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Publication Details
AFRICAN RESEARCH NEXUS
SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON AFRICAN RESEARCH
pharmacology, toxicology and pharmaceutics
Isolation and characterization of a myotoxin from the venom of Macrovipera lebetina transmediterranea
Toxicon, Volume 56, No. 3, Year 2010
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Description
The Macrovipera lebetina venom consists of a complex mixture of proteins belonging to a few main families according to their enzymatic and pharmacological activity. Given the serious pathophysiological effects caused by M. lebetina bites mainly induced by muscle degeneration, we decided to investigate the myotoxic activity of some venom fractions. In the present study we describe the purification and characterization of a 22.600 kDa protein, named in the following Mlp4.2, that shares myotoxic but not haemorrhagic activity in vivo. Herein we report that Mlp4.2 is a metalloproteinase belonging to the PI-SVMPS family able, in vitro, to proteolyse extracellular matrix proteins as laminin and fibronectin. Histological observations of mouse anterior tibialis Mlp4.2-treated muscle, demonstrate that this protein induces a massive degeneration of myofibers but not haemorrhage. The immunofluorescence analysis of protein-treated anterior tibialis, demonstrates that Mlp4.2 is able to disarray the laminin network surrounding muscle fibers. Finally Mlp4.2 did not show any direct cytolytic activity towards the myogenic cell line C2C12 in culture. The data reported herein suggest that the myotoxicity of Mlp4.2 is primarily linked to the disruption of the muscle fibers interaction with extracellular matrix proteins. © 2010 Elsevier Ltd.
Authors & Co-Authors
Hamza, Loubna
Algeria, Algiers
Université Des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene
Girardi, Tiziana
Belgium, Ghent
Vlaams Instituut Voor Biotechnologie
Castelli, Silvia
Italy, Rome
Università Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata
Gargioli, Cesare
Italy, Rome
Biomedical Science Park San Raffaele
Stefano Maria Cannata, Stefano Maria
Italy, Rome
Università Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata
Patamia, Maria
Italy, Rome
Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche
Luly, Paolo
Italy, Rome
Università Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata
Laraba-Djebari, Fatima
Algeria, Algiers
Université Des Sciences et de la Technologie Houari Boumediene
Petruzzelli, Raffaele
Italy, Chieti
University of G. D'annunzio Chieti and Pescara
Rufini, Stefano
Italy, Rome
Università Degli Studi Di Roma Tor Vergata
Statistics
Citations: 18
Authors: 10
Affiliations: 6
Identifiers
Doi:
10.1016/j.toxicon.2010.04.001
ISSN:
00410101