title: Resistance of cervical adenocarcinoma cells (HeLa) to venom from the scorpion Centruroides limpidus limpidus.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The venom of Centruroides limpidus limpidus (Cll) is a mixture of pharmacologically active principles. The most important of these are toxic proteins that interact both selectively and specifically with different cellular targets such as ion channels. Recently, anticancer properties of the venom from other scorpion species have been described. Studies in vitro have shown that scorpion venom induces cell death, inhibits proliferation and triggers the apoptotic pathway in different cancer cell lines. Herein, after treating human cervical adenocarcinoma (HeLa) cells with Cll crude venom, their cytotoxic activity and apoptosis induction were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Cll crude venom induced cell death in normal macrophages in a dose-dependent manner. However, through viability assays, HeLa cells showed high survival rates after exposure to Cll venom. Also, Cll venom did not induce apoptosis after performing ethidium bromide/acridine orange assays, nor was there any evidence of chromatin condensation or DNA fragmentation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Crude Cll venom exposure was not detrimental to HeLa cell cultures. This may be partially attributable to the absence of specific HeLa cell membrane targets for molecules present in the venom of Centruroides limpidus limpidus. Although these results might discourage additional studies exploring the potential of Cll venom to treat human papilloma cervical cancer, further research is required to explore positive effects of crude Cll venom on other cancer cell lines.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados en Salud Animal (CIESA), Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia (FMVZ), Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (UAEM), Carretera Panamericana Toluca-Atlacomulco, km 15,5, código postal 50200, Toluca, México. abarbabosa@yahoo.com.mx.
authors.forename: José María Eloy
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Contreras-Ortiz
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Vázquez-Chagoyán
authors.forename: José Simón
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Martínez-Castañeda
authors.forename: José Guillermo
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Estrada-Franco
authors.forename: José Esteban
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Aparicio-Burgos
authors.forename: Jorge
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Acosta-Dibarrat
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Barbabosa-Pliego