title: Crotoxin: novel activities for a classic beta-neurotoxin.
abstract: Crotoxin, the main toxin of South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom, was the first snake venom protein to be purified and crystallized. Crotoxin is a heterodimeric beta-neurotoxin that consists of a weakly toxic basic phospholipase A(2) and a non-enzymatic, non-toxic acidic component (crotapotin). The classic biological activities normally attributed to crotoxin include neurotoxicity, myotoxicity, nephrotoxicity and cardiotoxicity. However, numerous studies in recent years have shown that crotoxin also has immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-tumor and analgesic actions. In this review, we describe the historical background to the discovery of crotoxin and its main toxic activities and then discuss recent structure-function studies and investigations that have led to the identification of novel pharmacological activities for the toxin.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Pathophysiology, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Sandra C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sampaio
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hyslop
authors.forename: Marcos R M
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Fontes
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Prado-Franceschi
authors.forename: Vanessa O
authors.initials: VO
authors.lastname: Zambelli
authors.forename: Angelo J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Magro
authors.forename: Patrícia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Brigatte
authors.forename: Vanessa P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.forename: Yara
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Cury
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D017839:Crotalus / Q000502:physiology*; D003439:Crotoxin / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019281:Dimerization; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D056747:Immunomodulation / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D054467:Phospholipases A2 / Q000032:analysis; D020836:Protein Structure, Quaternary; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000894:Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D009498:Neurotoxins; D003439:Crotoxin; D054467:Phospholipases A2