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Coastal taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) envenoming causes life-threatening neuromuscular paralysis in humans. We studied the time period during which antivenom remains effective in preventing and arresting in vitro neuromuscular block caused by taipan venom and taipoxin. Venom showed predominant pre-synaptic neurotoxicity at 3 &micro, g/mL and post-synaptic neurotoxicity at 10 &micro, g/mL. Pre-synaptic neurotoxicity was prevented by addition of Australian polyvalent antivenom before the venom and taipoxin and, reversed when antivenom was added 5 min after venom and taipoxin. Antivenom only partially reversed the neurotoxicity when added 15 min after venom and had no significant effect when added 30 min after venom. In contrast, post-synaptic activity was fully reversed when antivenom was added 30 min after venom. The effect of antivenom on pre-synaptic neuromuscular block was reproduced by washing the bath at similar time intervals for 3 &micro, g/mL, but not for 10 &micro, g/mL. We found an approximate 10&ndash, 15 min time window in which antivenom can prevent pre-synaptic neuromuscular block. This time window is likely to be longer in envenomed patients due to the delay in venom absorption. Similar effectiveness of antivenom and washing with 3 &micro, g/mL venom suggests that antivenom most likely acts by neutralizing pre-synaptic toxins before they interfere with neurotransmission inside the motor nerve terminals.

Intra-specific venom variation has the potential to provide important insights into the evolution of snake venom, but remains a relatively neglected aspect of snake venom studies. We investigated the venom from 13 individual coastal taipans Oxyuranus scutellatus from four localities on the north-east coast of Australia, spanning a distance of 2000km. The intra-specific variation in taipan venom was considerably less than the inter-specific variation between it and the other Australian elapids to which it was compared. The electrophoretic venom profile of O. scutellatus was visually different to six other genera of Australian elapids, but not to its congener inland taipan O. microlepidotus. There was minimal geographical variation in taipan venom, as the intra-population variation exceeded the inter-population variation for enzymatic activity, procoagulant activity, and the abundance of neurotoxins. The pre-synaptic neurotoxin (taipoxin) was more abundant than the post-synaptic neurotoxins (3FTx), with a median of 11.0% (interquartile range (IQR): 9.7% to 18.3%, range: 6.7% to 23.6%) vs. a median of 3.4% (IQR: 0.4% to 6.7%, range: 0% to 8.1%). Three taipan individuals almost completely lacked post-synaptic neurotoxins, which was not associated with geography and occurred within two populations. We found no evidence of sexual dimorphism in taipan venom. Our study provides a basis for evaluating the significance of intra-specific venom variation within a phylogenetic context by comparing it to the inter-specific and inter-generic variation. The considerable intra-population variation we observed supports the use of several unpooled individuals from each population when making inter-specific comparisons.

Envenomation by snakes is a major neglected human disease. Hospitalization and use of animal-derived antivenom are the primary therapeutic supports currently available. There is consensus that additional, not expensive, treatments that can be delivered even long after the snake bite are needed. We recently showed that the drug dubbed NUCC-390 shortens the time of recovery from the neuroparalysis caused by traumatic or toxic degeneration of peripheral motor neurons. These syndromes are characterized by the activation of a pro-regenerative molecular axis, consisting of the CXCR4 receptor expressed at the damaged site in neuronal axons and by the release of its ligand CXCL12α, produced by surrounding Schwann cells. This intercellular signaling axis promotes axonal growth and functional recovery from paralysis. NUCC-390 is an agonist of CXCR4 acting similarly to CXCL12α. Here, we have tested its efficacy in a murine model of neuroparalytic envenoming by a Papuan Taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus) where a degeneration of the motor axon terminals caused by the presynaptic PLA2 toxin Taipoxin, contained in the venom, occurs. Using imaging of the neuromuscular junction and electrophysiological analysis, we found that NUCC-390 administration after injection of either the purified neuroparalytic Taipoxin or the whole Taipan venom, significantly accelerates the recovery from paralysis. These results indicate that NUCC-390, which is non-toxic in mice, should be considered for trials in humans to test its efficacy in accelerating the recovery from the peripheral neuroparalysis induced by Taipans. NUCC-390 should be tested as well in the envenomation by other snakes that cause neuroparalytic syndromes in humans. NUCC-390 could become an additional treatment, common to many snake envenomings, that can be delivered after the bite to reduce death by respiratory deficits and to shorten and improve functional recovery., Author summary We have taken here a different angle in the search for novel treatments of snake envenomings by focusing of the phase of recovery from the peripheral neuroparalysis caused by neurotoxic snakes. This is a critical period that may require mechanical ventilation and prolonged hospitalization. We have found a drug, dubbed NUCC-390, which accelerates the functional recovery from peripheral neuroparalysis caused by the Taipan venom in mice, by acting on the CXCR4 receptor. In fact, we found here that this receptor is expressed by the motor neuron at the site of damage that, in the case of many snake venoms containing presynaptic PLA2 neurotoxins, consists in the degeneration of the axon terminal. NUCC-390 binds to CXCR4 and acts similarly to its natural agonist the chemokine CXCL12α. The compound is not toxic and can be administered after the snakebite and therefore it has the potential of becoming a non-expensive addition to the currently available antisera treatment whose efficacy is limited by the need of delivery shortly after snakebite.

