Experimental myonecrosis induced by the venoms of South American Micrurus (coral snakes (original) (raw)
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Biological and enzymatic activities of Micrurus sp. (Coral) snake venoms
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology A-molecular & Integrative Physiology, 2005
The venoms of Micrurus lemniscatus carvalhoi, Micrurus frontalis frontalis, Micrurus surinamensis surinamensis and Micrurus nigrocinctus nigrocinctus were assayed for biological activities. Although showing similar liposome disrupting and myotoxic activities, M. frontalis frontalis and M. nigrocinctus nigrocinctus displayed higher anticoagulant and phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ) activities. The latter induced a higher edema response within 30 min. Both venoms were the most toxic as well. In the isolated chick biventer cervicis preparation, M. lemniscatus carvalhoi venom blocked the indirectly elicited twitch-tension response (85F0.6% inhibition after a 15 min incubation at 5 Ag of venom/mL) and the response to acetylcholine (ACh; 55 or 110 AM), without affecting the response to KCl (13.4 mM). In mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm preparation, the venom (5 Ag/mL) produced a complete inhibition of the indirectly elicited contractile response after 50 min incubation and did not affect the contractions elicited by direct stimulation. M. lemniscatus carvalhoi inhibited 3 H-l-glutamate uptake in brain synaptosomes in a Ca 2+ , but not time, dependent manner. The replacement of Ca 2+ by Sr 2+ and ethylene glycol-bis(h-aminoethyl ether) (EGTA), or alkylation of the venom with p-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB), inhibited 3 H-l-glutamate uptake. M. lemniscatus carvalhoi venom cross-reacted with postsynaptic a-neurotoxins short-chain (antineurotoxin-II) and long-chain (antibungarotoxin) antibodies. It also cross-reacted with antimyotoxic PLA 2 antibodies from M. nigrocinctus nigrocinctus (antinigroxin). Our results point to the need of catalytic activity for these venoms to exert their neurotoxic activity efficiently and to their components as attractive tools for the study of molecular targets on cell membranes.
Toxicon, 1983
J . M . Ovr»SnnEZ, B . LOMONiZ, E . PORTILIA, L. Ceanes and E. Roles . Local effaxs induced by coral snake venons : evidence of myonaxosis after experimental inoculations of venons from five species . Taxirnn 21, 777-783, 1983 . -The local effects induced by intramuscular inoculations of venons from six species of coral snakes were studied in mice. Venons of Mkrurus nlgrocinctus nigrocinctus, M. n . maspuitensis, M. alleni, M. frontalis, M. aarinkauda and M. surtrtamensis induced prominent myonaxosis which was observal histologically. FYom a morphological point of view all these venons induced a similar pattern of myonecrosis, characterved by a conspiwoua alteration of the intracellular structure . This myotoxic activity was corroboratal by an increase in plasma creative kinase levels 3 hr after i .m . igjection of M. n. nlgnvcinch4,s, M. n . mosrluitensis, M. frontalis and M. carinicvuda venons . M, mipartitus venom did not induce myonaxosis. None of the venons induced edema or hemorrhage at the site of i>ltijection . H . L . and MACFARLANE, W . V ., Eds .) . Oxford : Pergamon Press . Fotn.nRwiv, J ., EwxeR, D ., Kwtet .ssoN, E . and Tfrnsr t= .rs, S . (1976) Taipoxin, an extremely potent presynaptic neurotoxin from the venom of the Australien snake Taipan (Oxyumrrus s. scutellatus) . Isolation, characterization, quaternary structure and~harmacological properties . Eur. J. Blochem. 68, 457. GvnEttxez, J . M . and Bot .wr~os, R . (1981) Polimorfismo cromos6mico intraespecifico en la serpiente de coral Microns nigrocinctus (Ophidia : Elapidae) . Revta viol. trop. 29, 115 . GtmEaxEZ, J : M ., CHAVES, F ., RoJws, E . and Bot.wr~os, R. (1980) Efectos locales inducidos por et veneno de la serpiente coral Microns nigroclnctus en ratdn blanco . Toxirnn 18, 633 .
Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology, 2018
Micrurus venoms are known to induce mainly neurotoxicity in victims. However, other manifestations, including hemorrhage, edema, myotoxicity, complement activation, and hemostatic activity have been reported. In order to develop a more complete pharmacological profile of these venoms, inflammatory responses and hemostasis were evaluated in C57BL/6 mice treated with a sub-lethal dose of M. t. tener (Mtt) venom (8 μg/mouse), inoculated intraperitoneally. The venom induced moderate bleeding into the abdominal cavity and lungs, as well as infiltration of leukocytes into the liver. After 30 min, the release of pro-inflammatory mediators (TNF-α, IL-6, and NO) were observed, being most evident at 4 h. There was a decrease in hemoglobin and hematocrit levels at 72 h, a prolongation in coagulation times (PT and aPTT), a decrease in the fibrinogen concentration and an increase in fibrinolytic activity. In this animal model, it was proposed that Mtt venom induces inflammation with the release ...
