Publications by authors named "Zarzosa V"
Article Synopsis
- Disintegrins are non-toxic proteins found in viper snake venom, known for blocking integrin receptors, which are important for cell adhesion and interactions in cancer progression.
- The study focused on isolating and characterizing a specific disintegrin called mictlan-D3 from the venom of a newly identified rattlesnake species, Crotalus mictlantecuhtli, which consists of two isoforms.
- Mictlan-D3 showed significant inhibition of cancer cell adhesion and migration, particularly reducing the adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cancer cells to extracellular matrix proteins by up to 81% and their migration by 80%.
Background: The snake genera Atropoides, Cerrophidion, and Metlapilcoatlus form a clade of neotropical pit vipers distributed across Mexico and Central America. This study evaluated the myotoxic and neurotoxic effects of nine species of Atropoides, Cerrophidion, and Metlapilcoatlus, and the neutralising efficacy of the ICP antivenom from Costa Rica against these effects, in the chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation. Given the prominence of PLAs within the venom proteomes of these species, we also aimed to determine the neutralising potency of the PLA inhibitor, varespladib.
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- The genus Mixcoatlus includes three species: M. barbouri, M. browni, and M. melanurus, with detailed venom analysis primarily conducted on the latter two.
- This study identifies and characterizes the venom compositions of M. barbouri and M. browni, revealing 12 protein families in M. barbouri and 13 in M. browni, with significant components like phospholipases A and snake venom serine proteases.
- The research also highlights a specific protein from M. browni, named Mixcoatlutoxin, which shows lethal effects similar to traditional rattlesnake venoms, indicating the need for further studies on M. barbouri's venom.
Article Synopsis
- The study analyzed venom production in nine species of Mexican coral snakes, with variations in venom yield observed among the species.
- M. diastema and M. laticollaris showed significant differences, yielding between 0.3 mg and 59 mg of venom, with size influencing venom quantity for some snakes.
- The findings can help predict venom effects and improve antivenom strategies, contributing to better medical responses to coral snake bites.
Crotalus culminatus is a medically significant species of rattlesnake in Mexico [1]. While the proteomic composition of its venom has been previously reported for both juvenile and adult specimens, there has been limited research into its functional properties, with only a few studies, including one focusing on coagulotoxicity mechanisms. In this study, we aimed to compare the biochemical and biological activities of the venom of juvenile and adult snakes.
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- * Four venom samples from a single snake were analyzed to assess shifts in protein profiles, lethality, and specific enzyme activities from 2015 to 2021.
- * Results showed that the snake's venom transitioned from being rich in myotoxins to containing more phospholipase A and metalloproteinase, with increased enzyme activity but decreased overall lethality as the snake aged.
The most enigmatic group of rattlesnakes is the long-tailed rattlesnake group, consisting of three species: Crotalus ericsmithi, Crotalus lannomi and Crotalus stejnegeri. These species have been the least studied rattlesnakes in all aspects, and no study on the characterization of their venoms has been carried out to date. Our main objective was to investigate the proteomic composition, as well as some of the biochemical and toxic activities of these venoms, and their neutralization by commercial antivenom.
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