A chicken-derived antivenom (ChDAv) towards taipan snake (Oxyuranus scutellatus) venom was produced by purifying anti-taipan IgY from egg yolks of hens immunized with taipan venom. The productivity, antivenomic profile, neutralization ability, pharmacokinetic properties and immunogenicity of the ChDAv were compared with those of an antivenom produced in horses (EDAv). We found that 382 eggs are required to produce the mass of anti-taipan antibodies contained in one liter of equine hyperimmune plasma, and that 63 chickens would be needed to generate the amount of anti-taipan antibodies annually produced by one horse. It was estimated that, in Costa Rica, the production of antitaipan antibodies could be 40% cheaper if chickens were used as immunoglobulin source, instead of horses. During antivenomic assessment, ChDAv showed lower ability to immunocapture the a subunit of taipoxin, the most important neurotoxin in the venom. ChDAv showed a lower ability to neutralize the coagulant and lethal activities of taipan venom. ChDAv was more immunogenic in rabbits than EDAv, probably due to the fact that chickens are phylogenetically more distant to rabbits than horses. This finding may explain why clearance from rabbit bloodstream was faster for chicken-IgY than for equineIgG in a pharmacokinetic study. In conclusion, the production of anti-taipan antivenom was less effective when chicken egg yolks were used as source of immunoglobulins instead of horses. Universidad de Costa Rica/[741-B3-017]/UCR/Costa Rica UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP)

BackgroundTaipans of the genus Oxyuranus are predominately mammal-eating specialists and a majority of Australian brown snakes of the sister genus Pseudonaja are generalist predators, feeding on mammals, lizards and frogs. In this paper, venom composition of several related mammal-eating species was compared using shotgun proteomics.ResultsVenom of Oxyuranus temporalis consisted predominately of α-neurotoxins (three-finger toxin family) and was deficient in phospholipase A2 neurotoxins. In contrast, PLA2 neurotoxins (taipoxin and paradoxin) were abundant in the venoms of other mammal-eating taipan species – Oxyuranus scutellatus and O. microlepidotus. Variation in neurotoxic PLA2 expression was also recorded in mammal-eating brown snakes, some species having high venom levels of textilotoxin or related homologues, for example Pseudonaja textilis and P. nuchalis, and others, such as P. ingrami, lacking them. Venom prothrombinase proteins (fX and fV) were expressed in most mammalivorous lineages, being particularly abundant in some Pseudonaja species. Notably, Oxyuranus temporalis venom was deficient in venom prothrombinase despite a mammal-based diet. Expression of an α-neurotoxin that is lethal to rodents (pseudonajatoxin b) was profoundly down-regulated in Pseudonaja textilis venom sample from Queensland and highly up-regulated in the sample from South Australia despite a report that the snake feeds on rodents in both regions.ConclusionRelated species of taipans and brown snakes that feed on small mammals express different sets of venom proteins toxic to this vertebrate group. This suggests an involvement of factors other than prey type selection in shaping venom proteome composition.

Antivenoms manufactured by bioCSL Limited (Australia) and Instituto Clodomiro Picado (Costa Rica) against the venom of the taipan snakes (Oxyuranus scutellatus) from Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), respectively, were compared using antivenomics, an analytical approach that combines proteomics with immunoaffinity chromatography. Both antivenoms recognized all venom proteins present in venom from PNG O. scutellatus, although a pattern of partial recognition was observed for some components. In the case of the Australian O. scutellatus venom, both antivenoms immunorecognized the majority of the components, but the CSL antivenom showed a stronger pattern of immunoreactivity, which was revealed by the percentage of retained proteins in the immunoaffinity column. Antivenoms interacted with taipoxin in surface plasmon resonance. These observations on antivenomics agree with previous neutralization studies. Fondos del Sistema Consejo Nacional de Rectores/[741-B2-652]/FEES-CONARE/Costa Rica Universidad de Costa Rica/[741- B3-017]/UCR/Costa Rica UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP)

Despite the unparalleled diversity of venomous snakes in Australia, research has concentrated on a handful of medically significant species and even of these very few toxins have been fully sequenced. In this study, venom gland transcriptomes were sequenced from eleven species of small Australian elapid snakes, from eleven genera, spanning a broad phylogenetic range. The particularly large number of sequences obtained for three-finger toxin (3FTx) peptides allowed for robust reconstructions of their dynamic molecular evolutionary histories. We demonstrated that each species preferentially favoured different types of α-neurotoxic 3FTx, probably as a result of differing feeding ecologies. The three forms of α-neurotoxin [Type I (also known as (aka): short-chain), Type II (aka: long-chain) and Type III] not only adopted differential rates of evolution, but have also conserved a diversity of residues, presumably to potentiate prey-specific toxicity. Despite these differences, the different α-neurotoxin types were shown to accumulate mutations in similar regions of the protein, largely in the loops and structurally unimportant regions, highlighting the significant role of focal mutagenesis. We theorize that this phenomenon not only affects toxin potency or specificity, but also generates necessary variation for preventing/delaying prey animals from acquiring venom-resistance. This study also recovered the first full-length sequences for multimeric phospholipase A2 (PLA2) ‘taipoxin/paradoxin’ subunits from non-Oxyuranus species, confirming the early recruitment of this extremely potent neurotoxin complex to the venom arsenal of Australian elapid snakes. We also recovered the first natriuretic peptides from an elapid that lack the derived C-terminal tail and resemble the plesiotypic form (ancestral character state) found in viper venoms. This provides supporting evidence for a single early recruitment of natriuretic peptides into snake venoms. Novel forms of kunitz and waprin peptides were recovered, including dual domain kunitz-kunitz precursors and the first kunitz-waprin hybrid precursors from elapid snakes. The novel sequences recovered in this study reveal that the huge diversity of unstudied venomous Australian snakes are of considerable interest not only for the investigation of venom and whole organism evolution but also represent an untapped bioresource in the search for novel compounds for use in drug design and development.

