Brown spider (Loxosceles genus) venom toxins: tools for biological purposes.

Venomous animals use their venoms as tools for defense or predation. These venoms are complex mixtures, mainly enriched of proteic toxins or peptides with several, and different, biological activities. In general, spider venom is rich in biologically active molecules that are useful in experimental protocols for pharmacology, biochemistry, cell biology and immunology, as well as putative tools for biotechnology and industries. Spider venoms have recently garnered much attention from several research groups worldwide. Brown spider (Loxosceles genus) venom is enriched in low molecular mass proteins (5-40 kDa). Although their venom is produced in minute volumes (a few microliters), and contain only tens of micrograms of protein, the use of techniques based on molecular biology and proteomic analysis has afforded rational projects in the area and permitted the discovery and identification of a great number of novel toxins. The brown spider phospholipase-D family is undoubtedly the most investigated and characterized, although other important toxins, such as low molecular mass insecticidal peptides, metalloproteases and hyaluronidases have also been identified and featured in literature. The molecular pathways of the action of these toxins have been reported and brought new insights in the field of biotechnology. Herein, we shall see how recent reports describing discoveries in the area of brown spider venom have expanded biotechnological uses of molecules identified in these venoms, with special emphasis on the construction of a cDNA library for venom glands, transcriptome analysis, proteomic projects, recombinant expression of different proteic toxins, and finally structural descriptions based on crystallography of toxins.

Biotechnological applications of brown spider (Loxosceles genus) venom toxins.

Loxoscelism (the term used to define accidents by the bite of brown spiders) has been reported worldwide. Clinical manifestations following brown spider bites are frequently associated with skin degeneration, a massive inflammatory response at the injured region, intravascular hemolysis, platelet aggregation causing thrombocytopenia and renal disturbances. The mechanisms by which the venom exerts its noxious effects are currently under investigation. The whole venom is a complex mixture of toxins enriched with low molecular mass proteins in the range of 5-40 kDa. Toxins including alkaline phosphatase, hyaluronidase, metalloproteases (astacin-like proteases), low molecular mass (5.6-7.9 kDa) insecticidal peptides and phospholipases-D (dermonecrotic toxins) have been identified in the venom. The purpose of the present review is to describe biotechnological applications of whole venom or some toxins, with especial emphasis upon molecular biology findings obtained in the last years.

Hyaluronidases in Loxosceles intermedia (Brown spider) venom are endo-beta-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidases hydrolases.

In studying Loxosceles venom, we detected degradation of purified hyaluronic acid (HA) and hydrolysis of purified chondroitin sulphate (CS) while neither dermatan sulphate, heparin or heparan sulphate were affected. In addition, with HA-degrading kinetic assays, we show that a hydrolase enzyme was involved in the HA cleavage. By use of the Reissig colorimetric reaction, we found that venom hyaluronidase is an endo-beta-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase that generates terminal N-acetylglucosamine residues upon cleavage of HA. Zymogram analysis of L. intermedia venom showed HA lytic activities at 41 and 43kDa, and, when CS was used as a substrate, zymograph experiments resulted in 41 and 43kDa lytic zones. Thus, these results support the hypothesis that the same molecules are involved in cleaving HA and CS residues. Experiments to compare L. intermedia electrostimulated venom and venom gland extract also demonstrated very similar HA lytic activity, suggesting again that hyaluronidases are self-components of Loxosceles spider venom instead of oral egesta contamination. HA degradation as a function of pH in these hydrolase enzymes showed no apparent activities at low or high pH, with optimal activity at 6.0-8.0 pH. Finally, we confirmed the cleaving action of the venom hyaluronidases on HA in the extracellular matrix of the dermis of rabbit by fluorescence reaction to HA and confocal microscope analysis. Thus, hyaluronidases type hydrolases endo-beta-N-acetyl-d-hexosaminidase are implicated as self-components of Loxosceles spider venom and can be involved in venom effects as spreading factors.

Molecular cloning and functional characterization of two isoforms of dermonecrotic toxin from Loxosceles intermedia (brown spider) venom gland.

Brown spider (Genus Loxosceles) bites are normally associated with necrotic skin degeneration, gravitational spreading, massive inflammatory response at injured region, platelet aggregation causing thrombocytopenia and renal disturbances. Brown spider venom has a complex composition containing many different toxins, of which a well-studied component is the dermonecrotic toxin. This toxin alone may produce necrotic lesions, inflammatory response and platelet aggregation. Biochemically, dermonecrotic toxin belongs to a family of toxins with 30-35 kDa characterized as sphingomyelinase-D. Here, employing a cDNA library of Loxosceles intermedia venom gland, we cloned and expressed two recombinant isoforms of the dermonecrotic toxin LiRecDT2 (1062 bp cDNA) and LiRecDT3 (1007 bp cDNA) that encode for signal peptides and complete mature proteins. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed a structural relationship for these toxins compared to other members of family. Recombinant molecules were expressed as N-terminal His-tag fusion proteins in Escherichia coli and were purified to homogeneity from cell lysates by Ni(2+) chelating chromatography, resulting in proteins of 33.8 kDa for LiRecDT2 and 34.0 kDa for LiRecDT3. Additional evidence for related toxins containing sequence/epitopes identity comes from antigenic cross-reactivity using antibodies against crude venom toxins and antibodies raised with a purified dermonecrotic toxin. Recombinant toxins showed differential functionality in rabbits: LiRecDT2 caused a macroscopic lesion with gravitational spreading upon intradermal injection, while LiRecDT3 evoked transient swelling and erythema upon injection site. Light microscopic analysis of skin biopsies revealed edema, a collection of inflammatory cells in and around blood vessels and a proteinaceous network at the dermis. Moreover, differential functionality for recombinant toxins was also demonstrated by a high sphingomyelinase activity for LiRecDT2 and low activity for LiRecDT3 as well as greater in vitro platelet aggregation and blood vessel permeability induced by LiRecDT2 and residual activity for LiRecDT3. Cloning and expression of two recombinant dermonecrotic toxins demonstrate an intraspecific family of homologous toxins that act in synergism for deleterious activities of the venom and open possibilities for biotechnological applications for recombinant toxins as research tools for understanding the inflammatory response, vascular integrity and platelet aggregation modulators.

