Scolicidal activity of Mesobuthus eupeus venom against the protoscolices of Echinococcus granulosus

Document Type : Short Communication

Authors

1 Department of Venomous Animals and Toxins. Razi Vaccine and Serum Research Institute, Ahvaz, Agriculture Research, Education and Extension Organization, Ahvaz, Iran

2 Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran

Abstract

Hydatidosis is an important zoonosis caused by a parasitic tapeworm, namely Echinococcus granulosus. This infection is distributed worldwide and affects the health as well as economic loss in both humans and animals. In most cases, the disease needs chemotherapy with or without surgery. Conventional drugs have some major problems, including drug complications, harmful side effects, and also progressive resistance. According to the importance of biological productions as alternative medicine, a large number of studies confirmed that whole venom and many peptide ingredients of the scorpion venom have various different medical benefits, including antimicrobial properties, due to the mechanism of blocking gated ion channel. In this study, the venom peptides of Mesobuthus eupeus scorpionwere purified using gel filtration chromatography and subsequently ion exchange chromatography, followed by the determination of the molecular weights of the proteins by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) procedure. After collecting the hydatid cysts fluids from the liver of infected sheep, protoscolices were derived, washed, and encountered to the whole venom as well as eight different fractions of toxin 30, 60, 120, and 240 min after the exposure. In the next step, the viability of protoscolices was determined by eosin staining. The obtained results revealed that a venom fraction under 10 kDa killed all protoscolices after 30 min. Moreover, it was found that the scolicidal activity of fractions increases according to the time of exposure. As a result, it can be concluded that M. epeus venom peptides under its LD50 (1/2 LD50) can properly and quickly destroy the protoscolices of hydatid cysts at the level of applied concentrations and such components are good alternatives to treat hydatidosis.

Keywords

Main Subjects

Article Title [French]

Activité Scolicidal du Venin de Mesobuthus eupeus contre les Protoscolices d’Echinococcus granulosus

Abstract [French]

L'hydatidose est une zoonose importante causée par un ver solitaire parasite, à savoir Echinococcus granulosus. Cette infection est répandue dans le monde entier et affecte la santé humaine et animale, induisant des pertes économiques considérables. Dans la plupart des cas, la maladie nécessite une chimiothérapie avec ou sans chirurgie. Les médicaments classiques présentent des problèmes majeurs, notamment des complications médicamenteuses, des effets secondaires nocifs et une résistance progressive. Selon l'importance des productions biologiques en tant que médecine alternative, de nombreuses études ont confirmé que le venin entier ainsi que des nombreux ingrédients peptidiques du venin de scorpion présentaient divers avantages médicaux, y compris des propriétés antimicrobiennes, en raison du mécanisme de blocage des canaux ioniques. Dans cette étude, les peptides de venin de scorpion Mesobuthus eupeus ont été purifiés par une chromatographie sur gel de filtration suivie d’une chromatographie à échange d’ions, puis par détermination du poids moléculaire des protéines par électrophorèse sur gel de dodécyl sulfate de sodium et de polyacrylamide (SDS-PAGE). Après avoir recueilli les fluides de kystes hydatiques du foie de mouton infecté, les protoscolex ont été extraits, lavés et exposés auvenin entier ainsi qu’àhuit fractions différentes de toxine durant 30, 60, 120 et 240 min. Ensuite, la viabilité des protoscolex a été déterminée par coloration à l'éosine. Les résultats obtenus ont révélé qu'une fraction de venin de moins de 10 kDa avait éliminé tous les protoscolices après 30 min. De plus, il a été constaté que l’activité scolicide des fractions augmente en fonction du temps d’exposition. En conséquence, on peut en conclure que les peptides du venin de M. epeus avec sa DL50 (1/2 LD50) peuvent détruire correctement et rapidement les protoscolices des kystes hydatiques dans les concentrations appliquées dans cette étude et que de tels composants sont de bonnes alternatives pour traiter l’hydatidose.

Keywords [French]

