Snake venomics and antivenomics of Crotalus durissus subspecies from Brazil: Assessment of geographic variation and its implication on snakebite management

Author(s):Show less -

Boldrini-Franca, Johara ^[1] ; Correa-Netto, Carlos ^{[2, 3]} ; Silva, Marliete M. S. ^[4] ; Rodrigues, Renata S. ^[5] ; De La Torre, Pilar ^[6] ; Perez, Alicia ^[6] ; Soares, Andreimar M. ^[1] ; Zingali, Russolina B. ^{[2, 3]} ; Nogueira, Romildo A. ^[4] ; Rodrigues, Veridiana M. ^[5] ; Sanz, Libia ^[6] ; Calvete, Juan J. ^[6]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Ciencias Farmaceut Ribeirao Preto, BR-14049 Ribeirao Preto - Brazil

^[2] Univ Fed Rio de Janeiro, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[3] Inst Nacl Ciencia & Tecnol Biol Estrutural & Bioi, Inst Bioquim Med, Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[4] Univ Fed Rural Pernambuco, Dept Morfol & Fisiol Anim, Recife, PE - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Uberlandia, Inst Genet & Bioquim, BR-38400 Uberlandia, MG - Brazil

^[6] CSIC, Inst Biomed Valencia, Valencia 46010 - Spain

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS; v. 73, n. 9, p. 1758-1776, AUG 5 2010.
• Web of Science Citations: 88

Abstract

We report the comparative proteomic and antivenomic characterization of the venoms of subspecies cascavella and collilineatus of the Brazilian tropical rattlesnake Crotalus durissus. The venom proteomes of C. d. collilineatus and C. d. cascavella comprise proteins in the range of 4-115 kDa belonging to 9 and 8 toxin families, respectively. Collilineatus and cascavella venoms contain 20-25 main toxins belonging to the following protein families: disintegrin, PLA(2), serine proteinase, cysteine-rich secretory protein (CRISP), vascular endothelial growth factor-like (VEGF), L-amino acid oxidase, C-type lectin-like, and snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP). As judged by reverse-phase HPLC and mass spectrometry, cascavella and collilineatus share about 90% of their venom proteome. However, the relative occurrence of the toxin families departs among the two C. durissus subspecies venoms. The most notable difference is the presence of the myotoxin crotamine in some C. d. collilineatus specimens (averaging 20.8% of the total proteins of pooled venom), which is absent in the venom of C. d. cascavella. On the other hand, the neurotoxic PLA2 crotoxin represents the most abundant protein in both C. durissus venoms, comprising 67.4% of the toxin proteome in C. d. collilineatus and 72.5% in C. d. cascavella. Myotoxic PLA(2)s are also present in the two venoms albeit in different relative concentrations (18.1% in C. d. cascavella vs. 4.6% in C. d. collilineatus). The venom composition accounts for the clinical manifestations caused by C. durissus envenomations: systemic neurotoxicity and myalgic symptoms and coagulation disturbances, frequently accompanied by myoglobinuria and acute renal failure. The overall compositions of C. d. subspecies cascavella and collilineatus venoms closely resemble that of C. d. terrificus, supporting the view that these taxa can be considered geographical variations of the same species. Pooled venom from adult C.d. cascavella and neonate C.d. terrificus lack crotamine, whereas this skeletal muscle cell membrane depolarizing inducing myotoxin accounts for similar to 20% of the total toxins of venom pooled from C.d. collilineatus and C.d. terrificus from Southern Brazil. The possible relevance of the observed venom variability among the tropical rattlesnake subspecies was assessed by antivenomics using anti-crotalic antivenoms produced at Instituto Butantan and Instituto Vital Brazil. The results revealed that both antivenoms exhibit impaired immunoreactivity towards crotamine and display restricted (similar to 60%) recognition of PLA(2) molecules (crotoxin and D49-myotoxins) from C. d. cascavella and C. d. terrificus venoms. This poor reactivity of the antivenoms may be due to a combination of factors: on the one hand, an inappropriate choice of the mixture of venoms for immunization and, on the other hand, the documented low immunogenicity of PLA(2) molecules. C. durissus causes most of the lethal snakebite accidents in Brazil. The implication of the geographic variation of venom composition for the treatment of bites by different C. durissus subspecies populations is discussed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/09698-5 - Expression and Mapping of Sites Responsible for Neurotrophic Activity of a Nerve Growth Factor (NGF) cloned from Crotalus durissus collilineatus Venom Gland
• Grantee: Andreimar Martins Soares
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 08/11688-5 - Snake venomics and antivenomics of Crotalus durissus subspecies from Brazil and expression of a protease of biotechnological interest cloned from C. d. collilineatus venom gland
• Grantee: Johara Boldrini França Stringari
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate