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15 pages, 3422 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Function and Mechanism of Antiviral Wasp Venom Peptide Protopolybia-MP III and Its Derivatives against HSV-1

by Fang Sun, Xiangdong Ye, Tanran Han, Jingwen Xia, Lili Wu, Wen Zhu, Li Ding, Xudong Luo, Chenhu Qin and Zongyun Chen

Toxins 2024, 16(3), 132; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins16030132 - 4 Mar 2024

Viewed by 1826

Abstract

Viruses are one of the leading causes of human disease, and many highly pathogenic viruses still have no specific treatment drugs. Therefore, producing new antiviral drugs is an urgent matter. In our study, we first found that the natural wasp venom peptide Protopolybia-MP [...] Read more.

Viruses are one of the leading causes of human disease, and many highly pathogenic viruses still have no specific treatment drugs. Therefore, producing new antiviral drugs is an urgent matter. In our study, we first found that the natural wasp venom peptide Protopolybia-MP III had a significant inhibitory effect on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) replication in vitro by using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR), Western blotting, and plaque-forming assays. Immunofluorescence analysis showed Protopolybia-MP III could enter cells, and it inhibited multiple stages of the HSV-1 life cycle, including the attachment, entry/fusion, and post-entry stages. Furthermore, ultracentrifugation and electron microscopy detected that Protopolybia-MP III significantly suppressed HSV-1 virion infectivity at different temperatures by destroying the integrity of the HSV-1 virion. Finally, by comparing the antiviral activity of Protopolybia-MP III and its mutants, a series of peptides with better anti-HSV-1 activity were identified. Overall, this work found the function and mechanism of the antiviral wasp venom peptide Protopolybia-MP III and its derivatives against HSV-1 and laid the foundation for the research and development of wasp venom-derived antiviral candidate peptide drugs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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18 pages, 14434 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Potent Antitumor Activity of Smp43 against Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer A549 Cells via Inducing Membranolysis and Mitochondrial Dysfunction

by Ze Deng, Yahua Gao, Tienthanh Nguyen, Jinwei Chai, Jiena Wu, Jiali Li, Mohamed A. Abdel-Rahman, Xueqing Xu and Xin Chen

Toxins 2023, 15(5), 347; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15050347 - 19 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1947

Abstract

Research has been conducted to investigate the potential application of scorpion venom-derived peptides in cancer therapy. Smp43, a cationic antimicrobial peptide from Scorpio maurus palmatus venom, has been found to exhibit suppressive activity against the proliferation of multiple cancer cell lines. However, its [...] Read more.

Research has been conducted to investigate the potential application of scorpion venom-derived peptides in cancer therapy. Smp43, a cationic antimicrobial peptide from Scorpio maurus palmatus venom, has been found to exhibit suppressive activity against the proliferation of multiple cancer cell lines. However, its impact on non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines has not been previously investigated. This study aimed to determine the cytotoxicity of Smp43 towards various NSCLC cell lines, particularly A549 cells with an IC₅₀ value of 2.58 μM. The results indicated that Smp43 was internalized into A549 cells through membranolysis and endocytosis, which caused cytoskeleton disorganization, a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, an accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and abnormal apoptosis, cell cycle distribution, and autophagy due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Additionally, the study explored the in vivo protective effect of Smp43 in xenograft mice. The findings suggest that Smp43 has potential anticarcinoma properties exerted via the inducement of cellular processes related to cell membrane disruption and mitochondrial dysfunction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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17 pages, 2702 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Brown Spider Venom Phospholipase-D Activity upon Different Lipid Substrates

by Daniele Chaves-Moreira, Luiza Helena Gremski, Fábio Rogério de Moraes, Larissa Vuitika, Ana Carolina Martins Wille, Jorge Enrique Hernández González, Olga Meiri Chaim, Andrea Senff-Ribeiro, Raghuvir Krishnaswamy Arni and Silvio Sanches Veiga

Toxins 2023, 15(2), 109; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15020109 - 27 Jan 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2390

Abstract

Brown spider envenomation results in dermonecrosis, characterized by an intense inflammatory reaction. The principal toxins of brown spider venoms are phospholipase-D isoforms, which interact with different cellular membrane components, degrade phospholipids, and generate bioactive mediators leading to harmful effects. The Loxosceles intermedia phospholipase [...] Read more.