There is limited information on the cross-neutralisation of neurotoxic venoms with antivenoms. Cross-neutralisation of the in vitro neurotoxicity of four Asian and four Australian snake venoms, four post-synaptic neurotoxins (α-bungarotoxin, α-elapitoxin-Nk2a, α-elapitoxin-Ppr1 and α-scutoxin; 100 nM) and one pre-synaptic neurotoxin (taipoxin; 100 nM) was studied with five antivenoms: Thai cobra antivenom (TCAV), death adder antivenom (DAAV), Thai neuro polyvalent antivenom (TNPAV), Indian Polyvalent antivenom (IPAV) and Australian polyvalent antivenom (APAV). The chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation was used for this study. Antivenom was added to the organ bath 20 min prior to venom. Pre- and post-synaptic neurotoxicity of Bungarus caeruleus and Bungarus fasciatus venoms was neutralised by all antivenoms except TCAV, which did not neutralise pre-synaptic activity. Post-synaptic neurotoxicity of Ophiophagus hannah was neutralised by all antivenoms, and Naja kaouthia by all antivenoms except IPAV. Pre- and post-synaptic neurotoxicity of Notechis scutatus was neutralised by all antivenoms, except TCAV, which only partially neutralised pre-synaptic activity. Pre- and post-synaptic neurotoxicity of Oxyuranus scutellatus was neutralised by TNPAV and APAV, but TCAV and IPAV only neutralised post-synaptic neurotoxicity. Post-synaptic neurotoxicity of Acanthophis antarcticus was neutralised by all antivenoms except IPAV. Pseudonaja textillis post-synaptic neurotoxicity was only neutralised by APAV. The α-neurotoxins were neutralised by TNPAV and APAV, and taipoxin by all antivenoms except IPAV. Antivenoms raised against venoms with post-synaptic neurotoxic activity (TCAV) cross-neutralised the post-synaptic activity of multiple snake venoms. Antivenoms raised against pre- and post-synaptic neurotoxic venoms (TNPAV, IPAV, APAV) cross-neutralised both activities of Asian and Australian venoms. While acknowledging the limitations of adding antivenom prior to venom in an in vitro preparation, cross-neutralization of neurotoxicity means that antivenoms from one region may be effective in other regions which do not have effective antivenoms. TCAV only neutralized post-synaptic neurotoxicity and is potentially useful in distinguishing pre-synaptic and post-synaptic effects in the chick biventer cervicis preparation.

Snake pre-synaptic neurotoxins endowed with phospholipase A(2) activity (SPANs) are potent inducers of paralysis through specific disruption of the neuromuscular junction pre-synaptic membrane and represent a valuable tool for investigating neuronal degeneration and recovery. They have different structural complexity and a wide range of lethal potency and enzymatic activity, but share similar mechanism of action. Whilst no correlation has been reported between neurotoxicity and enzymatic activity, toxicity increases with structural complexity and phospholipase A(2) oligomers show 10-fold lower LD(50) values when compared to their monomeric counterparts. Up to date, no structural study has been done on multimeric SPANs to shed light on the correlation between structural complexity and neurotoxicity. In this study we investigated the structure of taipoxin, a trimeric phospholipase A(2) neurotoxin, and of its subunits by X-ray crystallography and small angle X-ray scattering analysis. We present here the high-resolution structure of two isoforms of taipoxin β subunit, which show no neurotoxic activity but enhance the activity of the other subunits in the complex. One isoform shows no structural change that could justify the lack of activity. The other displays three point mutations in critical positions for the catalytic activity. Moreover, we designed a model for the quaternary structure of taipoxin under physiological conditions, in which the three subunits are organized into a flat holotoxin with the substrate binding sockets exposed on the same side of the complex, suggesting a role for this interface in the toxin-membrane interaction. Language: en

