title: Evidence for a role of mast cells in the lung edema induced by Tityus serrulatus venom in rats.
abstract: In the most severe cases of human poisoning by Tityus serrulatus, pulmonary edema is a frequent finding and can be the cause of death. Mast cells can release a range of mediators known to be involved in the development of lung edema following T. serrulatus venom injection. The present work was designed to investigate whether mast cells participated in the acute lung injury induced by T. serrulatus scorpion venom and could, thus, be an intermediate between neuropeptide release and activation of the inflammatory cascade. To this end, mast cells were depleted using compound 48/80. Pulmonary edema, as assessed by the levels of extravasation of Evans blue dye in the bronchoalveolar lavage and in the left lung, was completely inhibited in compound 48/80-treated animals. Moreover, the number of animals surviving 60min after injection of venom rose from 20 to 60%. Our results demonstrate an important role for mast cells in the development of lung injury and lethality following the intravenous administration of T. serrulatus venom.
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627 Pampulha, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: De-Matos
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talvani
authors.forename: O O
authors.initials: OO
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Freire-Maia
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Teixeira
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D008297:Male; D008407:Mast Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000473:pathology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012604:Scorpion Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012604:Scorpion Venoms