Brown spider envenomation results in dermonecrosis, characterized by an intense inflammatory reaction. The principal toxins of brown spider venoms are phospholipase-D isoforms, which interact with different cellular membrane components, degrade phospholipids, and generate bioactive mediators leading to harmful effects. The Loxosceles intermedia phospholipase D, LiRecDT1, possesses a loop that modulates the accessibility to the active site and plays a crucial role in substrate. In vitro and in silico analyses were performed to determine aspects of this enzyme’s substrate preference. Sphingomyelin d18:1/6:0 was the preferred substrate of LiRecDT1 compared to other Sphingomyelins. Lysophosphatidylcholine 16:0/0:0 was preferred among other lysophosphatidylcholines, but much less than Sphingomyelin d18:1/6:0. In contrast, phosphatidylcholine d18:1/16:0 was not cleaved. Thus, the number of carbon atoms in the substrate plays a vital role in determining the optimal activity of this phospholipase-D. The presence of an amide group at C2 plays a key role in recognition and activity. In silico analyses indicated that a subsite containing the aromatic residues Y228 and W230 appears essential for choline recognition by cation-π interactions. These findings may help to explain why different cells, with different phospholipid fatty acid compositions exhibit distinct susceptibilities to brown spider venoms. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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16 pages, 3803 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Pharmacological Potential of Novel Melittin Variants from the Honeybee and Solitary Bees against Inflammation and Cancer

by Pelin Erkoc, Björn Marcus von Reumont, Tim Lüddecke, Marina Henke, Thomas Ulshöfer, Andreas Vilcinskas, Robert Fürst and Susanne Schiffmann

Toxins 2022, 14(12), 818; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14120818 - 22 Nov 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5110

Abstract

The venom of honeybees is composed of numerous peptides and proteins and has been used for decades as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent in traditional medicine. However, the bioactivity of specific biomolecular components has been evaluated for the predominant constituent, melittin. So far, [...] Read more.

The venom of honeybees is composed of numerous peptides and proteins and has been used for decades as an anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent in traditional medicine. However, the bioactivity of specific biomolecular components has been evaluated for the predominant constituent, melittin. So far, only a few melittin-like peptides from solitary bee species have been investigated, and the molecular mechanisms of bee venoms as therapeutic agents remain largely unknown. Here, the preclinical pharmacological activities of known and proteo-transcriptomically discovered new melittin variants from the honeybee and more ancestral variants from phylogenetically older solitary bees were explored in the context of cancer and inflammation. We studied the effects of melittin peptides on cytotoxicity, second messenger release, and inflammatory markers using primary human cells, non-cancer, and cancerous cell lines. Melittin and some of its variants showed cytotoxic effects, induced Ca²⁺ signaling and inhibited cAMP production, and prevented LPS-induced NO synthesis but did not affect the IP3 signaling and pro-inflammatory activation of endothelial cells. Compared to the originally-described melittin, some phylogenetically more ancestral variants from solitary bees offer potential therapeutic modalities in modulating the in vitro inflammatory processes, and hindering cancer cell viability/proliferation, including aggressive breast cancers, and are worth further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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18 pages, 3469 KiB