While Australo-Papuan death adder neurotoxicity is generally considered to be due to the actions of reversible competitive postsynaptic alpha-neurotoxins, the neurotoxic effects are often poorly reversed by antivenom or anticholinesterases. This suggests that the venom may contain a snake presynaptic phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) neurotoxin (SPAN) that binds irreversibly to motor nerve terminals to inhibit neurotransmitter release. Using size-exclusion liquid chromatography under non-reducing conditions, we report the isolation and characterisation of a high molecular mass SPAN complex, P-elapitoxin-Aa1a (P-EPTX-Aa1a), from the venom of the common death adder Acanthophis antarcticus. Using the chick biventer-cervicis nerve-muscle preparation, P-EPTX-Aa1a (44,698Da) caused inhibition of nerve-evoked twitch contractions while responses to cholinergic agonists and KCl remained unaffected. P-EPTX-Aa1a also produced significant fade in tetanic contractions and a triphasic timecourse of neuromuscular blockade. These actions are consistent with other SPANs that inhibit acetylcholine release. P-EPTX-Aa1a was found to be a heterotrimeric complex composed of alpha, beta and gamma-subunits in a 1:1:1 stoichiometry with each subunit showing significant N-terminal sequence homology to the subunits of taipoxin, a SPAN from Oxyuranus s. scutellatus. Like taipoxin, only the alpha-chain produced any signs of neurotoxicity or displayed significant PLA(2) enzymatic activity. Preincubation with monovalent death adder antivenom or suramin, or inhibition of PLA(2) activity by incubation with 4-bromophenacyl bromide, either prevented or significantly delayed the onset of toxicity by P-EPTX-Aa1a. However, antivenom failed to reverse neurotoxicity. Early intervention with antivenom may therefore be important in severe cases of envenomation by A. antarcticus, given the presence of potent irreversible presynaptic neurotoxins.

The mechanisms of action of four snake presynaptic phospholipase A2 neurotoxins were investigated in cultured neurons isolated from various parts of the rat brain. Strikingly, physiological concentrations of notexin, β-bungarotoxin, taipoxin or textilotoxin induced a dose-dependent formation of discrete bulges at various sites of neuronal projections. Neuronal bulging was paralleled by the redistribution of the two synaptic vesicle markers synaptophysin I (SypI) and vesicle-attached membrane protein 2 (VAMP2) to the bulges, and by the exposure of the luminal domain of synaptotagmin on the cell surface. These neurotoxins induced glutamate release from cultured neurons similarly to the known evoked release of acetylcholine from neuromuscular junctions. In addition, partial fragmentation of F-actin and neurofilaments was observed in neurons, but not in astrocytes. These findings indicate that these snake presynaptic neurotoxins act with by same mechanism and that the observed phenotype results from the fusion of synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane not balanced by an adequate membrane retrieval. These changes closely resemble those occurring at neuromuscular junctions of intoxicated animals and fully qualify these primary neuronal cultures as pertinent models for studying the molecular mode of action of these neurotoxins.

Neuronal pentraxin 1 (NP1), neuronal pentraxin 2 (NP2), and neuronal pentraxin receptor (NPR) are members of a new family of proteins identified through interaction with a presynaptic snake venom toxin taipoxin. We have proposed that these three neuronal pentraxins represent a novel neuronal uptake pathway that may function during synapse formation and remodeling. We have investigated the mutual interactions of these proteins by characterizing their enrichment on taipoxin affinity columns; by expressing NP1, NP2, and NPR singly and together in Chinese hamster ovary cells; and by generating mice that fail to express NP1. NP1 and NP2 are secreted, exist as higher order multimers (probably pentamers), and interact with taipoxin and taipoxin-associated calcium-binding protein 49 (TCBP49). NPR is expressed on the cell membrane and does not bind taipoxin or TCBP49 by itself, but it can form heteropentamers with NP1 and NP2 that can be released from cell membranes. This is the first demonstration of heteromultimerization of pentraxins and release of a pentraxin complex by proteolysis. These processes are likely to directly effect the localization and function of neuronal pentraxins in neuronal uptake or synapse formation and remodeling.

We have identified the first putative integral membrane pentraxin and named it neuronal pentraxin receptor (NPR). NPR is enriched by affinity chromatography on columns of a snake venom toxin, taipoxin, and columns of the taipoxin-binding proteins neuronal pentraxin 1 (NP1), neuronal pentraxin 2 (NP2), and taipoxin-associated calcium-binding protein 49 (TCBP49). The predominant form of NPR contains an putative NH2-terminal transmembrane domain and all forms of NPR are glycosylated. NPR has 49 and 48% amino acid identity to NP1 and NP2, respectively, and NPR message is expressed in neuronal regions that express NP1 and NP2. We suggest that NPR, NP1, NP2, and TCBP49 are involved in a pathway responsible for the transport of taipoxin into synapses and that this may represent a novel neuronal uptake pathway involved in the clearance of synaptic debris.

2082-04 Embargo por política editorial The venom proteomes of populations of the highly venomous taipan snake, Oxyuranus scutellatus, from Australia and Papua New Guinea (PNG), were characterized by reverse-phase HPLC fractionation, followed by analysis of chromatographic fractions by SDS-PAGE, N-terminal sequencing, MALDI-TOF mass fingerprinting, and collision-induced dissociation tandem mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides. Proteins belonging to the following seven protein families were identified in the two venoms: phospholipase A2 (PLA2), Kunitz-type inhibitor, metalloproteinase (SVMP), three-finger toxin (3FTx), serine proteinase, cysteine-rich secretory proteins (CRISP), and coagulation factor V-like protein. In addition, C-type lectin/lectin-like protein and venom natriuretic peptide were identified in the venom of specimens from PNG. PLA2s comprised more than 65% of the venoms of these two populations. Antivenoms generated against the venoms of these populations showed a pattern of cross-neutralization, corroborating the immunological kinship of these venoms. Toxicity experiments performed in mice suggest that, at low venom doses, neurotoxicity leading to respiratory paralysis represents the predominant mechanism of prey immobilization and death. However, at high doses, such as those injected in natural bites, intravascular thrombosis due to the action of the prothrombin activator may constitute a potent and very rapid mechanism for killing prey Universidad de Costa Rica/[741-A7-611]/UCR/Costa Rica Universidad de Costa Rica/[741-A9-506]/UCR/Costa Rica Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación/[BFU2010-17373]//España Generalitat Valenciana/[PROMETEO/2010/005]//España Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas/2009CR0021/CRUSA-CSIC/España UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias de la Salud::Instituto Clodomiro Picado (ICP)