The biological properties of venoms of some american coral snakes (Genus Micrurus
Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 1992
1. The biological properties of nine venom samples from six taxa of Micrurus were investigated. The venoms exhibited low protease, phosphodiesterase and 5'-nucleotidase activities, moderate to strong phospholipase A and hyaluronidase activities, variable I.-amino acid oxidase activity and were devoid of arginine ester hydrolase and thrombin-like activities. Some venom samples exhibited strong acetylcholinesterase activity. Venoms of M. c. dumerili and M. frontalis exhibited exceptionally high alkaline phosphomonoesterase activity while two of the M. f fulvius venom samples tested exhibited strong hemorrhagic activity in mice.
Journal of venom research, 2011
The neuromuscular activity of Micrurus pyrrochryptus venom was studied in chick biventer cervicis (BC) and mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm (PND) preparations. The venom (0.5-50μg/ml) caused irreversible, time-and concentration-dependent blockade, with BC being more sensitive than PND (50% blockade with 10μg/ ml in 22±3min and 62±4min, respectively; mean±SEM, n=6; p<0.05). In BC preparations, venom (0.5μg/ ml) progressively abolished ACh-induced contractures, whereas contractures to exogenous KCl and muscle twitches in curarized preparations were unaffected. The venom neither altered creatine kinase release (venom: 25.8±1.75IU/l vs control: 24.3±2.2IU/l, n=6, after 120min), nor it caused significant muscle damage (50μg of venom/ml vs control: 3.5±0.8% vs 1.1±0.7% for PND; 4.3±1.5% vs 1.2±0.5% for BC, n=5). The venom had low PLA 2 activity. Neurotoxicity was effectively neutralized by commercial Micrurus antivenom and specific antivenom. These findings indicate that M. pyrrhocryptus venom acts postsynaptically on nicotinic receptors, with no significant myotoxicity.
Toxicon : official journal of the International Society on Toxinology, 2012
The venoms of coral snakes (genus Micrurus) are known to induce a broad spectrum of pharmacological activities. While some studies have investigated their potential human effects, little is known about their mechanism of action in terms of the ecological diversity and evolutionary relationships among the group. In the current study we investigated the neuromuscular blockade of the venom of two sister species Micrurus mipartitus and Micrurus dissoleucus, which exhibit divergent ecological characteristics in Colombia, by using the chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation. We also undertook a phylogenetic analysis of these species and their congeners, in order to provide an evolutionary framework for the American coral snakes. The venom of M. mipartitus caused a concentration-dependant inhibition (3-10 μg/ml) of nerve-mediated twitches and significantly inhibited contractile responses to exogenous ACh (1 mM), but not KCl (40 mM), indicating a postsynaptic mechanism of action. T...
Myotoxicity and nephrotoxicity by Micrurus venoms in experimental envenomation
Toxicon, 2012
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Toxicon, 2011
The coral snake Micrurus tener tener (Mtt) from the Elapidae family inhabits the southwestern United States and produces severe cases of envenomations. Although the majority of Mtt venom components are neurotoxins and phospholipase A 2 s, this study demonstrated, by SDS-PAGE and molecular exclusion chromatography (MEC), that these venoms also contain high-molecularweight proteins between 50 and 150 kDa that target the hemostatic system. The biological aspects of other Micrurus venoms were also studied, such as the LD 50 s of Micrurus isozonus (from 0.52 to 0.61 mg/kg). A pool from these venoms presented a LD 50 of 0.57 mg/kg, Micrurus f. fulvius (Mff) and Mtt had LD 50 s of 0.32 and 0.78 mg/kg, respectively. These venoms contained fibrino(geno)lytic activity, they inhibited platelet aggregation, as well as factor Xa and/or plasminlike activities. M. isozonus venoms from different Venezuelan geographical regions inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation (from 50 to 68%). Micrurus tener tener venom from the United States was the most active with a 95.2% inhibitory effect. This venom showed thrombin-like activity on fibrinogen and human plasma. Fractions of Mtt showed fibrino(geno)lytic activity and inhibition on plasmin amidolytic activity. Several fractions degraded the fibrinogen Aα chains, and fractions F2 and F7 completely degraded both fibrinogen Aα and Bβ chains. To our knowledge, this is the first report on thrombin-like and fibrino(geno)lytic activity and plasmin or factor Xa inhibitors described in Micrurus venoms. Further purification and characterization of these Micrurus venom components could be of therapeutic use in the treatment of hemostatic disorders.