title: The characterization of trans-pecos copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster) venom and isolation of two new dimeric disintegrins.
abstract: The vast amounts of toxins within the venom of snakes, while known to cause medical emergencies, display various biological functions. Trans-pecos copperhead (Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster) crude venom separated by cation-exchange chromatography showed several fractions with fibrinolytic, hemorrhagic, gelatinase and platelet activities. Venom fractions 1, 2, 4, 5, and 12-17 contained fibrinolytic activity. Venom fractions 1, 2, 5 and 12-14 had hemorrhagic activity. Fractions 1, 2, 12, 13 and 17 contained gelatinase activity. Reverse-Phase C18 High Performance Liquid Chromatography was also used to purify and isolated disintegrins from this venom. Anti-platelet aggregation activity of the C18 fractions collected and performed on whole human blood showed that they inhibited platelet aggregation in presence of several agonists. Results from both SDS-PAGE and N-terminal sequencing determined that pictistatin 1 obtained from the Trans-Pecos copperhead venom was a dimeric disintegrin, and pictistatin 2 was a heterodimeric disintegrin. The molecules with anti-platelet activity could be considered in the development of more effective drugs, for numerous blood-related diseases such as stroke, heart attacks, thrombosis, and other medical conditions. In this study, we are presenting the first report of the purification, isolation, and partial characterization of two new dimeric disintegrins isolated from the venom of trans-pecos copperhead.
authors.affiliation: National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 158, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lucena
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Ultraestructura, Instituto Anatómico de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1041, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Acosta
authors.affiliation: National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 158, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.
authors.forename: Elyse
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Grilli
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Del Mar College, 101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78404, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alfonso
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Del Mar College, 101 Baldwin Blvd., Corpus Christi, TX 78404, USA.
authors.forename: Amber
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Goins
authors.affiliation: National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 158, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.
authors.forename: Ifunanya
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ogbata
authors.affiliation: National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 158, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Walls
authors.affiliation: National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 158, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA.
authors.forename: Montamas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Suntravat
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Inmunoquímica y Ultraestructura, Instituto Anatómico de la Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1041, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Nestor L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Uzcátegui
authors.affiliation: Laboratorio de Fisiopatología, Centro de Medicina Experimental, Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas, Caracas 1020A, Venezuela.
authors.forename: Belsy
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guerrero
authors.affiliation: National Natural Toxins Research Center (NNTRC), Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 158, 975 West Avenue B, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA; Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University-Kingsville, MSC 161, Kingsville, TX 78363, USA. Electronic address: elda.sanchez@tamuk.edu.
authors.forename: Elda E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Sánchez
mesh_terms: D017836:Agkistrodon / Q000378:metabolism*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002412:Cations; D045744:Cell Line, Tumor; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019483:Disintegrins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D055503:Protein Multimerization; D011817:Rabbits; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002412:Cations; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D019483:Disintegrins; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D018093:Gelatinases
keywords: Aggregation; Dimeric disintegrins; Pictistatin; Platelets; Venom