Several phospholipase A(2) (PLA(2)) neurotoxins from snake venoms can affect acetylcholine release at the neuromuscular junction. In isolated nerve-muscle preparations three distinct phases have been described for this phenomenon: An initial transient decrease in twitch tension; a second facilitatory phase during which twitch height is greater than control twitch height; and the last phase which causes a reduction in twitch height that finally results in paralysis. Suramin has been reported to inhibit the toxic effects of β-bungarotoxin and another PLA(2) neurotoxin, crotoxin in vitro and in vivo. We have further examined the effects of suramin on the three phases of the effects of the presynaptic PLA(2) neurotoxins β-bungarotoxin, taipoxin and ammodytoxin on mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm preparations. When preparations were pre-treated with suramin (0.3mM), the early biphasic effects (depression followed by facilitation) were abolished, and the time taken for final blockade induced by β-bungarotoxin, taipoxin and ammodytoxin A was significantly prolonged. In contrast, suramin did not significantly affect the facilitation induced by the potassium channel blocking toxin dendrotoxin I when applied under the same conditions. In addition, application of 0.3mM suramin did not prevent the facilitatory actions of 3,4-diaminopyridine (3,4-DAP) and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA). Overall, the mechanism whereby suramin reduces the effects of PLA(2) neurotoxins remains elusive. Since suramin reduces both enzyme-dependent and enzyme-independent effects of the toxins, suramin is not acting as a simple enzyme inhibitor. Furthermore, the observation that suramin does not affect actions of standard K(+) channel blockers suggests that suramin does not stabilise nerve terminals.

Snake presynaptic neurotoxins with phospholipase A2 activity are potent inducers of paralysis through inhibition of the neuromuscular junction. These neurotoxins were recently shown to induce exocytosis of synaptic vesicles following the production of lysophospholipids and fatty acids and a sustained influx of Ca2+ from the medium. Here, we show that these toxins are able to penetrate spinal cord motor neurons and cerebellar granule neurons and selectively bind to mitochondria. As a result of this interaction, mitochondria depolarize and undergo a profound shape change from elongated and spaghetti-like to round and swollen. We show that snake presynaptic phospholipase A2 neurotoxins facilitate opening of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore, an inner membrane high-conductance channel. The relative potency of the snake neurotoxins was similar for the permeability transition pore opening and for the phospholipid hydrolysis activities, suggesting a causal relationship, which is also supported by the effect of phospholipid hydrolysis products, lysophospholipids and fatty acids, on mitochondrial pore opening. These findings contribute to define the cellular events that lead to intoxication of nerve terminals by these snake neurotoxins and suggest that mitochondrial impairment is an important determinant of their toxicity.

Snake presynaptic phospholipase A2 neurotoxins (SPANs) paralyze the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Upon intoxication, the NMJ enlarges and has a reduced content of synaptic vesicles, and primary neuronal cultures show synaptic swelling with surface exposure of the lumenal domain of the synaptic vesicle protein synaptotagmin I. Concomitantly, these neurotoxins induce exocytosis of neurotransmitters. We found that an equimolar mixture of lysophospholipids and fatty acids closely mimics all of the biological effects of SPANs. These results draw attention to the possible role of local lipid changes in synaptic vesicle release and provide new tools for the study of exocytosis.

The application of the snake neurotoxin taipoxin to hippocampal neurons in culture induced Ca(2+)-dependent synaptic vesicle (SV) exocytosis, with swelling of nerve terminals and redistribution of SV proteins to the axolemma. Using digital imaging videomicroscopy to measure fluorescence resonance energy transfer in live neurons, we also found that taipoxin modulates the machinery for neurosecretion by causing dissociation of the SV proteins synaptobrevin 2 and synaptophysin I at a stage preceding taipoxin-induced facilitation of SV fusion. These early effects of the toxin are followed by severe impairment of SV exo-endocytosis, which might underlie the prevention of neurotransmitter release reported after intoxication by taipoxin.

The neuronal pentraxin I belongs to a family of functionally diverse proteins sharing some structural features like the formation of pentrameric complexes (Goodman et al., 1996). The NPTX1 gene is expressed in neurons and the protein was shown to bind the presynaptic toxin taipoxin. Therefore it is supposed to play a role in mediating synaptic uptake. The mouse and human neuronal pentraxin I genes were assigned to chromosomes 11E and 17q25 respectively. The mapping of the NPTX1 gene to the human chromosome regions for RusselSilver syndrome and campomelic dysplasia-1 makes it a potential candidate for genetic disorders (Omeis et al., 1996). The gene including the 5)and 3)-UTR is highly conserved among different species. The mapping of the porcine gene will enable further investigations on its possible role in inherited diseases.