  • Kyste hydatique
  • Protoscolex
  • Mesobuthus eupeus
  • Venin
  • Traitement

References

Baradaran, M., Jolodar, A., Jalali, A., Navidpour, S., Kafilzadeh, F., 2011. Sequence analysis of lysozyme C from the scorpion mesobuthus eupeus venom glands using semi-nested rt-PCR. Iran Red Crescent Med J 13, 719-725.
Borges, A., Silva, S., Op den Camp, H.J.M., Velasco, E., Alvarez, M., Alfonzo, M.J.M., et al., 2006. In vitro leishmanicidal activity of Tityus discrepans scorpion venom. Parasitol Res 99, 167-173.
Bygott, J.M., Chiodini, P.L., 2009. Praziquantel: Neglected drug? Ineffective treatment? Or therapeutic choice in cystic hydatid disease? Acta Tropica 111, 95-101.
Cao, L., Dai, C., Li, Z., Fan, Z., Song, Y., Wu, Y., et al.,
2012. Antibacterial Activity and Mechanism of a Scorpion Venom Peptide Derivative In Vitro and In Vivo. PLOS ONE 7, e40135.
Corzo, G., Escoubas, P., Villegas, E., Barnham, K.J., He, W., Norton, R.S., et al., 2001. Characterization of unique amphipathic antimicrobial peptides from venom of the scorpion Pandinus imperator. Biochem J 359, 35.
El-Asmar, M.F., Swelam, N., Abdel Aal, T.M., Ghoneim, K., Hodhod, S.S., 1980. Factor(s) in the venom of scorpions toxic to Schistosoma mansoni (intestinal belharzia) cercariae. Toxicon 18, 711-715.
Feng, L., Gao, R., Gopalakrishnakone, P., 2008. Isolation and characterization of a hyaluronidase from the venom of Chinese red scorpion Buthus martensi. Comp Biochem Physiol Part C: Toxicology & Pharmacology 148, 250-257.
Gao, B., Sherman, P., Luo, L., Bowie, J., Zhu, S., 2009. Structural and functional characterization of two genetically related meucin peptides highlights evolutionary divergence and convergence in antimicrobial peptides.
Greenberg, R., 2005. Ca2+ signalling, voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and praziquantel in flatworm neuromusculature.
Guillaume, C., Deregnaucourt, C., Clavey, V., Schrével, J., 2004. Anti-Plasmodium properties of group IA, IB, IIA and III secreted phospholipases A2 are serum-dependent. Toxicon 43, 311-318.
Incamnoi, P., Patramanon, R., Thammasirirak, S., Chaveerach, A., Uawonggul, N., Sukprasert, S., et al., 2013. Heteromtoxin (HmTx), a novel heterodimeric phospholipase A2 from Heterometrus laoticus scorpion venom. Toxicon 61, 62-71.
Ito, A., Budke, C., 2017. The echinococcoses in Asia: The present situation.
Li, H., Shao, Y., Aji, T., Zhang, J., Kashif, K., Ma, Q., et al., 2014. Laparoscopic approach for total cystectomy in treating hepatic cystic echinococcosis. Parasite 21, 65.
Moerman, L., Bosteels, S., Noppe, W., Willems, J., Clynen, E., Schoofs, L., et al., 2002. Antibacterial and antifungal properties of α-helical, cationic peptides in the venom of scorpions from southern Africa. Eur J Biochem 269, 4799-4810.
Musaev, G.K., Fatyanova, A.S., Levkin, V.V., 2017. Principles and modern trends in liver echinococcosis treatment. Khirurgiia 12, 90-94.
Navidpour, S.H., Kovařík, F., Soleglad, M., Fet, V., 2008. Scorpions of Iran (Arachnida, Scorpiones) Part I Khoozestan Province. Euscorpius 65, 1-41.
Ortiz, E., Gurrola, G.B., Schwartz, E.F., Possani, L.D., 2015. Scorpion venom components as potential candidates for drug development. Toxicon 93, 125-135.
Oukkache, N., Chgoury, F., Lalaoui, M., Cano, A.A., Ghalim, N., 2013. Comparison between two methods of scorpion venom milking in Morocco. J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis 19, 5.
Pérez-Serrano, J., Casado, N., Guillermo, Denegri, Rodriguez-Caabeiro, F., 1994. The effects of albendazole and albendazole sulphoxide combination-therapy on Echinococcus granulosus in vitro. Int J Parasitol 24, 219-224.
Perumal Samy, R., Stiles, B.G., Franco, O.L., Sethi, G., Lim, L.H.K., 2017. Animal venoms as antimicrobial agents. Biochem Pharmacol 134, 127-138.
Possani, L.D., Becerril, B., Delepierre, M., Tytgat, J., 1999. Scorpion toxins specific for Na+-channels. Eur J Biochem 264, 287-300.
Possani, L.D., Corona, M., Zurita, M., Rodrı́guez, M.H., 2002. From Noxiustoxin to Scorpine and Possible Transgenic Mosquitoes Resistant to Malaria. Arch Med Res 33, 398-404.
Shirmardi, S., Gandomkar, M., Shamsaei, M., Zare, A., Ghannadi Maragheh, M., Shafiei, M., et al., 2010. Preparation and Biodistribution Study of a 99mTc-Labeled Toxic Fraction of Iranian Mesobuthus Eupeus Scorpion Venom.
Smyth, J.D., Barrett, N.J., 1980. Procedures for testing the viability of human hydatid cysts following surgical removal, especially after chemotherapy. T Roy Soc Trop Med H 74, 649-652.
Thompson, R.C.A., 2017. Chapter Two - Biology and Systematics of Echinococcus. In: Thompson, R.C.A., Deplazes, P., Lymbery, A.J. (Eds.), Advances in Parasitology, Academic Press, pp. 65-109.
Urrea-París, M.A., Moreno, M.J., Casado, N., Rodriguez-Caabeiro, F., 2000. In vitro effect of praziquantel and albendazole combination therapy on the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus. Parasitol Res 86, 957-964.
Wolstenholme, A.J., 2011. Ion channels and receptor as targets for the control of parasitic nematodes. Int J Parasitol: Drugs and Drug Resistance 1, 2-13.
Xu, Z.M., Li, Z.S., Wen, M.X., Peng, R.Y., Sun, L., Wu, X.Y., et al., 2008. In vitro effect of medicinal scorpion on the larvae of Ancylostoma caninum. Chinese J. Parasitol. Parasit. Dis 30, 387-391.
Archives of Razi Institute
Volume 74, Issue 2
June 2019
Pages 183-189

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics