Snake species within genus Bothrops are responsible for more than 80% of the snakebites occurring in South America. The species that cause most envenomings in Argentina, B. diporus, is widely distributed throughout the country, but principally found in the Northeast, the region with the highest rates of snakebites. The venom proteome of this medically relevant snake was unveiled using a venomic approach. It comprises toxins belonging to fourteen protein families, being dominated by PI- and PIII-SVMPs, PLA₂ molecules, BPP-like peptides, L-amino acid oxidase and serine proteinases. This toxin profile largely explains the characteristic pathophysiological effects of bothropic snakebites observed in patients envenomed by B. diporus. Antivenomic analysis of the SAB antivenom (Instituto Vital Brazil) against the venom of B. diporus showed that this pentabothropic antivenom efficiently recognized all the venom proteins and exhibited poor affinity towards the small peptide (BPPs and tripeptide inhibitors of PIII-SVMPs) components of the venom.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/toxins8010009 | DOI Listing |
Biochimie
January 2025
LAQV, REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre s/n, 4169-007 Porto, Portugal. Electronic address:
This study focuses on the quaternary structure of the viper-secreted phospholipase A (PLA), a central toxin in viper envenomation. PLA enzymes catalyse the hydrolysis of the sn-2 ester bond of membrane phospholipids. Small-molecule inhibitors that act as snakebite antidotes, such as varespladib, are currently in clinical trials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInt J Biol Macromol
January 2025
Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil; Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus, AM, Brazil. Electronic address:
Toxicon
January 2025
Laboratório de Fisiopatologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil; Laboratório de Herpetologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil; Interunidades em Biotecnologia, Universidade de São Paulo - Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnológicas - Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil. Electronic address:
Fibrinogen is a common target of SVMP and SVSP. These toxins can destructively cleave fibrinogen, leading to the depletion of its levels. Herein we comparatively describe the fibrinogenolytic activity of the venom of Bothrops and Crotalus snakes, viperids of high epidemiological importance in Brazil.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTalanta
January 2025
Department of Chemistry, Alfaisal University, Al Zahrawi Street, Al Maather, Al Takhassusi Road, Riyadh, 11533, Saudi Arabia. Electronic address:
Envenomation accidents are usually diagnosed at the hospital through signs and symptoms assessment such as short breath, dizziness and vomiting, numbness, swilling, bruising, or bleeding around the affected site. However, this traditional method provides inaccurate diagnosis given the interface between snakebites and scorpion stings symptoms. Therefore, early determination of bites/stings source would help healthcare professionals select the suitable treatment for patients, thus improving envenomation management.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFToxicon
January 2025
Laboratório de Herpetologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil; Programa de Pós-Graduação Interunidades em Biotecnologia, São Paulo, Brasil; Laboratório de Fisiopatologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brasil. Electronic address:
Coagulation disorders are a primary symptom of envenomation caused by snakes belonging to the genus Bothrops. In the Northeast region of Brazil, the species Bothrops erythromelas and Bothrops leucurus are the main responsible for snakebite accidents. Due to the specific action of Bothrops venoms on several components of the coagulation cascade, the objective of this work was to characterize the coagulotoxic profile of B.
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