, snake venoms have been recognized as valuable sources of biomacromolecules, like peptides and proteins, with antiprotozoal activity. This review highlights major snake venom components active against at least one of the three aforementioned diseases, which include phospholipases A2, metalloproteases, L-amino acid oxidases, lectins, and oligopeptides. The relevance of this repertoire of biomacromolecules and the bottlenecks in their clinical translation are discussed considering approaches that should increase the success rate in this arduous task. Overall, this review underlines how venom-derived biomacromolecules could lead to pioneering antiprotozoal treatments and how the drug landscape for neglected diseases may be revolutionized by a closer look at venoms. Further investigations on poorly studied venoms is needed and could add new therapeutics to the pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Rafael Almeida
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150150, Ecuador.
| | - Ana Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Bruno Mendes
- Biomolecules Discovery Group, Universidad Regional Amazónica Ikiam, Tena 150150, Ecuador
| | - Luísa Aguiar
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Mariana Ferreira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | | | - Denise Duarte
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, UNICAMP, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil.
| | - Fátima Nogueira
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL, Rua Junqueira 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Sofia Cortes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, GHTM, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, IHMT, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, UNL, Rua Junqueira 100, P-1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - David Salazar-Valenzuela
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb) e Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Indoamérica, Quito 170103, Ecuador.
| | - Danilo C Miguel
- Centro de Investigación de la Biodiversidad y Cambio Climático (BioCamb) e Ingeniería en Biodiversidad y Recursos Genéticos, Facultad de Ciencias de Medio Ambiente, Universidad Indoamérica, Quito 170103, Ecuador.
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula Gameiro
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre 687, P-4169-007 Porto, Portugal.
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Osipov A, Utkin Y. What Are the Neurotoxins in Hemotoxic Snake Venoms? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032919. [PMID: 36769242 PMCID: PMC9917609 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 01/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Snake venoms as tools for hunting are primarily aimed at the most vital systems of the prey, especially the nervous and circulatory systems. In general, snakes of the Elapidae family produce neurotoxic venoms comprising of toxins targeting the nervous system, while snakes of the Viperidae family and most rear-fanged snakes produce hemotoxic venoms directed mainly on blood coagulation. However, it is not all so clear. Some bites by viperids results in neurotoxic signs and it is now known that hemotoxic venoms do contain neurotoxic components. For example, viperid phospholipases A2 may manifest pre- or/and postsynaptic activity and be involved in pain and analgesia. There are other neurotoxins belonging to diverse families ranging from large multi-subunit proteins (e.g., C-type lectin-like proteins) to short peptide neurotoxins (e.g., waglerins and azemiopsin), which are found in hemotoxic venoms. Other neurotoxins from hemotoxic venoms include baptides, crotamine, cysteine-rich secretory proteins, Kunitz-type protease inhibitors, sarafotoxins and three-finger toxins. Some of these toxins exhibit postsynaptic activity, while others affect the functioning of voltage-dependent ion channels. This review represents the first attempt to systematize data on the neurotoxins from "non-neurotoxic" snake venom. The structural and functional characteristic of these neurotoxins affecting diverse targets in the nervous system are considered.
