title: Cardiorespiratory alterations in rodents experimentally envenomed with Hadruroides lunatus scorpion venom.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Hadruroides lunatus is the most abundant scorpion species in the Peruvian central coast, where most of the accidents involving humans are registered. In spite of its prevalence, there are only very few studies on H. lunatus envenomation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cardiorespiratory alterations caused by H. lunatus envenomation in rodents.
  
  
  METHODS
  Wistar rats injected with H. lunatus scorpion venom were submitted to electrocardiography. After euthanasia, rat lungs were collected and histopathologically analyzed. Mouse cardiomyocytes were used to perform immunofluorescence and calcium transient assays. Data were analyzed by ANOVA or Student's t-test. The significance level was set at p < 0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  It was observed that H. lunatus venom increased heart rate and caused arrhythmia, thereby impairing the heart functioning. Lungs of envenomed animals showed significant alterations, such as diffuse hemorrhage. In addition, immunofluorescence showed that H. lunatus venom was capable of binding to cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes incubated with H. lunatus venom showed a significant decrease in calcium transient, confirming that H. lunatus venom exerts a toxic effect on heart.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results showed that H. lunatus venom is capable of inducing cardiorespiratory alterations, a typical systemic effect of scorpionism, stressing the importance of medical monitoring in envenomation cases.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CP: 486 CEP: 31270-901 MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Costal-Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CP: 486 CEP: 31270-901 MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guerra-Duarte
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Maira Souza
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CP: 486 CEP: 31270-901 MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Karen Larissa Pereira de
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Castro
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CP: 486 CEP: 31270-901 MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Leticia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lopes-de-Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Aline
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lara
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Enéas Ricardo de Morais
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.affiliation: Instituto Nacional de Salud, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos y Universidad Científica del Sur, Lima, Peru.
authors.forename: Cesar
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bonilla
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Sílvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guatimosim
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Marília Martins
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, CP: 486 CEP: 31270-901 MG Brazil.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chávez-Olórtegui
keywords: Calcium transient; Cardiorespiratory alterations; Electrocardiography; Hadruroides lunatus venom; Immunofluorescence