Daiana Silva Lopes

Anti-snake venom properties of Schizolobium parahyba (Caesalpinoideae) aqueous leaves extract.

Many medicinal plants have been recommended for the treatment of snakebites. The aqueous extracts prepared from the leaves of Schizolobium parahyba (a plant found in Mata Atlantica in Southeastern Brazil) were assayed for their ability to inhibit some enzymatic and biological activities induced by Bothrops pauloensis and Crotalus durissus terrificus venoms as well as by their isolated toxins neuwiedase (metalloproteinase), BnSP‐7 (basic Lys49 PLA2) and CB (PLA2 from crotoxin complex). Phospholipase A2, coagulant, fibrinogenolytic, hemorrhagic and myotoxic activities induced by B. pauloensis and C. d. terrificus venoms, as well as by their isolated toxins were significantly inhibited when different amounts of S. parahyba were incubated previously with these venoms and toxins before assays. However, when S. parahyba was administered at the same route as the venoms or toxins injections, the tissue local damage, such as hemorrhage and myotoxicity was only partially inhibited. The study also evaluated the inhibitory effect of S. parahyba upon the spreading of venom proteins from the injected area into the systemic circulation. The neutralization of systemic alterations induced by i.m. injection of B. pauloensis venom was evaluated by measuring platelet and plasma fibrinogen levels which were significantly maintained when S. parahyba extract inoculation occurred at the same route after B. pauloensis venom injection. In conclusion, the observations confirmed that the aqueous extract of S. parahyba possesses potent snake venom neutralizing properties. It may be used as an alternative treatment to serum therapy and as a rich source of potential inhibitors of toxins involved in several physiopathological human and animal diseases. Copyright

Biochemical properties of a new PI SVMP from Bothrops pauloensis: Inhibition of cell adhesion and angiogenesis

In the present work, we demonstrate some biochemical and functional properties of a new PI snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom (BpMP-II), in addition we evaluated its capacity to inhibit endothelial cell adhesion and in vitro angiogenesis. BpMP-II was purified after a combination of three chromatography steps and showed molecular mass of 23,000 Da determined by MALDI-TOF, an isoelectric point of 6.1 and the sequence of some fragments obtained by MS/MS (MALDI TOF\TOF) presented high structural similarity with other PI-SVMPs. BpMP-II showed proteolytic activity against azocasein, was able to degrade bovine fibrinogen and was inhibited by EDTA, 1.10 phenantroline and β-mercaptoethanol. BpMP-II did not induce local hemorrhage in the dorsal region of mice even at high doses and did not affect plasma creatine kinase (CK) levels when administered intramuscularly into the gastrocnemius muscle of mice. Moreover, this metalloproteinase decreased tEnd cells viability at concentrations higher than 20 μg/mL. With sub-toxic doses this metalloproteinase affected tEnd cell adhesion and was also able to inhibit in vitro angiogenesis. BpMP-II showed very important functional properties suggesting considerable therapeutic potential for this class of protein.

Human breast cancer cell death induced by BnSP-6, a Lys-49 PLA₂ homologue from Bothrops pauloensis venom.

This work shows the antitumoral effects of BnSP-6, a Lys 49 PLA2 isolated from Bothrops pauloensis venom, on human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. BnSP-6 caused a dose-dependent cytotoxicity and inhibited cell adhesion. Interestingly, cytotoxic activity of BnSP-6 was significantly lower against MCF10A, a non-tumorigenic breast cell line, suggesting that this PLA2 presented a possible preference for targets in cancer cells. Analysis of cell death on MDA-MB-231 cells showed that BnSP-6 stimulated the autophagy process, as evidenced by labeling of autophagic vacuoles. Moreover, apoptosis assays showed that BnSP-6 induced both early and late apoptosis. Apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells was also confirmed by up-regulation of different genes related to the apoptosis pathway, such as TNF, TNFRSF10B, TNFRSF1A and CASP8 and decreased expression of anti-apoptotic genes (BCL2 and BCL2L). In addition, BnSP-6 caused a remarkable increase in gene expression of BRCA2 and TP53 tumor suppressors. Finally, BnSP-6 induced down-regulation of Angiopoetin 1 gene (potent pro-angiogenic factor) and inhibited adhesion and migration of MDA-MB-231 cells suggesting pharmaceutical applications of this PLA2 as an antiangiogenic and anti-metastatic agent. Taken together, our results show that the PLA2 BnSP-6 presents anticancer potential that can be exploited as prototype for the design of new therapies.

In vitro antitumor and antiangiogenic effects of Bothropoidin, a metalloproteinase from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom.

