Literature Review on Crotalus durissus terrificus Toxins: From a Perspective of Structural Biology and Therapeutic Applications.

BACKGROUND: The venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus, as well as its fractions, has intrigued research groups worldwide who are working to isolate, characterize, and find possible biotechnological applications. A number of studies have elucidated that these fractions and their derivatives possess pharmacological properties, which can enable the development of new drug prototypes with anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antitumor, antiviral, and antiparasitic applications. OBJECTIVE: This review presents a systematic study on Crotalus durissus terrificus, the most notable crotalid subspecies in South America, focusing on the composition, toxicological mechanisms, structural aspects, and applications of the main venom toxins (convulxin, gyroxin, crotamine, crotoxin, and their subunits). CONCLUSION: The authors have found that research on this snake and its toxins is still an area of focus, despite that almost a century has passed since the isolation of crotoxin. Several applications of these proteins in the development of novel drugs and bioactive substances have also been demonstrated.

Lectin isolated from Bothrops jararacussu venom induces IL-10 release by TCD4+ cells and TNF-α release by monocytes and natural killer cells.

BjcuL is a C-type lectin isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom with specificity for binding ß-d-galactose units. BjcuL is not toxic to human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), but it inhibits PBMC proliferation and stimulates these cells to produce superoxide anions and hydrogen peroxide primarily via lymphocyte stimulation; it does not stimulate the production of nitric oxide and PGE2 . The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of BjcuL on PBMC activation with a focus on cytokine release modulating PBMC proliferation. The results showed for the first time that BjcuL coupled to FITC interacted with monocytes, B cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and with subpopulations of T cells. These cell-cell interactions can lead to cell activation and inflammatory cytokines release, such as IL-6 and TNF-α, as well as the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. In addition, TNF-α release was attributed to NK cells and monocytes, whereas IL-10 was attributed to TCD4+ and Treg cells when stimulated by BjcuL. The temporal cytokines profile produced by cells when stimulated with this lectin allows us to assert that BjcuL has immunomodulatory activity in this context.