Brown spider dermonecrotic toxin directly induces nephrotoxicity.

Brown spider (Loxosceles genus) venom can induce dermonecrotic lesions at the bite site and systemic manifestations including fever, vomiting, convulsions, disseminated intravascular coagulation, hemolytic anemia and acute renal failure. The venom is composed of a mixture of proteins with several molecules biochemically and biologically well characterized. The mechanism by which the venom induces renal damage is unknown. By using mice exposed to Loxosceles intermedia recombinant dermonecrotic toxin (LiRecDT), we showed direct induction of renal injuries. Microscopic analysis of renal biopsies from dermonecrotic toxin-treated mice showed histological alterations including glomerular edema and tubular necrosis. Hyalinization of tubules with deposition of proteinaceous material in the tubule lumen, tubule epithelial cell vacuoles, tubular edema and epithelial cell lysis was also observed. Leukocytic infiltration was neither observed in the glomerulus nor the tubules. Renal vessels showed no sign of inflammatory response. Additionally, biochemical analyses showed such toxin-induced changes in renal function as urine alkalinization, hematuria and azotemia with elevation of blood urea nitrogen levels. Immunofluorescence with dermonecrotic toxin antibodies and confocal microscopy analysis showed deposition and direct binding of this toxin to renal intrinsic structures. By immunoblotting with a hyperimmune dermonecrotic toxin antiserum on renal lysates from toxin-treated mice, we detected a positive signal at the region of 33-35 kDa, which strengthens the idea that renal failure is directly induced by dermonecrotic toxin. Immunofluorescence reaction with dermonecrotic toxin antibodies revealed deposition and binding of this toxin directly in MDCK epithelial cells in culture. Similarly, dermonecrotic toxin treatment caused morphological alterations of MDCK cells including cytoplasmic vacuoles, blebs, evoked impaired spreading and detached cells from each other and from culture substratum. In addition, dermonecrotic toxin treatment of MDCK cells changed their viability evaluated by XTT and Neutral-Red Uptake methodologies. The present results point to brown spider dermonecrotic toxin cytotoxicity upon renal structures in vivo and renal cells in vitro and provide experimental evidence that this brown spider toxin is directly involved in nephrotoxicity evoked during Loxosceles spider venom accidents.

Brown spiders and loxoscelism.

Accidents caused by brown spiders (Loxosceles genus) are classically associated with dermonecrotic lesions and systemic manifestations including intravascular haemolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation and acute renal failure. Systemic reactions occur in a minority of cases, but may be severe in some patients and occasionally fatal. The mechanisms by which Loxosceles venom exerts these noxious effects are currently under investigation. The venom contains several toxins, some of which have been well-characterised biochemically and biologically. The purpose of the present review is to describe some insights into loxoscelism obtained over the last ten years. The biology and epidemiology of the brown spider, the histopathology of envenomation and the immunogenicity of Loxosceles venom are reviewed, as are the clinical features, diagnosis and therapy of brown spider bites. The identification and characterisation of some toxins and the mechanism of induction of local and systemic lesions caused by brown spider venom are also discussed. Finally, the biotechnological application of some venom toxins are covered.

Histopathological findings in rabbits after experimental acute exposure to the Loxosceles intermedia (brown spider) venom.

Loxoscelism, the term used to describe envenomation with brown spiders, is characterized by a dermonecrotic lesion at the bite site. In the present investigation we submitted albino rabbits to an acute experimental envenomation protocol using Loxosceles intermedia (brown spider) venom, with in order to determine the pathogenesic features of the lesion induced by this spider, which is the cause of several accidents throughout the world. Rabbits received intradermal injections of the venom and were monitored over the first 4 h, and then at 12 h and 1, 2 and 5 days after envenomation. Histological specimens from 3 rabbits per time point were collected from euthanized animals and processed for histological examination by light microscopy. Major findings observed during the first 4 h were oedema, haemorrhage, degeneration of blood vessel walls, plasma exudation, thrombosis, neutrophil accumulation in and around blood vessels with an intensive diapedesis, a diffuse collection of inflammatory cells (polymorphonuclear leucocytes) in the dermis, and subcutaneous muscular oedema. Over the following hours and up to 5 days after envenomation the changes progressed to massive neutrophil infiltration (with no other leucocytes) into the dermis and even into subcutaneous muscle tissue, destruction of blood vessels, thrombosis, haemorrhage, myonecrosis, and coagulative necrosis on the 5th day.