Therapeutic applications of snake venoms: An invaluable potential of new drug candidates

Diniz-Sousa, Rafaela; Silva, Cleópatra C A; Pereira, Soraya dos Santos; Silva, Saulo L. da; Fernandes, Pedro Alexandrino; Teixeira, Luís M C; Zuliani, Juliana Pavan; Soares, Andreimar Martins

doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124357

Cited by 13 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…The snake families Viperidae and Elapidae, which share several of the same proteins and peptides, have attracted the most research attention. However, their biological activity may differ as the chemical composition of venom varies by family, genus/species, the geographical location of the snake, prey type, and theage or size of the individual [ 41 ]. Snakes belonging to the subfamily Crotalinae inhabit diverse habitats in America, ranging from deserts, scrublands, and savanna or grassland biomes to coastal areas [ 6 , 9 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparative Analysis of the Cytotoxic and Vascular Activity Effects of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) Venoms Using a Chick Embryo Model

Bekešová,

Petrilla,

Polláková

et al. 2024

Animals

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Crotalus snakebites induce various toxicological effects, encompassing neurological, myotoxic, and cytotoxic symptoms, with potentially fatal outcomes. Investigating venom toxicity is essential for public health, and developing new tools allows for these effects to be studied more comprehensively. The research goals include the elucidation of the physiological consequences of venom exposure and the assessment of toxicity using animal models. Chicken embryos serve as valuable models for assessing venom toxicity through the chick embryotoxicity screening test (CHEST) and the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay, particularly useful for evaluating vascular impacts. C. adamanteus venom application resulted in higher embryotoxicity and morphological abnormalities, such as Siamese twins. The CAM assay demonstrated the hemorrhagic effects of venom, varying with venom type and concentration. The irritant potential of both venom types was classified as slight or moderate depending on their concentration. Additionally, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was performed to receive information about organ toxicity. The results show that both venoms induced changes in the whole embryo, heart, and liver weights, but the C. adamanteus venom was identified as more toxic. Specific venom concentrations affected AChE activity in embryonic tissues. These findings underscore the embryotoxic and vasoactive properties of Crotalus venoms, providing valuable insights into their mechanisms of toxicity and potential applications in biomedicine.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Comparative Analysis of the Cytotoxic and Vascular Activity Effects of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) Venoms Using a Chick Embryo Model

Bekešová,

Petrilla,

Polláková

et al. 2024

Animals

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“…In addition to the neurotoxins discussed in this review from various protein families ( Table 2 ), DTXs exhibited notable efficacy and specificity against Kv1 channels. Such criteria of DTX make them useful tools to study the presynaptic Kv1 channel populations in healthy tissue and the integrity of brain’s connectomes in neurodegenerative diseases [ 7 ]. The synthesis of selective ligands against Kv1 channels, which are commonly seen in demyelinated neurons, has been achieved by rational design using a chemo-informatic approach.…”

Section: Snake Venom Neurotoxins As Therapeuticsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Nevertheless, several toxins derived from snake venom have demonstrated promising applications as diagnostic tools, therapeutic agents, or pharmacological candidates [ 3 ]. Through recent advanced in research and drug discovery, snake venom components gain in-depth attention as invaluable sources of therapeutics in many medical fields from antimicrobial to anti-cancer research, to name a few [ 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Snake Venom: A Promising Source of Neurotoxins Targeting Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels

AlShammari,

Abd El-Aziz,

Al-Sabi

2023

Toxins

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The venom derived from various sources of snakes represents a vast collection of predominantly protein-based toxins that exhibit a wide range of biological actions, including but not limited to inflammation, pain, cytotoxicity, cardiotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. The venom of a particular snake species is composed of several toxins, while the venoms of around 600 venomous snake species collectively encompass a substantial reservoir of pharmacologically intriguing compounds. Despite extensive research efforts, a significant portion of snake venoms remains uncharacterized. Recent findings have demonstrated the potential application of neurotoxins derived from snake venom in selectively targeting voltage-gated potassium channels (Kv). These neurotoxins include BPTI-Kunitz polypeptides, PLA2 neurotoxins, CRISPs, SVSPs, and various others. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature on the significance of Kv channels in various tissues, highlighting their crucial role as proteins susceptible to modulation by diverse snake venoms. These toxins have demonstrated potential as valuable pharmacological resources and research tools for investigating the structural and functional characteristics of Kv channels.

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“…As a source of multiple biological molecules, snake venom is a tremendous opportunity for new medical uses by improvement with a biotechnological process [ 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. Crotalus durissus terrificus , a Viperidae snake (Crotalinae subfamily) also called Rattlesnake, and its venom (CdtV) comprises more than 60 different proteins with multiple pharmaceutical uses, such as antitumor, antiviral, and antimicrobial activities [ 9 , 15 , 16 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytotoxic effects of crotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake in canine mammary tumor cell lines

Pedro,

Brasileiro,

Macedo

et al. 2024

J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl. Trop. Dis

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Background: Mammary gland tumors are the most prevalent neoplasm in intact female dogs, and they are good natural models to study comparative oncology. Most canine mammary malignancies, as in women, are commonly refractory to conventional therapies and demand continuous new therapeutic approaches. Crotalus durissus terrificus , also called rattlesnake, has more than 60 different proteins in its venom with multiple pharmaceutical uses, such as antitumor, antiviral, and antimicrobial action. Crotoxin, a potent β-neurotoxin formed by the junction of two subunits, a basic subunit (CB-PLA 2 ) and an acidic subunit (crotapotin), has already been reported to have anticancer properties in different types of cancers. Methods: In this work, we describe the cytotoxic potential of crotoxin and its subunits compared to doxorubicin (drug of choice) in two canine mammary carcinoma cell lines. Results: Crotoxin, CB-PLA 2 , crotalic venom, and doxorubicin decreased cell viability and the ability to migrate in a dose-dependent manner, and crotapotin did not present an antitumoral effect. For all compounds, the predominant cell death mechanism was apoptosis. In addition, crotoxin did not show toxicity in normal canine mammary gland cells. Conclusion: Therefore, this work showed that crotoxin and CB-PLA 2 had cytotoxic activity, migration inhibition, and pro-apoptotic potential in canine mammary gland carcinoma cell lines, making their possible use in cancer research.

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Therapeutic applications of snake venoms: An invaluable potential of new drug candidates

Cited by 13 publications

References 69 publications

A Comparative Analysis of the Cytotoxic and Vascular Activity Effects of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) Venoms Using a Chick Embryo Model

A Comparative Analysis of the Cytotoxic and Vascular Activity Effects of Western Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus atrox) and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake (Crotalus adamanteus) Venoms Using a Chick Embryo Model

Snake Venom: A Promising Source of Neurotoxins Targeting Voltage-Gated Potassium Channels

Cytotoxic effects of crotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake in canine mammary tumor cell lines

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