The complete amino acid sequence of notexin, a presynaptic neurotoxin from the venom of Notechis scutatus scutatus (Australian tiger snake), has been elucidated. The protein consists of a single chain of 119 amino acids cross-linked by seven disulfide bridges and has a formula weight of 13,578. The main fragmentation of the peptide chain was accomplished with a staphylococcal protease specific for glutamoyl bonds. A cyanogen bromide fragment and tryptic peptides were used to align the five major staphylococcal protease peptides. The sequence was determined by Edman degradation using the direct phenylthiohydantoin method and with carboxypeptidase A. Notexin is shown to be homologous to both porcine pancreatic phospholipase A and a phospholipase A from the venom of Naja melanoleuca.

Crotoxin is a potent neurotoxin from the venom of Crotalus durissus terrificus. It is composed of two subunits: a basic phospholipase A2 with low toxicity (component B) and an acidic protein seemingly devoid of intrinsic biological activity (component A). Crotoxin and its isolated phospholipase subunit block the depolarisation caused by cholinergic agonists on the isolated electroplaque from Electrophorus electricus. The other component, which is inactive when applied alone, enhances the pharmacological activity of the phospholipase when the two components are used together. Crotoxin also blocks the increase of 22Na+ efflux caused by carbamylcholine from excitable microsacs prepared from Torpedo marmorata electric organ. Crotoxin therefore acts postsynaptically, but does not interfere with the binding of alpha-toxin from Naja nigricollis to the nicotinic cholinergic receptor site. Instead, like local anesthetics, it stabilizes a desensitized form of the acetylcholine receptor characterized by its high affinity for agonists. The phospholipase component B binds in a non-saturable manner to receptor-rich membranes. In contrast, component A does not bind to acetylcholine receptor-rich membranes, but completely prevents the non-saturable binding of component B. When the two components are applied together, a saturable binding of the latter is observed with the acetylcholine receptor-rich membranes.

beta-Bungarotoxin (beta-BuTx) is a presynaptically active snake venom phospholipase A2 which, in the chick, is cytotoxic for certain subclasses of central and peripheral neurons. In order to elucidate whether the toxin's specificity is due to the existence of specific neuronal binding sites, the binding of 125I-labeled beta-BuTx to synaptic membrane fractions of chick brain was investigated. These experiments defined a single class of saturable high affinity binding sites (KD = 0.47 +/- 0.14 nM, k+1 = 4.3 x 10(6) M-1 s-1, k-1 = 1.08 x 10(-4) s-1) whose pharmacological properties correlated with that of the cytotoxic action of beta-BuTx on cholinergic neurons in chick retina cultures. The density of 125I-beta-BuTx binding sites in synaptic membrane fractions was low (50 fmol/mg of protein). Also specific toxin binding occurred only to membrane fractions of chick organs known to contain beta-BuTx-sensitive cells or nerve endings, i.e. brain, retina, and muscle, but not liver and heart. The binding of 125I-beta-BuTx to synaptic membrane fractions was dependent on Ca2+; Co2+ and Sr2+, but not Mg2+, could replace Ca2+ in the binding reaction. The membrane binding site for 125I-beta-BuTx was sensitive to heat and high concentrations of pronase, and thus most likely is a protein.

1. The acute effects of a purified toxin from Australian Tiger snake (Notechis scutatus scutatus) venom have been investigated at the mammalian neuromuscular junction.2. The toxin was injected into the tail vein of mice. Death was due to respiratory paralysis.3. The resting membrane potential, and action potential of muscle fibres in muscles from in vivo intoxicated animals were normal.4. The frequency of miniature end plate potentials (m.e.p.p.s) from intoxicated nerve-muscle preparations was reduced, although m.e.p.p. amplitude was unaltered.5. Nerve stimulation resulted in end plate potentials (e.p.p.s) of quantal amplitude; only rarely was the e.p.p. large enough to give rise to an action potential.6. High (20 mM) K(+) did not increase m.e.p.p. frequency in intoxicated preparations.7. The toxin was largely ineffective in vitro.8. The similarities and differences between this toxin, beta-bungarotoxin and botulinum toxin are discussed.

Crotoxin, the Brazilian rattlesnake neurotoxin, generally behaves as a homogeneous protein; however, it is a molecular complex of an acidic and a basic protein. These can be separated after alkylation or acylation of the amino groups, or on carboxymethyl cellulose at pH 4, or on DEAE-cellulose in 6 M urea. The two proteins differ greatly in composition, but one or both may exist in the form of closely related variants. Their molecular weights appear to be about 8400 and 13,000. The acidic protein lacks the hemolytic and neurotoxic activity of crotoxin and the basic protein shows only the high, indirect hemolytic activity; a mixture of the two components shows the high neurotoxicity of crotoxin.

The compositions of paradoxin and taipoxin (PDx and TPx, respectively) were investigated using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and nano-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (nano-ESI-MS). The elution profiles from size exclusion chromatography of the venoms from Oxyuranus microlepidotus and Oxyuranus scutellatus were similar. Fractions corresponding to the trimeric toxins were treated with guanidinium hydrochloride and the individual subunits were separated by HPLC. In this report we present the size exclusion chromatography profiles for these toxins, and the nano-ESI mass spectra of the subunits after separation by HPLC: the first such comparative study of these toxins at the protein level. Data in this article are associated with the research article published in Toxicon: “Insight into the subunit arrangement and diversity of paradoxin and taipoxin” (J.A. Harrison, J.A. Aquilina, 2016) [1].

