Bothrops moojeni myotoxin-II, a Lys49-phospholipase A2 homologue: an example of function versatility of snake venom proteins

Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol. 2006 Mar-Apr;142(3-4):371-381. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2005.11.020. Epub 2006 Jan 24.

Abstract

MjTX-II, a myotoxic phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) homologue from Bothrops moojeni venom, was functionally and structurally characterized. The MjTX-II characterization included: (i) functional characterization (antitumoral, antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects); (ii) effects of structural modifications by 4-bromophenacyl bromide (BPB), cyanogen bromide (CNBr), acetic anhydride and 2-nitrobenzenesulphonyl fluoride (NBSF); (iii) enzymatic characterization: inhibition by low molecular weight heparin and EDTA; and (iv) molecular characterization: cDNA sequence and molecular structure prediction. The results demonstrated that MjTX-II displayed antimicrobial activity by growth inhibition against Escherichia coli and Candida albicans, antitumoral activity against Erlich ascitic tumor (EAT), human breast adenocarcinoma (SK-BR-3) and human T leukemia cells (JURKAT) and antiparasitic effects against Schistosoma mansoni and Leishmania spp., which makes MjTX-II a promising molecular model for future therapeutic applications, as well as other multifunctional homologous Lys49-PLA(2)s or even derived peptides. This work provides useful insights into the structural determinants of the action of Lys49-PLA(2) homologues and, together with additional strategies, supports the concept of the presence of others "bioactive sites" distinct from the catalytic site in snake venom myotoxic PLA(2)s.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetic Anhydrides / chemistry
  • Acetophenones / chemistry
  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Base Sequence
  • Bothrops*
  • Candida albicans / drug effects
  • Candida albicans / growth & development
  • Creatine Kinase / blood
  • Cyanogen Bromide / chemistry
  • Edema / chemically induced
  • Escherichia coli / drug effects
  • Escherichia coli / growth & development
  • Humans
  • Jurkat Cells
  • Leishmania / drug effects
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Neurotoxins / chemistry
  • Neurotoxins / genetics
  • Neurotoxins / pharmacology
  • Nitrobenzenes / chemistry
  • Phospholipases A / chemistry
  • Phospholipases A / genetics
  • Phospholipases A / pharmacology*
  • Schistosoma mansoni / drug effects
  • Schistosoma mansoni / pathogenicity
  • Sequence Analysis, DNA

Substances

  • 2-nitrobenzenesulfonyl fluoride
  • Acetic Anhydrides
  • Acetophenones
  • Neurotoxins
  • Nitrobenzenes
  • acetic anhydride
  • Creatine Kinase
  • myotoxin II, Bothrops moojeni
  • Phospholipases A
  • Cyanogen Bromide
  • 4-bromophenacyl bromide