Breast cancer is a highly malignant carcinoma and remains the second leading cause of mortality among women. The antitumor effects of metalloproteinases and disintegrins from snake venom on various types of cancer cells have been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the antitumor and antiangiogenic effects on MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells and endothelial cells induced by Bothropoidin, a disintegrin-like metalloproteinase isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom. At 24h after treatment at 100μg/mL, Bothropoidin exerted a moderate cytotoxic effect of 30% on MDA-MB-231 versus 10% cytotoxicity against MCF10A (a non-tumorigenic breast cell line), a significant difference that suggests a possible preference by this protein for targets in cancer cells. Early and late apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 was observed after Bothropoidin treatment (10μg/mL and 40μg/mL). Furthermore, this toxin inhibited not only the adhesion of MDA-MB-231 cells in a dose-dependent manner but also cell migration by approximately 45%. In addition, Bothropoidin decreased endothelial cells viability and adhesion in Matrigel and inhibited in vitro angiogenesis in Matrigel stimulated by bFGF, showing significantly fewer formed vessels. The results demonstrated that Bothropoidin has potent in vitro antitumor and antiangiogenic effect and represents a biotechnological tool for elucidating the antitumor effect of disintegrins-like metalloproteinases in cancer cells.

Biochemical and functional characterization of Bothropoidin: the first haemorrhagic metalloproteinase from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom.

We present the biochemical and functional characterization of Bothropoidin, the first haemorrhagic metalloproteinase isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom. This protein was purified after three chromatographic steps on cation exchange CM-Sepharose fast flow, size-exclusion column Sephacryl S-300 and anion exchange Capto Q. Bothropoidin was homogeneous by SDS-PAGE under reducing and non-reducing conditions, and comprised a single chain of 49,558 Da according to MALDI TOF analysis. The protein presented an isoelectric point of 3.76, and the sequence of six fragments obtained by MS (MALDI TOF\TOF) showed a significant score when compared with other PIII Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs). Bothropoidin showed proteolytic activity on azocasein, Aα-chain of fibrinogen, fibrin, collagen and fibronectin. The enzyme was stable at pH 6-9 and at lower temperatures when assayed on azocasein. Moreover, its activity was inhibited by EDTA, 1.10-phenanthroline and β-mercaptoethanol. Bothropoidin induced haemorrhage [minimum haemorrhagic dose (MHD) = 0.75 µg], inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen and ADP, and interfered with viability and cell adhesion when incubated with endothelial cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. Our results showed that Bothropoidin is a haemorrhagic metalloproteinase that can play an important role in the toxicity of B. pauloensis envenomation and might be used as a tool for studying the effects of SVMPs on haemostatic disorders and tumour metastasis.

Jararhagin disruption of endothelial cell anchorage is enhanced in collagen enriched matrices.

Hemorrhage is one of the most striking effects of bites by viper snakes resulting in fast bleeding and ischemia in affected tissues. Snake venom metalloproteinases (SVMPs) are responsible for hemorrhagic activity, but the mechanisms involved in SVMP-induced hemorrhage are not entirely understood and the study of such mechanisms greatly depends on in vivo experiments. In vivo, hemorrhagic SVMPs accumulate on basement membrane (BM) of venules and capillary vessels allowing the hydrolysis of collagen IV with consequent weakness and rupture of capillary walls. These effects are not reproducible in vitro with conventional endothelial cell cultures. In this study we used two-dimension (2D) or three-dimension (3D) cultures of HUVECs on matrigel and observed the same characteristics as in ex vivo experiments: only the hemorrhagic toxin was able to localize on surfaces or internalize endothelial cells in 2D cultures or in the surface of tubules formed on 3D cultures. The contribution of matrigel, fibronectin and collagen matrices in jararhagin-induced endothelial cell damage was then analyzed. Collagen and matrigel substrates enhanced the endothelial cell damage induced by jararhagin allowing toxin binding to focal adhesions, disruption of stress fibers, detachment and apoptosis. The higher affinity of jararhagin to collagen than to fibronectin explains the localization of the toxin within BM. Moreover, once located in BM, interactions of jararhagin with α2β1 integrin would favor its localization on focal adhesions, as observed in our study. The accumulation of toxin in focal adhesions, observed only in cells grown in collagen matrices, would explain the enhancement of cell damage in these matrices and reflects the actual interaction among toxin, endothelial cells and BM components that occurs in vivo and results in the hemorrhagic lesions induced by viper venoms.

Trypanosoma cruzi P21: a potential novel target for chagasic cardiomyopathy therapy.

