A venom extract from the sea anemone Bartholomea annulata produces haemolysis and lipid peroxidation in mouse erythrocytes.
The haemolytic and peroxidative effects of crude extracts from Bartholomea annulata, a common Caribbean sea anemone, were investigated in erythrocytes isolated from NIH male albino mice. Significant concentration-dependent effects were found on both haemolysis (evaluated as release of haemoglobin) and lipid peroxidation (as a common index of oxidative damage to membrane lipids) in red blood cells. Moreover, the incubation of erythrocytes in the presence of either a general antioxidant, reduced glutathione (GSH, 50 microM), or an iron chelator, desferrioxamine (DFA, 10 microM), resulted in a significant attenuation of haemolysis in both cases. In light of these findings, the in vitro toxicological characterization of the venom, as well as the involvement of oxygen radical-mediated membrane damage as a potential mechanism of toxicity associated with haemolysis are discussed.
Santamaría
Abel
A
Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto Nacional de Neurología y Neurocirugía Manuel Velasco Suárez., D.F., 14269, Mexico, Mexico.
Sánchez-Rodríguez
Judith
J
Zugasti
Alejandro
A
Martínez
Argelia
A
Galván-Arzate
Sonia
S
Segura-Puertas
Lourdes
L
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D005609:Free Radicals / Q000378:metabolism; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000187:drug effects*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015227:Lipid Peroxidation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D012615:Sea Anemones / Q000737:chemistry*; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
D000975:Antioxidants; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D005609:Free Radicals; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D005978:Glutathione; D003676:Deferoxamine; D010100:Oxygen