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de Souza J, Oliveira IC, Yoshida EH, Cantuaria NM, Cogo JC, Torres-Bonilla KA, Hyslop S, Silva Junior NJ, Floriano RS, Gutiérrez JM, Oshima-Franco Y. Effect of the phospholipase A2 inhibitor Varespladib, and its synergism with crotalic antivenom, on the neuromuscular blockade induced by Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (with and without crotamine) in mouse neuromuscular preparations. Toxicon 2022; 214:54-61. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2022.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Rodrigues CR, Molina Molina DA, de Souza DLN, Cardenas J, Costal-Oliveira F, Guerra-Duarte C, Chávez-Olórtegui C. Biological and proteomic characterization of the venom from Peruvian Andes rattlesnake Crotalus durissus. Toxicon 2021; 207:31-42. [PMID: 34968566 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The Peruvian rattlesnake Crotalus durissus is a venomous species that is restricted to the Peruvian Departments of Puno and Madre de Dios. Although clinically meaningful in this region, Crotalus durissus venom composition remains largely elusive. In this sense, this work aimed to provide a primary description of Peruvian C. durissus venom (PCdV). The enzymatic activities (SVMP, SVSP, LAAO, Hyaluronidase and PLA2) of PCdV were analyzed and compared to Brazilian Crotalus durissus terrificus venom (BCdtV). PCdV showed higher PLA2 activity when compared to the Brazilian venom. PCdV also showed cytotoxicity in VERO cells. For proteomic analysis, PCdV proteins were separated by HPLC, followed by SDS-PAGE. Gel bands were excised and tryptic digested for MALDI-TOF/TOF identification. Approximately 21 proteins were identified, belonging to 7 families. Phospholipases A2 (PLA2, 66.63%) were the most abundant proteins of the venom, followed by snake venom serine proteinases (SVSPs, 13.37%), C-type lectins (Snaclec, 8.98%) and snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs, 7.13%), crotamine (2.98%) and phosphodiesterase (PDE, 0.87%). Moreover, antivenom recognition assays indicated that both Brazilian and Peruvian antivenoms recognize PCdV, indicating the presence of antigenically related proteins in crotalic venoms. The results reported here, may impact in the venom selection for the production of effective Pan-American crotalic antivenom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Rego Rodrigues
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Denis A Molina Molina
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Fernanda Costal-Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Clara Guerra-Duarte
- Diretoria de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento, Fundação Ezequiel Dias, 30510-010, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Carlos Chávez-Olórtegui
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Hayashi MAF, Campeiro JD, Yonamine CM. Revisiting the potential of South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus toxins as therapeutic, theranostic and/or biotechnological agents. Toxicon 2021; 206:1-13. [PMID: 34896407 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The potential biotechnological and biomedical applications of the animal venom components are widely recognized. Indeed, many components have been used either as drugs or as templates/prototypes for the development of innovative pharmaceutical drugs, among which many are still used for the treatment of human diseases. A specific South American rattlesnake, named Crotalus durissus terrificus, shows a venom composition relatively simpler compared to any viper or other snake species belonging to the Crotalus genus, although presenting a set of toxins with high potential for the treatment of several still unmet human therapeutic needs, as reviewed in this work. In addition to the main toxin named crotoxin, which is under clinical trials studies for antitumoral therapy and which has also anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive activities, other toxins from the C. d. terrificus venom are also being studied, aiming for a wide variety of therapeutic applications, including as antinociceptive, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antifungal, antitumoral or antiparasitic agent, or as modulator of animal metabolism, fibrin sealant (fibrin glue), gene carrier or theranostic agent. Among these rattlesnake toxins, the most relevant, considering the potential clinical applications, are crotamine, crotalphine and gyroxin. In this narrative revision, we propose to organize and present briefly the updates in the accumulated knowledge on potential therapeutic applications of toxins collectively found exclusively in the venom of this specific South American rattlesnake, with the objective of contributing to increase the chances of success in the discovery of drugs based on toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirian A F Hayashi
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil.
| | - Joana D Campeiro
- Department of Pharmacology, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil
| | - Camila M Yonamine
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil.
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Baudou FG, Rodriguez JP, Fusco L, de Roodt AR, De Marzi MC, Leiva L. South American snake venoms with abundant neurotoxic components. Composition and toxicological properties. A literature review. Acta Trop 2021; 224:106119. [PMID: 34481791 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2021] [Revised: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