Open AccessArticle

BmooMPα-I, a Metalloproteinase Isolated from Bothrops moojeni Venom, Reduces Blood Pressure, Reverses Left Ventricular Remodeling and Improves Cardiac Electrical Conduction in Rats with Renovascular Hypertension

by Jorge Eduardo Chang Estrada, Keuri Eleutério Rodrigues, Anderson Maciel, Cahy Manoel Bannwart, Wictória Farias Dias, Moisés Hamoy, Russolina Benedeta Zingali, Andreimar Martins Soares, Carolina Heitmann Mares Azevedo Ribeiro, Raquel Fernanda Gerlach, Marta Chagas Monteiro and Alejandro Ferraz Prado

Toxins 2022, 14(11), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14110766 - 5 Nov 2022

Viewed by 2134

Abstract

BmooMPα-I has kininogenase activity, cleaving kininogen releasing bradykinin and can hydrolyze angiotensin I at post-proline and aspartic acid positions, generating an inactive peptide. We evaluated the antihypertensive activity of BmooMPα-I in a model of two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C). Wistar rats were divided into groups: [...] Read more.

BmooMPα-I has kininogenase activity, cleaving kininogen releasing bradykinin and can hydrolyze angiotensin I at post-proline and aspartic acid positions, generating an inactive peptide. We evaluated the antihypertensive activity of BmooMPα-I in a model of two-kidney, one-clip (2K1C). Wistar rats were divided into groups: Sham, who underwent sham surgery, and 2K1C, who suffered stenosis of the right renal artery. In the second week of hypertension, we started treatment (Vehicle, BmooMPα-I and Losartan) for two weeks. We performed an electrocardiogram and blood and heart collection in the fourth week of hypertension. The 2K1C BmooMPα-I showed a reduction in blood pressure (systolic pressure: 131 ± 2 mmHg; diastolic pressure: 84 ± 2 mmHg versus 174 ± 3 mmHg; 97 ± 4 mmHg, 2K1C Vehicle, p < 0.05), improvement in electrocardiographic parameters (Heart Rate: 297 ± 4 bpm; QRS: 42 ± 0.1 ms; QT: 92 ± 1 ms versus 332 ± 6 bpm; 48 ± 0.2 ms; 122 ± 1 ms, 2K1C Vehicle, p < 0.05), without changing the hematological profile (platelets: 758 ± 67; leukocytes: 3980 ± 326 versus 758 ± 75; 4400 ± 800, 2K1C Vehicle, p > 0.05), with reversal of hypertrophy (left ventricular area: 12.1 ± 0.3; left ventricle wall thickness: 2.5 ± 0.2; septum wall thickness: 2.3 ± 0.06 versus 10.5 ± 0.3; 2.7 ± 0.2; 2.5 ± 0.04, 2K1C Vehicle, p < 0.05) and fibrosis (3.9 ± 0.2 versus 7.4 ± 0.7, 2K1C Vehicle, p < 0.05). We concluded that BmooMPα-I improved blood pressure levels and cardiac remodeling, having a cardioprotective effect. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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Review

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14 pages, 2093 KiB

Open AccessReview

A Review on Genotoxic and Genoprotective Effects of Biologically Active Compounds of Animal Origin

by Nikolajs Sjakste and Goran Gajski

Toxins 2023, 15(2), 165; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15020165 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2779

Abstract

Envenomation by animal venoms remains a serious medical and social problem, especially in tropical countries. On the other hand, animal venoms are widely used as a source of biologically active compounds for the development of novel drugs. Numerous derivatives of animal venoms are [...] Read more.