1. beta-Bungarotoxin and other snake toxins with phospholipase activity augment acetylcholine release evoked from mouse motor nerve terminals before they produce blockade. This action of the toxins is independent of their phospholipase A2 activity, but the underlying mechanism for the facilitation of release is unclear. To determine whether the toxins affect ionic currents at motor nerve terminals, extracellular recordings were made from perineural sheaths of motor nerves innervating mouse triangularis sterni muscles. 2. Perineural waveforms had a characteristic shape, with two major negative deflections, the first being associated with nodal Na+ currents and the second with terminal K+ currents. Block of the K+ currents revealed a Ca2+-dependent component. 3. During the facilitatory phase of its action, beta-bungarotoxin (150 nM) reduced the second negative component of the perineural waveform by 30-50%. 4. The reduction could be a consequence of a decreased K+ ion contribution or of an increase in the current carried by Ca2+. As beta-bungarotoxin had similar effects in solutions which contained no added Ca2+, it is unlikely to be acting on the Ca2+ current. Also, it is unlikely to be blocking the Ca2+-activated K+ current, which is suppressed in zero Ca2+ conditions. 5. Other prejunctionally active snake toxins (taipoxin, notexin and crotoxin) had similar effects to those of beta-bungarotoxin, but a similar basic phospholipase of low toxicity from cobra venom had no effect. 6. Thus, beta-bungarotoxin and related toxins block a fraction of the K+ current in the motor nerve terminals of mouse preparations. Such an effect could explain the facilitation of acetylcholine release caused by these toxins before the onset of presynaptic blockade. 7. In frog cutaneous pectoris preparations, f-bungarotoxin reduced endplate potential amplitude but had little effect on perineural waveforms. Therefore, the consequences of toxin binding must be different in frog terminals.

1. The m. triangularis sterni of the mouse was used to investigate the actions of dendrotoxin, beta-bungarotoxin, crotoxin, taipoxin, bee venom phospholipase A2, aprotinin and apamin on presynaptic currents which flow inside the perineural sheath of nerve bundles upon nerve stimulation. 2. Neither the fast K+ current (IK,f) nor the Ca2+-dependent K+ current IK(Ca) (unmasked after blockade of IK,f by 3,4-diaminopyridine) was affected by the neurotoxins and drugs mentioned. 3. Inhibition of both IK,f and IK(Ca) by tetraethylammonium (30 mM) prolonged presynaptic depolarization owing to Ca2+ influx through fast and slow Ca2+ channels. Additional application of dendrotoxin, beta-bungarotoxin, crotoxin or taipoxin in the nanomolar range caused further prolongation of Ca2+ influx, presumably due to blockade of slowly activating K+ current (IK,s). Onset of toxin effects was immediate and could not be reversed by washing for 60 min. 4. Similar prolongation of slow Ca2+ current was effected by 3,4-diaminopyridine, whereas addition of apamin, aprotinin or phospholipase A2 left the signals unchanged. 5. These data indicate that facilitatory actions of dendrotoxin, beta-bungarotoxin, taipoxin and crotoxin are mediated by an increase of Ca2+ entry into nerve terminals. The actions of these toxins are discussed in terms of a blockade of presynaptic K+ channels with slow activation kinetics.

Treatment of taipoxin with p-bromophenacyl bromide resulted in modification of single histidine residues in the alpha and beta subunits. The modification decreased the neurotoxicity (lethality) 350-fold, but the inhibitory action on high-affinity choline transport was reduced only threefold. The phospholipase activity and Ca2+-association constants for taipoxin and its subunits were determined. A model for the neurotoxicity of taipoxin indicates the alpha subunit as the ultimate cause of the disruption of synaptic transmission.

The amino acid sequence of the alpha-subunit of taipoxin, an extremely potent presynaptic neurotoxin from the Australian snake taipan has been determined. The very basic protein, by itself a moderately neurotoxic phospholipase, consists of a single polypeptide chain of 119 amino acids. The main fragmentation of the reduced and S-carboxymethylated derivative was accomplished by cleavage with Staphylococcus aureus V8 protease and trypsin. Chymotryptic peptides and cyanogen bromide fragments were used to align and complete the sequence, which was determined by automated Edman degradation. The taipoxin alpha-subunit is closely homologous to the other taipoxin subunits and to other elapid snake venom phospholipases A2.