In South America there are three snake genera with predominantly neurotoxic venoms: Crotalus, Micrurus and Hydrophis, which include nine species/subspecies, 97 species and a single marine species, respectively. Although accidents with neurotoxic venoms are less frequent than those with anticoagulant, cytotoxic or necrotic venoms (e.g. from Bothrops), they are of major public health importance. Venoms from genus Crotalus have been extensively studied, while data on the venoms from the other two genera are very limited, especially for Hydrophis. The venoms of North and South American Crotalus species show biochemical and physiopathological differences. The former species cause bothrops-like envenomation symptoms, while the latter mainly have neurotoxic and myotoxic effects, leading to respiratory paralysis and, occasionally, renal failure by myoglobinuria and death, often with no local lesions. Micrurus and Hydrophis also cause neurotoxic envenomations. Many studies have isolated, identified and characterized new enzymes and toxins, thus expanding the knowledge of snake venom composition. The present review summarizes the currently available information on neurotoxic venoms from South American snakes, with a focus on protein composition and toxicological properties. It also includes some comments concerning potential medical applications of elapid and crotalic toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federico G Baudou
- Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLu), Depto. de Ciencias Básicas, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Inmunología, Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable (INEDES), UNLu-CONICET, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Juan P Rodriguez
- Laboratorio de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de la Facultad de Medicina (LIBIM), Instituto de Química Básica y Aplicada del Nordeste Argentino (IQUIBA-NEA), Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (UNNE-CONICET), Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Luciano Fusco
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Proteínas (LabInPro), IQUIBA-NEA (UNNE, CONICET), FaCENA, (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
| | - Adolfo R de Roodt
- Área Investigación y Desarrollo-Venenos, Instituto Nacional de Producción de Biológicos, Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud "Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán", Ministerio de Salud de la Nación, Argentina; Primera Cátedra de Toxicología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Toxinopatología, Centro de Patología Experimental y Aplicada, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mauricio C De Marzi
- Universidad Nacional de Luján (UNLu), Depto. de Ciencias Básicas, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Laboratorio de Inmunología, Instituto de Ecología y Desarrollo Sustentable (INEDES), UNLu-CONICET, Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Leiva
- Laboratorio de Investigación en Proteínas (LabInPro), IQUIBA-NEA (UNNE, CONICET), FaCENA, (UNNE), Corrientes, Argentina
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Franco-Servín C, Neri-Castro E, Bénard-Valle M, Alagón A, Rosales-García RA, Guerrero-Alba R, Poblano-Sánchez JE, Silva-Briano M, Guerrero-Barrera AL, Sigala-Rodríguez JJ. Biological and Biochemical Characterization of Coronado Island Rattlesnake ( Crotalus helleri caliginis) Venom and Antivenom Neutralization. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13080582. [PMID: 34437453 PMCID: PMC8402616 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13080582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The Baja California Peninsula has over 250 islands and islets with many endemic species. Among them, rattlesnakes are the most numerous but also one of the least studied groups. The study of island rattlesnake venom could guide us to a better understanding of evolutionary processes and the description of novel toxins. Crotalus helleri caliginis venom samples were analyzed to determine possible ontogenetic variation with SDS-PAGE in one and two dimensions and with RP-HPLC. Western Blot, ELISA, and amino-terminal sequencing were used to determine the main components of the venom. The biological and biochemical activities demonstrate the similarity of C. helleri caliginis venom to the continental species C. helleri helleri, with both having low proteolytic and phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity but differing due to the absence of neurotoxin (crotoxin-like) in the insular species. The main components of the snake venom were metalloproteases, serine proteases, and crotamine, which was the most abundant toxin group (30–35% of full venom). The crotamine was isolated using size-exclusion chromatography where its functional effects were tested on mouse phrenic nerve–hemidiaphragm preparations in which a significant reduction in muscle twitch contractions were observed. The two Mexican antivenoms could neutralize the lethality of C. helleri caliginis venom but not the crotamine effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristian Franco-Servín
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Tisular, Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
- Colección Zoológica, Departamento de Biología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
| | - Edgar Neri-Castro
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca CP 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (E.N.-C.); (M.B.-V.); (A.A.)
| | - Melisa Bénard-Valle
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca CP 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (E.N.-C.); (M.B.-V.); (A.A.)
| | - Alejandro Alagón
- Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad # 2001 Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca CP 62210, Morelos, Mexico; (E.N.-C.); (M.B.-V.); (A.A.)
| | - Ramsés Alejandro Rosales-García
- Colección Zoológica, Departamento de Biología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
| | - Raquel Guerrero-Alba
- Laboratorio de Electrofisiología, Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
| | - José Emanuel Poblano-Sánchez
- Laboratorio Clínico de Especialidades del Hospital General ISSSTE, Av. Universidad 410, Aguascalientes CP 20010, Ags, Mexico;
| | - Marcelo Silva-Briano
- Laboratorio de Ecología, Departamento de Biología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
| | - Alma Lilián Guerrero-Barrera
- Laboratorio de Biología Celular y Tisular, Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
- Correspondence: (A.L.G.-B.); (J.J.S.-R.)
| | - José Jesús Sigala-Rodríguez
- Colección Zoológica, Departamento de Biología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, Aguascalientes CP 20131, Ags, Mexico;
- Correspondence: (A.L.G.-B.); (J.J.S.-R.)