Envenomation by animal venoms remains a serious medical and social problem, especially in tropical countries. On the other hand, animal venoms are widely used as a source of biologically active compounds for the development of novel drugs. Numerous derivatives of animal venoms are already used in clinical practice. When analysing the mechanisms of action of animal venoms, attention is usually focused on the main target of the venom’s enzymes and peptides such as neurotoxic, cytotoxic or haemorrhagic effects. In the present review, we would like to draw attention to the “hidden” effects of animal venoms and their derivatives in regard to DNA damage and/or protection against DNA damage. Alkaloids and terpenoids isolated from sponges such as avarol, ingenamine G or variolin B manifest the capability to bind DNA in vitro and produce DNA breaks. Trabectidin, isolated from a sea squirt, also binds and damages DNA. A similar action is possible for peptides isolated from bee and wasp venoms such as mastoparan, melectin and melittin. However, DNA lesions produced by the crude venoms of jellyfish, scorpions, spiders and snakes arise as a consequence of cell membrane damage and the subsequent oxidative stress, whereas certain animal venoms or their components produce a genoprotective effect. Current research data point to the possibility of using animal venoms and their components in the development of various potential therapeutic agents; however, before their possible clinical use the route of injection, molecular target, mechanism of action, exact dosage, possible side effects and other fundamental parameters should be further investigated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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27 pages, 1169 KiB

Open AccessReview

Neurotoxins Acting at Synaptic Sites: A Brief Review on Mechanisms and Clinical Applications

by Kunming Zhou, Weifeng Luo, Tong Liu, Yong Ni and Zhenghong Qin

Toxins 2023, 15(1), 18; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins15010018 - 27 Dec 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 10530

Abstract

Neurotoxins generally inhibit or promote the release of neurotransmitters or bind to receptors that are located in the pre- or post-synaptic membranes, thereby affecting physiological functions of synapses and affecting biological processes. With more and more research on the toxins of various origins, [...] Read more.

Neurotoxins generally inhibit or promote the release of neurotransmitters or bind to receptors that are located in the pre- or post-synaptic membranes, thereby affecting physiological functions of synapses and affecting biological processes. With more and more research on the toxins of various origins, many neurotoxins are now widely used in clinical treatment and have demonstrated good therapeutic outcomes. This review summarizes the structural properties and potential pharmacological effects of neurotoxins acting on different components of the synapse, as well as their important clinical applications, thus could be a useful reference for researchers and clinicians in the study of neurotoxins. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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21 pages, 2122 KiB

Open AccessReview

Varespladib in the Treatment of Snakebite Envenoming: Development History and Preclinical Evidence Supporting Advancement to Clinical Trials in Patients Bitten by Venomous Snakes

by Matthew R. Lewin, Rebecca W. Carter, Isabel A. Matteo, Stephen P. Samuel, Sunita Rao, Bryan G. Fry and Philip E. Bickler

Toxins 2022, 14(11), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins14110783 - 11 Nov 2022

Cited by 31 | Viewed by 6649

Abstract

The availability of effective, reliably accessible, and affordable treatments for snakebite envenoming is a critical and long unmet medical need. Recently, small, synthetic toxin-specific inhibitors with oral bioavailability used in conjunction with antivenom have been identified as having the potential to greatly improve [...] Read more.

The availability of effective, reliably accessible, and affordable treatments for snakebite envenoming is a critical and long unmet medical need. Recently, small, synthetic toxin-specific inhibitors with oral bioavailability used in conjunction with antivenom have been identified as having the potential to greatly improve outcomes after snakebite. Varespladib, a small, synthetic molecule that broadly and potently inhibits secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2s) venom toxins has renewed interest in this class of inhibitors due to its potential utility in the treatment of snakebite envenoming. The development of varespladib and its oral dosage form, varespladib-methyl, has been accelerated by previous clinical development campaigns to treat non-envenoming conditions related to ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, sepsis, and acute coronary syndrome. To date, twenty-nine clinical studies evaluating the safety, pharmacokinetics (PK), and efficacy of varespladib for non-snakebite envenoming conditions have been completed in more than 4600 human subjects, and the drugs were generally well-tolerated and considered safe for use in humans. Since 2016, more than 30 publications describing the structure, function, and efficacy of varespladib have directly addressed its potential for the treatment of snakebite. This review summarizes preclinical findings and outlines the scientific support, the potential limitations, and the next steps in the development of varespladib’s use as a snakebite treatment, which is now in Phase 2 human clinical trials in the United States and India. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Animal Venom: Challenges and Perspectives in Drug Discovery)

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