A Brief Overview of the Toxic Sphingomyelinase Ds of Brown Recluse Spider Venom and Other Organisms and Simple Methods To Detect Production of Its Signature Cyclic Ceramide Phosphate

Abstract

The total number of manuscript pages (44 with footnotes and figure legends), figures (4), tables (0), and word count of the Abstract (218), Introduction (350), and Discussion (Concluding comments: 485)

Perspective: Therapeutic Implications for Sphingolipids in Health and Disease

“…Recent studies have begun to investigate the potential of sphingolipid enzymes as druggable targets in nonmammalian systems, such as Cryptococcus neoformans (Mor et al, 2016). In a similar fashion, the research article by Lachmayr and Merrill (2024) examines the activity of an understudied phospholipase D, or sphingomyelinase D (SMase D), that generates the novel sphingolipid ceramide 1,3-cyclic phosphate (Cer1,3P). This SMase D activity occurs in the venom of the brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) and several other Sicariid spiders and directly leads to tissue necrosis after envenomation (Tambourgi et al, 1998).…”

“…This is further heightened in this case as there are currently no treatments for injuries following the bites of these spiders. This original article and minireview describes two simple methods for the detection of SMase D activity using fluorescent sphingomyelin (Lachmayr and Merrill, 2024). The simplicity of the methods outlined will hopefully serve as a platform for developing new therapeutic approaches for targeting the activity of SMase D/phospholipase D.…”

Special Section on Therapeutic Implications for Sphingolipids in Health and Disease—Editorial

“…This manuscript also details a simple thin layer chromatography method to detect sphingomyelinase D activity. This assay for detection of sphingomyelinase D activity will be useful for studies examining therapeutic interventions for spider bites (Lachmayr and Merrill, 2024).…”