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11
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Pucca MB, Bernarde PS, Rocha AM, Viana PF, Farias RES, Cerni FA, Oliveira IS, Ferreira IG, Sandri EA, Sachett J, Wen FH, Sampaio V, Laustsen AH, Sartim MA, Monteiro WM. Crotalus Durissus Ruruima: Current Knowledge on Natural History, Medical Importance, and Clinical Toxinology. Front Immunol 2021; 12:659515. [PMID: 34168642 PMCID: PMC8219050 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.659515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Crotalus durissus ruruima is a rattlesnake subspecies mainly found in Roraima, the northernmost state of Brazil. Envenomings caused by this subspecies lead to severe clinical manifestations (e.g. respiratory muscle paralysis, rhabdomyolysis, and acute renal failure) that can lead to the victim’s death. In this review, we comprehensively describe C. d. ruruima biology and the challenges this subspecies poses for human health, including morphology, distribution, epidemiology, venom cocktail, clinical envenoming, and the current and future specific treatment of envenomings by this snake. Moreover, this review presents maps of the distribution of the snake subspecies and evidence that this species is responsible for some of the most severe envenomings in the country and causes the highest lethality rates. Finally, we also discuss the efficacy of the Brazilian horse-derived antivenoms to treat C. d. ruruima envenomings in Roraima state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela B Pucca
- Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista, Brazil
| | - Paulo Sérgio Bernarde
- Laboratório de Herpetologia, Centro Multidisciplinar, Universidade Federal do Acre, Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil
| | | | - Patrik F Viana
- National Institute of Amazonian Research, Biodiversity Coordination, Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Raimundo Erasmo Souza Farias
- National Institute of Amazonian Research, Biodiversity Coordination, Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Felipe A Cerni
- Medical School, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista, Brazil.,Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Isadora S Oliveira
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Isabela G Ferreira
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Eliseu A Sandri
- Insikiram Institute of Indigenous Higher Studies, Federal University of Roraima, Boa Vista, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline Sachett
- Department of Medicine and Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Amazonas State University, Manaus, Brazil.,Department of Teaching and Research, Alfredo da Matta Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Fan Hui Wen
- Antivenom Production Section, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vanderson Sampaio
- Department of Teaching and Research, Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Andreas H Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Marco A Sartim
- Department of Teaching and Research, Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil.,Institute of Biological Sciences, Amazonas Federal University, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Wuelton M Monteiro
- Department of Medicine and Nursing, School of Health Sciences, Amazonas State University, Manaus, Brazil.,Department of Teaching and Research, Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado Tropical Medicine Foundation, Manaus, Brazil
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12
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Ponce-López R, Neri-Castro E, Olvera-Rodríguez F, Sánchez EE, Alagón A, Olvera-Rodríguez A. Neutralization of crotamine by polyclonal antibodies generated against two whole rattlesnake venoms and a novel recombinant fusion protein. Toxicon 2021; 197:70-78. [PMID: 33894246 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2021.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Crotamine is a paralyzing toxin (MW: ~5 kDa) found in different proportions in some rattlesnake venoms (up to 62%). Mexican pit viper antivenoms have shown low immunoreactivity against crotamine, which is an urgent quality to be improved. The objective of this work was to evaluate the ability of a novel recombinant fusion protein composed of sphingomyelinase D and crotamine, and two whole venoms from Crotalus molossus nigrescens and C. oreganus helleri to produce neutralizing antibodies against crotamine. These immunogens were separately used for immunization procedures in rabbits. Then, we generated three experimental antivenoms to test their cross-reactivity via western-blot against crotamine from 7 species (C. m. nigrescens, C. o. helleri, C. durissus terrificus, C. scutulatus salvini, C. basiliscus, C. culminatus and C. tzabcan). We also performed pre-incubation neutralization experiments in mice to measure the neutralizing potency of each antivenom against crotamine induced hind limb paralysis. Our antivenoms showed broad recognition across crotamine from most of the tested species. Also, neutralization against crotamine paralysis symptom was successfully achieved by our three antivenoms, albeit with different efficiencies. Our results highlight the use of crotamine enriched venoms and our novel recombinant fusion protein as promising immunogens to improve the neutralizing potency against crotamine for the improvement of Mexican antivenoms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Ponce-López
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, C.P. 62210, Mexico
| | - Edgar Neri-Castro
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, C.P. 62210, Mexico
| | - Felipe Olvera-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, C.P. 62210, Mexico
| | - Elda E Sánchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC) and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Alejandro Alagón
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, C.P. 62210, Mexico
| | - Alejandro Olvera-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Medicina Molecular y Bioprocesos, Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 2001, Colonia Chamilpa, Cuernavaca, Morelos, C.P. 62210, Mexico.
