Isolation and Partial Characterization of Proteins with Vasodegenerative and Proinflammatory Properties from the Egg-Nests of <I>Hylesia metabus</I> (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae)

Abstract

The Hylesia genus comprises a group of Neotropical moths ubiquitous in the Americas from Arizona to Argentina. One of the species of the Hylesia genus in Venezuela, French Guyana, and Trinidad has been identified as Hylesia metabus (Cramer 1775) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). In Venezuela, these moths are found in abundance in the mangrove (Avicennia spp.) swamps surrounding the Gulf of Paria and the Orinoco Delta in the eastern part of the country. During the mating season, the female adults shed copious amounts of urticating setae in the air, producing a severe papulovesicular dermatitis among the population in the affected areas. The females also use their urticating setae to protect the eggs during the hatching period. In the current study, we have isolated and partially characterized proteins with proinflammatory properties from the urticating setae in the egg-nests by using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and anionic exchange-high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). We also have studied the biological response of the egg-nest extract and the HPLC purified fractions by inoculation in guinea pigs; and, analyzing the tissue samples by means of histopathological methods. The results of this study show that the extracted venom and HPLC purified subcomponents give rise to an intense inflammatory reaction characterized by massive infiltration of inflammatory cells, echymoses, and vascular degeneration. Chromatographic separation showed that the venom was made up of proteins having selectively vasodegenerative-fibrinolytic or proinflammatory-quimotactic properties.

Proteome Analysis of Urticating Setae From Thaumetopoea pityocampa (Lepidoptera: Notodontidae)

“…Because serine proteases have been found to have an important role in mediating the reactions of exposed humans and guinea pigs to the urticating setae of the caterpillars of Euproctis spp. (Bleumink et al 1982) and of the female moths of H. metabus (Lundberg et al 2007;Cabrera et al 2016Cabrera et al , 2017, it would be interesting to assess their role in the T. pityocampa system as well. Serine proteases do occur in the proteome of this species and show some similarity with proteins occurring in Bombyx, Helicoverpa, and Mamestra (Supp.…”

“…Proteins associated with the urticating setae of Lepidoptera have been described by Bleumink et al (1982) for the caterpillars of Euproctis spp. (Lepidoptera: Erebidae) and by Lundberg et al (2007) for the female moths of Hylesia metabus (Cramer) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). In both cases, an enzymatic activity (serine protease) seems to occur and appears to be responsible for the typical reaction associated with the contact of human skin with the setae.…”

Abdominal macrochaetae of female Hylesia oratex Dyar, 1913 (Insecta: Lepidoptera: Saturniidae): external morphology and medical significance

“…The presence of these openings in both species indicates a probable excretion of chemicals for protective function. There is a possibility, as described by Rodriguez et al (2004), that there is a cell with secretory function which connects these setae to the integument (Lundberg et al 2007). True setae and scales were found in the lateral region of H. oratex, beyond the modifi ed setae, while in H. metabus the modifi ed setae were predominant (Rodriguez et al 2004).…”

Accidentes por lepidópteros: Hylesia nigricans (Berg, 1875) o “mariposa negra”

“…1,7 Además, se han aislado de las cerdas de otras especies de Hylesia algunas proteínas que estarían involucradas en los fenómenos inflamatorios y vasodegenerativos. 8 En Hylesia metabus, se describió una proteasa alcalina, fibrinolítica y de actividad similar a la calicreína, y su actividad podría estar relacionada con la formación de bradiquinina y lisobradiquinina. Esta proteasa, además, sería capaz de causar reacciones de hipersensibilidad retardada.…”