Cardiorespiratory alterations in rodents experimentally envenomed with Hadruroides lunatus scorpion venom. Issue 1 (December 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Costal-Oliveira, Fernanda; Guerra-Duarte, Clara; Oliveira, Maira; Castro, Karen; Lopes-de-Sousa, Leticia; Lara, Aline; Gomes, Enéas; Bonilla, Cesar; Guatimosim, Sílvia; Melo, Marília; Chávez-Olórtegui, Carlos
• Is Part Of: Journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases. Volume 23:Issue 1(2017)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 9
• Publication Date: 2017-12
• Subjects: Hadruroides lunatus venom -- Cardiorespiratory alterations -- Electrocardiography -- Immunofluorescence -- Calcium transient; Poisonous animals -- Periodicals; Venom -- Periodicals; Toxins -- Periodicals; Tropical medicine -- Periodicals; Venoms -- Periodicals; Toxins -- Periodicals; Animals, Poisonous -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Animals, Poisonous -- Periodicals; Venoms -- Periodicals; Tropical Medicine -- Periodicals; Toxins -- Periodicals; Poisonous animals; Tropical medicine; Venom; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 615.9405
• DOI: 10.1186/s40409-016-0076-5
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1678-9199

Abstract

Abstract 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 onH. lunatus envenomation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cardiorespiratory alterations caused byH. lunatus envenomation in rodents. Methods Wistar rats injected withH. 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'st -test. The significance level was set atp < 0.05. Results It was observed thatH. 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 thatH. lunatus venom was capable of binding to cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes incubated withH. lunatus venom showed a significant decrease in calcium transient, confirming thatH. lunatus venom exerts a toxic effect on heart. Conclusion Our results showed thatH. lunatus venom is capable of inducing cardiorespiratory alterations, a typical systemic effect of scorpionism, stressing the importance of medical monitoring in envenomation cases.