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13
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Salazar E, Rodriguez-Acosta A, Lucena S, Gonzalez R, McLarty MC, Sanchez O, Suntravat M, Garcia E, Finol HJ, Giron ME, Fernandez I, Deba F, Bessac BF, Sánchez EE. Biological activities of a new crotamine-like peptide from Crotalus oreganus helleri on C2C12 and CHO cell lines, and ultrastructural changes on motor endplate and striated muscle. Toxicon 2020; 188:95-107. [PMID: 33065200 PMCID: PMC7720416 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Crotamine and crotamine-like peptides are non-enzymatic polypeptides, belonging to the family of myotoxins, which are found in high concentration in the venom of the Crotalus genus. Helleramine was isolated and purified from the venom of the Southern Pacific rattlesnake, Crotalus oreganus helleri. This peptide had a similar, but unique, identity to crotamine and crotamine-like proteins isolated from other rattlesnakes species. The variability of crotamine-like protein amino acid sequences may allow different toxic effects on biological targets or optimize the action against the same target of different prey. Helleramine was capable of increasing intracellular Ca2+ in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell line. It inhibited cell migration as well as cell viability (IC50 = 11.44 μM) of C2C12, immortalized skeletal myoblasts, in a concentration dependent manner, and promoted early apoptosis and cell death under our experimental conditions. Skeletal muscle harvested from mice 24 h after helleramine injection showed contracted myofibrils and profound vacuolization that enlarged the subsarcolemmal space, along with loss of plasmatic and basal membrane integrity. The effects of helleramine provide further insights and evidence of myotoxic activities of crotamine-like peptides and their possible role in crotalid envenomings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emelyn Salazar
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Alexis Rodriguez-Acosta
- Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Ultraestructura, Instituto Anatómico, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Sara Lucena
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Roschman Gonzalez
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Morgan C McLarty
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Oscar Sanchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Montamas Suntravat
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Estefanie Garcia
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Hector J Finol
- Centro de Microscopía Electrónica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Maria E Giron
- Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Ultraestructura, Instituto Anatómico, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Irma Fernandez
- Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Ultraestructura, Instituto Anatómico, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, Venezuela
| | - Farah Deba
- Texas A&M Rangel College of Pharmacy, Kingsville, TX, USA
| | - Bret F Bessac
- Texas A&M Rangel College of Pharmacy, Kingsville, TX, USA; Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University HSC, Amarillo, TX, USA
| | - Elda E Sánchez
- National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA; Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Kingsville, TX, USA.
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14
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de Carvalho Porta L, Fadel V, D'Arc Campeiro J, Oliveira EB, Godinho RO, Hayashi MAF. Biophysical and pharmacological characterization of a full-length synthetic analog of the antitumor polypeptide crotamine. J Mol Med (Berl) 2020; 98:1561-1571. [PMID: 32895732 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-020-01975-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is a polypeptide isolated from the venom of a South American rattlesnake. Among the properties and biological activities of crotamine, the most extraordinary is its ability to enter cells with unique selective affinity and cytotoxic activity against actively proliferating cells, such as tumor cells. This peptide is also a cargo carrier, and anticipating commercial application of this native polypeptide as a potential theranostic compound against cancer, we performed here a side-by-side characterization of a chemically synthesized full-length crotamine compared with its native counterpart. The structural, biophysical, and pharmacological properties were evaluated. Comparative NMR studies showed structural conservation of synthetic crotamine. Moreover, similarly to native crotamine, the synthetic polypeptide was also capable of inhibiting tumor growth in vivo, increasing the survival of mice bearing subcutaneous tumor. We also confirmed the ability of synthetic crotamine to transfect and transport DNA into eukaryotic cells, in addition to the importance of proteoglycans on cell surface for its internalization. This work opens new opportunities for future evaluation of chimeric and/or point-mutated analogs of this snake polypeptide, aiming for improving crotamine properties and applications, as well as possibly diminishing its potential toxic effects. KEY MESSAGES: • Synthetic crotamine showed ex vivo and in vivo activities similar to native peptide. • Synthetic crotamine structure conservation was demonstrated by NMR analysis. • Synthetic crotamine is able to transfect and transport DNA into eukaryotic cells. • Synthetic crotamine shows tumor growth inhibition in vivo. • Synthetic crotamine increases survival of mice bearing tumor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas de Carvalho Porta
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Valmir Fadel
- Universidade Estadual de São Paulo (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Joana D'Arc Campeiro
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Brandt Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP-FMRP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rosely Oliveira Godinho
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Mirian Akemi Furuie Hayashi
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil.