Chagas disease, which is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important cause of cardiomyopathy in Latin America. It is estimated that 10%–30% of all infected individuals will acquire chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC). The etiology of CCC is multifactorial and involves parasite genotype, host genetic polymorphisms, immune response, signaling pathways and autoimmune progression. Herein we verified the impact of the recombinant form of P21 (rP21), a secreted T. cruzi protein involved in host cell invasion, on progression of inflammatory process in a polyester sponge-induced inflammation model. Results indicated that rP21 can recruit immune cells induce myeloperoxidase and IL-4 production and decrease blood vessels formation compared to controls in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, T. cruzi P21 may be a potential target for the development of P21 antagonist compounds to treat chagasic cardiomyopathy.

Angiogenenic effects of BpLec, a C-type lectin isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom

The present work reports the effects of a C-type lectin (BpLec) isolated from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom upon in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis models. Initially, we noted that BpLec was not cytotoxic to endothelial cells (tEnd) in doses up to 40μg/mL, but lower doses (2.5μg/mL, 5μg/mL, 10μg/mL and 20μg/mL) reduced tEnd cells adhesion to some extracellular matrix proteins and inhibited the in vitro vessel formation in Matrigel assay stimulated by bFGF. β-galactosides (d-lactose, N-acetyl-d-galactosamine and d-galactose) at 400mM reversed the effect of BpLec on tEnd cells adhesion, whereas d-galactose (400mM) partially reversed BpLec property of inhibiting vessel formation by tEnd cells in Matrigel. In vivo assays showed that BpLec increased hemoglobin content and capillary vessels number in polyether-polyurethane sponge discs subcutaneously implanted into dorsal skin mice. Additionally, BpLec also reduced collagen deposition and did not induce a pro-inflammatory response, as demonstrated by the decreased the secretion of some inflammatory cytokines, whereas myeloperoxidase (MPO) and N-acetylglucosaminidase (NAG) activities were not altered by BpLec. Taken together, our results indicate that BpLec might represent an interesting angiogenesis and inflammatory modulator that could also be used for searching possible therapeutic targets involved in these processes.

Antiparasitic effects induced by polyclonal IgY antibodies anti-phospholipase A 2 from Bothrops pauloensis venom

Activities of phospholipases (PLAs) have been linked to pathogenesis in various microorganisms, and implicated in cell invasion and so the interest in these enzymes as potential targets that could contribute to the control of parasite survival and proliferation. Chicken eggs immunized with BnSP-7, a Lys49 phospholipase A2 (PLA2) homologue from Bothrops pauloensis snake venom, represent an excellent source of polyclonal antibodies with potential inhibitory activity on parasite PLAs. Herein, we report the production, characterization and anti-parasitic effect of IgY antibodies from egg yolks of hens immunized with BnSP-7. Produced antibodies presented increasing avidity and affinity for antigenic toxin epitopes throughout immunization, attaining a plateau after 4weeks. Pooled egg yolks-purified anti-BnSP-7 IgY antibodies were able to specifically recognize different PLA2s from Bothrops pauloensis and Bothrops jararacussu venom. Antibodies also neutralized BnSP-7 cytotoxic activity in C2C12 cells. Also, the antibodies recognized targets in Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis and Toxoplasma gondii extracts by ELISA and immunofluorescence assays. Anti-BnSP-7 IgY antibodies were cytotoxic to T. gondii tachyzoite and L. (L.) amazonensis promastigotes, and were able to decrease proliferation of both parasites treated before infection. These data suggest that the anti-BnSP-7 IgY is an important tool for discovering new parasite targets and blocking parasitic effects.

Mechanistic Insights into the Anti-angiogenic Activity of Trypanosoma cruzi Protein 21 and its Potential Impact on the Onset of Chagasic Cardiomyopathy

Chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) is arguably the most important form of the Chagas Disease, caused by the intracellular protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi; it is estimated that 10–30% of chronic patients develop this clinical manifestation. The most common and severe form of CCC can be related to ventricular abnormalities, such as heart failure, arrhythmias, heart blocks, thromboembolic events and sudden death. Therefore, in this study, we proposed to evaluate the anti-angiogenic activity of a recombinant protein from T. cruzi named P21 (rP21) and the potential impact of the native protein on CCC. Our data suggest that the anti-angiogenic activity of rP21 depends on the protein’s direct interaction with the CXCR4 receptor. This capacity is likely related to the modulation of the expression of actin and angiogenesis-associated genes. Thus, our results indicate that T. cruzi P21 is an attractive target for the development of innovative therapeutic agents against CCC.