Purification and characterization of peptides present in the venom of the scorpion Tityus serrulatus

• Grant number: 14/12976-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): October 01, 2014
• Effective date (End): July 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Collective Health - Public Health
• Acordo de Cooperação: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Fernanda Calheta Vieira Portaro
• Grantee: Bruno Duzzi
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Accidents caused by scorpion represent a relevant public health problem in Brazil, being more recurring than incidents caused by spiders and snakes. The main specie responsible for scorpionism in this country is the scorpion Tityus serrulatus due their reproductive strategy, the parthenogenesis, and the potential of its venom to induce severe, or even fatal, clinical events, especially among children. In the composition of this venom several neurotoxins that affect Na+ and K+ channels were described, being the main focus of the studies with this venom. Recent studies show that the venom of T. serrulatus is composed mainly by peptides and its formation is attributed by action of endogenous peptidases. However, little information is known about the peptides not classified as neurotoxins that constitute the scorpion venoms and its effects on envenomation. Based in the main symptom of severe envenomation, the acute pulmonary edema, we intend to identify and synthetize peptides present on the venom of T. serrulatus with a possible interaction with elastase, an abundant serine proteases in lungs that is related to pathological inflammatory processes. In addition to the new peptides to be identified during this project, we also intend to perform in vivo tests with the molecules already characterized in vitro during the Master's degree. Three peptides obtained during the Master's degree (FTR, KEILG and YLPT) were characterized as inhibitors of metallopeptidases, however, only in vitro results with the pentapeptide KEILG were published so far. Thus, this project aims to get detailed information about the presence and participation of peptides from the venom of T. serrulatus as modulators of human proteases and check if that could be related to envenomation symptoms. These characterizations, unpublished so far, can contribute to a better knowledge of the venom and the envenomation, possible resulting in the discovery of new pharmacological tools and the development of new drugs. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

DUZZI, BRUNO; CAJADO-CARVALHO, DANIELA; KUNIYOSHI, ALEXANDRE KAZUO; KODAMA, ROBERTO TADASHI; GOZZO, FABIO CESAR; FIORAMONTE, MARIANA; TAMBOURGI, DENISE VILARINHO; PORTARO, FERNANDA VIEIRA; RIOLI, VANESSA. [des-Arg(1)]-Proctolin: A novel NEP-like enzyme inhibitor identified in Tityus serrulatus venom. Peptides, v. 80, p. 18-24, JUN 2016. (12/06677-0, 14/12976-5, 13/15343-0)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

DUZZI, Bruno. Purification and characterization of peptides present in the Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB/SDI) São Paulo.