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15
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Porta LC, Campeiro JD, Papa GB, Oliveira EB, Godinho RO, Rodrigues T, Hayashi MAF. In vivo effects of the association of the psychoactive phenotiazine thioridazine on antitumor activity and hind limb paralysis induced by the native polypeptide crotamine. Toxicon 2020; 185:64-71. [PMID: 32621838 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2020.06.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is a cationic polypeptide composed by 42 amino acid residues with several pharmacological and biological properties, including the selective ability to enter and kill actively proliferating tumour cells, which led us to propose its use as a theranostic agent for cancer therapy. At the moment, the improvement of crotamine antitumoral efficacy by association with chemotherapeutic adjuvants is envisioned. In the present work, we evaluated the association of crotamine with the antitumoral adjuvant phenotiazine thioridazine (THD). In spite of the clear efficacy of these both compounds as anticancer agents in long-term in vivo treatment of animal model bearing implanted xenograph melanoma tumor, the expected mutual potentiation of the antitumor effects was not observed here. Moreover, this association revealed for the first time the influence of THD on crotamine ability to trigger the hind limb paralysis in mice, and this discovery may represent the first report suggesting the potential involvement of the CNS in the action of this snake polypeptide on the skeletal muscle paralysis, which was classically believed to be essentially limited to a direct action in peripheral tissues as the skeletal muscle. This is also supported by the observed ability of crotamine to potentiate the sedative effects of THD which action was consistently demonstrated to be based on its central action. The better characterization of crotamine properties in CNS may certainly bring important insights for the knowledge needed to pave the way toward the use of this molecule as a theranostic compound in human diseases as cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas C Porta
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil
| | - Joana D Campeiro
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil
| | - Giovanna B Papa
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo B Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP-RP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rosely O Godinho
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil
| | | | - Mirian A F Hayashi
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), SP, Brazil.
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16
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Hayashi MAF, Campeiro JD, Porta LC, Szychowski B, Alves WA, Oliveira EB, Kerkis I, Daniel MC, Karpel RL. Crotamine Cell-Penetrating Nanocarriers: Cancer-Targeting and Potential Biotechnological and/or Medical Applications. Methods Mol Biol 2020; 2118:61-89. [PMID: 32152971 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-0319-2_5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Crotamine is a basic, 42-residue polypeptide from snake venom that has been shown to possess cell-penetrating properties. Here we describe the preparation, purification, biochemical and biophysical analysis of venom-derived, recombinant, chemically synthesized, and fluorescent-labeled crotamine. We also describe the formation and characterization of crotamine-DNA and crotamine-RNA nanoparticles; and the delivery of these nanoparticles into cells and animals. Crotamine forms nanoparticles with a variety of DNA and RNA molecules, and crotamine-plasmid DNA nanoparticles are selectively delivered into actively proliferating cells in culture or in living organisms such as mice, Plasmodium, and worms. As such, these nanoparticles could form the basis for a nucleic acid drug-delivery system. We also describe here the design and characterization of crotamine-functionalized gold nanoparticles, and the delivery of these nanoparticles into cells. We also evaluated the viability of using the combination of crotamine with silica nanoparticles in animal models, aiming to provide slow delivery, and to decrease the crotamine doses needed for the biological effects. In addition, the efficacy of administering crotamine orally was also demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirian A F Hayashi
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Joana Darc Campeiro
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucas Carvalho Porta
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Brian Szychowski
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Wendel Andrade Alves
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Eduardo B Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Irina Kerkis
- Laboratory of Genetics, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marie-Christine Daniel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Richard L Karpel
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA
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17
