Publications by authors named "Maria Inacia Estevao-Costa"

Atroxlysin-III (Atr-III) was purified from the venom of . This 56-kDa protein bears N-linked glycoconjugates and is a P-III hemorrhagic metalloproteinase. Its cDNA-deduced amino acid sequence reveals a multidomain structure including a proprotein, a metalloproteinase, a disintegrin-like and a cysteine-rich domain.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Both mythologically and logically, snakes have always fascinated man. Snakes have attracted both awe and fear not only because of the elegant movement of their limbless bodies, but also because of the potency of their deadly venoms. Practically, in 2017, the world health organization (WHO) listed snake envenomation as a high priority neglected disease, as snakes inflict up to 2.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Collagen, a strong platelet activator, is recognized by integrin α2β1 and GPVI. It induces aggregation, if added to suspended platelets, or platelet adhesion if immobilized to a surface. The recombinant non-prolylhydroxylated mini-collagen FC3 triple helix containing one α2β1 integrin binding site is a tool to specifically study how α2β1 integrin activates platelet.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The collagen binding integrin α2β1 plays a crucial role in hemostasis, fibrosis, and cancer progression amongst others. It is specifically inhibited by rhodocetin (RC), a C-type lectin-related protein (CLRP) found in Malayan pit viper (Calloselasma rhodostoma) venom. The structure of RC alone reveals a heterotetramer arranged as an αβ and γδ subunit in a cruciform shape.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Initial association of platelets after vascular injury is mediated by glycoprotein (GP)Ib-IX-V binding to von Willebrand factor (vWf) immobilized on exposed collagens and eventually leads to thrombus formation. This article provides data about a new P-I class snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP), barnettlysin-I (Bar-I), purified from the venom of Bothrops barnetti. This Data in Brief manuscript complements the main research article by providing additional data of the biochemical characterization of Bar-I 10.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Phospholipases A2 are major components of snake venoms (svPLA2s) and are able to induce multiple local and systemic deleterious effects upon envenomation. Several snake species are provided with svPLA2 inhibitors (sbPLIs) in their circulating blood, which confer a natural resistance against the toxic components of homologous and heterologous venoms. The sbPLIs belong to any of three structural classes named α, β and γ.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Viperid snake venoms contain active components that interfere with hemostasis. We report a new P-I class snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP), barnettlysin-I (Bar-I), isolated from the venom of Bothrops barnetti and evaluated its fibrinolytic and antithrombotic potential.

Methods: Bar-I was purified using a combination of molecular exclusion and cation-exchange chromatographies.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)s) are important components of Bothrops snake venoms, that can induce several effects on envenomations such as myotoxicity, inhibition or induction of platelet aggregation and edema. It is known that venomous and non-venomous snakes present PLA(2) inhibitory proteins (PLIs) in their blood plasma. An inhibitory protein that neutralizes the enzymatic and toxic activities of several PLA(2)s from Bothrops venoms was isolated from Bothrops alternatus snake plasma by affinity chromatography using the immobilized myotoxin BthTX-I on CNBr-activated Sepharose.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Phoneutria (Ctenidae) is among the most dangerous venomous spiders in Brazil. Its venom is composed of a mixture of pharmacologically active components, some of which have been quite extensively studied due to their potentiality as models for new pharmaceutical drugs. Nevertheless, literature data on the venom-producing glands are very limited.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Phospholipase A(2) inhibitors (PLIs) are glycoproteins secreted by snake liver into the circulating blood aiming the self-protection against toxic venom phospholipases A(2). In the present study, we describe the first complete nucleotide sequence of a βPLI from venom glands of a New World snake, Lachesis muta. The deduced primary structure was compared to other known βPLIs and recent literature findings of other possible roles of PLIs in snakes are discussed.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

During the last 20 years, there have been an increasing number of reports on endogenous phospholipase A(2) inhibitors (PLIs) in the sera of snakes. These studies have demonstrated the existence of three different structural classes of PLIs (alpha, beta and gamma). The gamma class members are potent inhibitors of phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)) from the venom of Viperidae snakes.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The first PLA(2) (LsPA-1) from L. stenophrys snake venom was purified to homogeneity using three chromatographic steps and had its complete primary structure determined. An average molecular mass of 13,870.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Crotoxin (Ctx) is a potent neurotoxin of the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus (the South American rattlesnake). Ctx is a heterodimer composed of CB, a toxic PLA(2) subunit, and CA, a non-toxic and non-enzymatic subunit, that potentiates the neurotoxicity of CB in vivo. The deleterious action of Ctx upon C.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF