Evaluation of the innate immune response induced by Bothrops moojeni crude venom or its protein and lipid fractions.

• Grant number: 21/12337-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: November 01, 2022
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Lúcia Helena Faccioli
• Grantee: Nathalia Santos Carvalho
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto (FCFRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/14619-7 - Investigating the Inflammatory and Coagulant Mechanisms of Bothrops moojeni Venom on Platelet Interactions with Innate Immune Cells, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

Accidents caused by venomous snakes are an important and neglected public health problem. In the global scenario, among the countries with the highest incidence of snakebites, Brazil is in 3rd place, with those caused by species of the Bothrops genus with the greatest epidemiological relevance. The snake B. moojeni is the main species in the cerrado and presents an extremely aggressive behavior, being a potential target for studies of clinical importance. Snake venoms contain hundreds of molecules with a broad spectrum of biological actions. In bothropic venom, the protein portion can be equivalent to about 90% of the dry weight, being the main target of study, due to the wide variety of pharmacological actives. Our research group, in an unprecedented way, characterized the profile of non-protein constituents, mainly those of a lipidic nature, present in the B. moojeni venom, and also demonstrated that the scorpion venom lipids induce the release of cytokines. Although lipid functions are already well established in several pathologies, in the context of the action of venoms, the role of these molecules has not yet been investigated. Our hypothesis is that molecules from the non-protein fraction contribute to cell activation and to the innate immune response in B. moojeni envenomation. Thus, our aim is to investigate the mechanisms of cell activation in vitro, and evaluate in vivo the innate immune response induced by B. moojeni venom, and its protein and lipid fractions. We expected to contribute to the understanding of the role of venom lipids in snake envenomation, aiming to optimize treatment.

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)

CARVALHO, NATHALIA SANTOS; NARDINI, VIVIANI; VERONEZES, RAUL MOYSES; MACIEL, JESSICA BURLAMAQUE; TRABUCO, AMANDA CRISTINA; DE CARVALHO, MIRIAN FELIX; FONTANARI, CAROLINE; SARTIM, MARCO AURELIO; DE MORAES, LUIZ ALBERTO BERALDO; FACCIOLI, LUCIA HELENA. Characterizing lipid constituents of B. moojeni snake venom: a comparative approach for chemical and biological investigations. ARCHIVES OF TOXICOLOGY, v. 98, n. 10, p. 12-pg., 2024-07-01. (21/12337-6)