TY - JOUR
T1 - Cardiorespiratory alterations in rodents experimentally envenomed with Hadruroides lunatus scorpion venom
AU - Costal-Oliveira, Fernanda
AU - Guerra-Duarte, Clara
AU - Oliveira, Maira Souza
AU - Castro, Karen Larissa Pereira de
AU - Lopes-de-Sousa, Leticia
AU - Lara, Aline
AU - Gomes, Enéas Ricardo de Morais
AU - Bonilla, Cesar
AU - Guatimosim, Sílvia
AU - Melo, Marília Martins
AU - Chávez-Olórtegui, Carlos
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Author(s).
PY - 2016/7/15
Y1 - 2016/7/15
N2 - Background: Hadruroides lunatus is the most abundant scorpion species in the Peruvian central coast, where most of the accidents involving humans are registered. In spite of its prevalence, there are only very few studies on H. lunatus envenomation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cardiorespiratory alterations caused by H. lunatus envenomation in rodents. Methods: Wistar rats injected with H. lunatus scorpion venom were submitted to electrocardiography. After euthanasia, rat lungs were collected and histopathologically analyzed. Mouse cardiomyocytes were used to perform immunofluorescence and calcium transient assays. Data were analyzed by ANOVA or Student's t-test. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: It was observed that H. lunatus venom increased heart rate and caused arrhythmia, thereby impairing the heart functioning. Lungs of envenomed animals showed significant alterations, such as diffuse hemorrhage. In addition, immunofluorescence showed that H. lunatus venom was capable of binding to cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes incubated with H. lunatus venom showed a significant decrease in calcium transient, confirming that H. lunatus venom exerts a toxic effect on heart. Conclusion: Our results showed that H. lunatus venom is capable of inducing cardiorespiratory alterations, a typical systemic effect of scorpionism, stressing the importance of medical monitoring in envenomation cases.
AB - Background: Hadruroides lunatus is the most abundant scorpion species in the Peruvian central coast, where most of the accidents involving humans are registered. In spite of its prevalence, there are only very few studies on H. lunatus envenomation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cardiorespiratory alterations caused by H. lunatus envenomation in rodents. Methods: Wistar rats injected with H. lunatus scorpion venom were submitted to electrocardiography. After euthanasia, rat lungs were collected and histopathologically analyzed. Mouse cardiomyocytes were used to perform immunofluorescence and calcium transient assays. Data were analyzed by ANOVA or Student's t-test. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Results: It was observed that H. lunatus venom increased heart rate and caused arrhythmia, thereby impairing the heart functioning. Lungs of envenomed animals showed significant alterations, such as diffuse hemorrhage. In addition, immunofluorescence showed that H. lunatus venom was capable of binding to cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes incubated with H. lunatus venom showed a significant decrease in calcium transient, confirming that H. lunatus venom exerts a toxic effect on heart. Conclusion: Our results showed that H. lunatus venom is capable of inducing cardiorespiratory alterations, a typical systemic effect of scorpionism, stressing the importance of medical monitoring in envenomation cases.
KW - Calcium transient
KW - Cardiorespiratory alterations
KW - Electrocardiography
KW - Hadruroides lunatus venom
KW - Immunofluorescence
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U2 - 10.1186/s40409-016-0076-5
DO - 10.1186/s40409-016-0076-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 27429609
AN - SCOPUS:84978224519
SN - 1678-9199
VL - 23
JO - Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases
JF - Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins Including Tropical Diseases
IS - 1
M1 - 2
ER -