Exploring high molecular weight components in Tityus serrulatus venom.

Our study identified high-molecular-weight compounds from Tityus serrulatus venom (TsV), and most of them have not yet been well explored. TsV was fractionated using FPLC system with different columns, analyzed by SDS-PAGE, and characterized by MALDI-TOF/TOF. Our study showed that TsV contains several high-molecular-weight compounds, including CRISPs, metalloproteinase and hyaluronidase.

Immunosuppressive therapies in scorpion envenomation: new perspectives for treatment.

Scorpion envenoming is a relevant and neglected public health problem in some countries. The use of antivenom is widespread in many regions, targeting specific species of scorpions. However, the uncontrolled proliferation and adaptation of these animals to urban environments, combined with limited access to treatments in remote areas and delays in antivenom administration contribute to a significant number of fatalities from scorpion-related incidents.

Hyperglycosylation impairs the inhibitory activity of rCdtPLI2, the first recombinant beta-phospholipase A inhibitor.

Crotoxin, a phospholipase A (PLA) complex and the major Crotalus venom component, is responsible for the main symptoms described in crotalic snakebite envenomings and a key target for PLA inhibitors (PLIs). PLIs comprise the alpha, beta and gamma families, and, due to a lack of reports on beta-PLIs, this study aimed to heterologously express CdtPLI2 from Crotalus durissus terrificus venom gland to improve the knowledge of the neglected beta-PLI family. Thereby, recombinant CdtPLI2 (rCdtPLI2) was produced in the eukaryotic Pichia pastoris system to keep some native post-translational modifications.

Sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) proteolysis by matrix metalloproteinase-2 contributes to vascular dysfunction in early hypertension.

Aims: Hypertension is associated with an increased activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 in the vasculature, which, in turn, proteolyzes extra- and intracellular proteins that lead to vascular dysfunction. The activity of sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA) is decreased in the aortas of hypertensive rats. Increased activity of MMP-2 proteolyzed SERCA in rat heart during ischemia and reperfusion injury, thus impairing cardiac function.

Moojecin: The first disintegrin from Bothrops moojeni venom and its antitumor activity in acute myeloid leukemia.

Disintegrins are a class of peptides found in snake venom that inhibit the activity of integrins, which are essential cell adhesion receptors in tumor progression and development. In this work, moojecin, a RGD disintegrin, was isolated from Bothrops moojeni snake venom, and its antitumor potential in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) HL-60 and THP-1 cells was characterized. The isolation was performed using a C reverse-phase column in two chromatographic steps, and its molecular mass is 7417.