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Dal Mas C, Rossato L, Shimizu T, Oliveira EB, da Silva Junior PI, Meis JF, Colombo AL, Hayashi MAF. Effects of the Natural Peptide Crotamine from a South American Rattlesnake on Candida auris, an Emergent Multidrug Antifungal Resistant Human Pathogen. Biomolecules 2019; 9:biom9060205. [PMID: 31141959 PMCID: PMC6627186 DOI: 10.3390/biom9060205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive Candida infections are an important growing medical concern and treatment options are limited to a few antifungal drug classes, with limited efficacies depending on the infecting organism. In this scenario, invasive infections caused by multiresistant Candida auris are emerging in several places around the world as important healthcare-associated infections. As antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exert their activities primarily through mechanisms involving membrane disruption, they have a lower chance of inducing drug resistance than general chemical antimicrobials. Interestingly, we previously described the potent candicidal effect of a rattlesnake AMP, crotamine, against standard and treatment-resistant clinical isolates, with no hemolytic activity. We evaluated the antifungal susceptibility of several Candida spp. strains cultured from different patients by using the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) microdilution assay, and the antifungal activity of native crotamine was evaluated by a microbial growth inhibition microdilution assay. Although all Candida isolates evaluated here showed resistance to amphotericin B and fluconazole, crotamine (40–80 µM) exhibited in vitro activity against most isolates tested. We suggest that this native polypeptide from the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus has potential as a structural model for the generation of a new class of antimicrobial compounds with the power to fight against multiresistant Candida spp.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Dal Mas
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo SP 04038-032, Brazil.
| | - Luana Rossato
- Departamento de Medicina, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo SP 04038-032, Brazil.
| | - Thaís Shimizu
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo SP 04038-032, Brazil.
| | - Eduardo B Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP-RP), Ribeirão Preto SP 14049-900, Brazil.
| | - Pedro I da Silva Junior
- Special Laboratory for Applied Toxinology (LETA), Center of Toxins, Immune-Response and Cell Signaling (CeTICS), Butantan Institute, São Paulo SP 05503-900, Brazil.
| | - Jacques F Meis
- Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases, Canisius-Wilhelmina Hospital (CWZ), 6532 Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - Arnaldo Lopes Colombo
- Departamento de Medicina, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo SP 04038-032, Brazil.
| | - Mirian A F Hayashi
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), São Paulo SP 04038-032, Brazil.
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18
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Munawar A, Ali SA, Akrem A, Betzel C. Snake Venom Peptides: Tools of Biodiscovery. Toxins (Basel) 2018; 10:toxins10110474. [PMID: 30441876 PMCID: PMC6266942 DOI: 10.3390/toxins10110474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2018] [Revised: 10/30/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Nature endowed snakes with a lethal secretion known as venom, which has been fine-tuned over millions of years of evolution. Snakes utilize venom to subdue their prey and to survive in their natural habitat. Venom is known to be a very poisonous mixture, consisting of a variety of molecules, such as carbohydrates, nucleosides, amino acids, lipids, proteins and peptides. Proteins and peptides are the major constituents of the dry weight of snake venoms and are of main interest for scientific investigations as well as for various pharmacological applications. Snake venoms contain enzymatic and non-enzymatic proteins and peptides, which are grouped into different families based on their structure and function. Members of a single family display significant similarities in their primary, secondary and tertiary structures, but in many cases have distinct pharmacological functions and different bioactivities. The functional specificity of peptides belonging to the same family can be attributed to subtle variations in their amino acid sequences. Currently, complementary tools and techniques are utilized to isolate and characterize the peptides, and study their potential applications as molecular probes, and possible templates for drug discovery and design investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha Munawar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan.
| | - Syed Abid Ali
- H.E. J. Research Institute of Chemistry, (ICCBS), University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
| | - Ahmed Akrem
- Botany Division, Institute of Pure and Applied Biology, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan.
| | - Christian Betzel
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Hamburg, 22607 Hamburg, Germany.
- Laboratory for Structural Biology of Infection and Inflammation, DESY, Build. 22a, Notkestr. 85, 22603 Hamburg, Germany.
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