1 Five polypeptides, which were isolated from elapid snake venoms and which are structurally related to protease inhibitors, were tested for action on isolated biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparations of the chick. 2 Dendrotoxin from the Eastern green mamba (Dendroaspis angusticeps) and toxins K and I from the black mamba (Dendroaspis polylepis polylepis) increased to indirect stimulation without affecting responses to exogenous acetylcholine, carbachol of KCl. 3 The two other protease inhibitor homologues, HHV-II from Ringhals cobra (Hemachatus haemachatus) and NNV-II from Cape cobra (Naja nivea) did not increase responses to nerve stimulation. Trypsin inhibitor from bovine pancreas also had no facilitatory effects on neuromuscular transmission. 4 The facilitatory toxins from mamba venoms interacted with the prejunctional blocking toxins, beta-bungarotoxin, crotoxin and notexin, but not with taipoxin. The blocking effects of beta-bungarotoxin were reduced by pretreatment with the mamba toxins, whereas the blocking actions of crotoxin and notexin were enhanced. 5 The results indicate that protease inhibitor homologues from mamba venoms form a new class of neurotoxin, which acts to increase the release of acetylcholine in response to motor nerve stimulation. 6 From the interaction studies it is concluded that the facilitatory toxins bind to motor nerve terminals at sites related to those occupied by the prejunctional blocking toxins. However, differences in interactions with individual toxins suggest that there must be several related binding sites on the nerve terminals.

1 A homogeneous preparation of botulinum neurotoxin from Clostridium botulinum type A was labelled with [125I]iodine to high specific activity (e.g. 1750 Ci/mmol) with chloramine-T and shown to retain appreciable biological activity (e. g. 1.2 × 108 mouse LD50/mg). 2 Both of the toxin's subunits were iodinated as shown by sodium dodecyl sulphate gel electrophoresis; the behaviour of native and labelled toxin on Ouchterlony double immunodiffusion was identical. 3 Saturable binding of the 125I-labelled neurotoxin to rat brain synaptosomal membranes was demonstrated. A small fraction of these sites (60 fmol/mg protein) exhibited high affinity for the toxin (Kd= 0.6 nM) whilst the majority displayed a much weaker affinity. Kinetic analyses of the interaction of toxin with synaptosomes were found to be complex, consistent with the existence of heterogeneity. 4 Treatment of the membranes with proteases or heating prevented all the specific binding, suggesting the involvement of protein component(s). In addition, the ability of neuraminidase, and to a lesser extent gangliosides, to reduce the extent of binding to both the high-affinity and low-affinity sites, suggests the involvement of sialic residues in toxin binding. 5 The two individual subunits of native neurotoxin were separated and renatured; only the larger (Mr 97000) competed with the binding of labelled neurotoxin. Tetanus toxin was capable of decreasing the binding, albeit with low efficacy. 6 The binding component(s) appear selective as binding was unaltered by botulinum type B neurotoxin, other pure presynaptically-active neurotoxins (α-latrotoxin, β-bungarotoxin or dendrotoxin) and known antagonists of botulism. Taipoxin, crotoxin and bee venom phospholipase A2 did inhibit the binding; however, their relatively low potencies, which are decreased further in the absence of their phospholipase A2 activity, indicate a non-specific mechanism. 7 The function of the membraneous toxin binding component(s) is discussed in relation to the molecular basis of the neurotoxin's action.

1 The crude venom of the Australian taipan, Oxyuranus scutellatus and its principal neurotoxin, taipoxin, were injected into the anterolateral aspect of one hind limb of the rat. 2 The effects of the venom and toxin on the morphology and physiology on the underlying soleus muscles were examined. 3 Both the crude venom and the toxin caused necrosis and degeneration of the muscle. Damage to the peripheral muscle fibres could be seen at the light microscopic level as early as 3 h after injection of the toxic compounds. 4 The necrotic response was accompanied by an infiltration of phagocytic cells and an extensive oedema. The wet weight of the damaged muscles was almost doubled by 6 h. 5 In individual muscle fibres, necrosis was associated with the disruption of the plasma membrane and the disorganization of the myofibrils. The basal lamina of the muscle fibres was left intact. 6 Denervated mammalian muscles and innervated avian muscles were also destroyed by taipoxin, but immature avian muscle growing in tissue culture was resistant. 7 Of the 3 subunits of taipoxin, only the basic α-taipoxin was itself myotoxic. However, its potency was enhanced by the presence of the acid γ-subunit. The role of the neutral β-subunit is unclear. 8 The period of necrosis and degeneration lasted for approximately 48 h, after which the muscle fibres began to regenerate. Regeneration took place within the surviving basal lamina, with the formation of myotubes by three days, and small, immature muscle fibres by five days. Regeneration was virtually complete by 21 days.

1. Homogeneous beta-bungarotoxin, isolated from the venom of Bungarus multicinctus was radiolabelled with N-succinimidyl-[2.3-(3) H]propionate. Stable, di-propionylated material was obtained which was tritiated on both subunits and had a specific radioactivity of 102 Ci/mmol. 2. After separation from unlabelled toxin by isoelectric focussing, it was shown to exhibit significant biological activity in both the peripheral and central nervous systems but had negligible phospholipase A2 activity towards lecithin or cerebrocortical synaptosomes. 3. The labeled neurotoxin binds specifically to a single class of non-interacting sites of high affinity (Kd = 0.6 nM) on rat cerebral cortex synaptosomes; the content of sites is about 150 fmol/mg protein. This binding was inhibited by unlabelled beta-bungarotoxin with a potency which indicates that tritiation does not alter the affinity significantly. 4. The association of toxin with its binding component and its dissociation were monophasic; rate constants observed were 7.8 x 10(5) M-1 s-1 and 5.6 x 10(-4) s-1 at 37 C, respectively. 5. beta-Bungarotoxin whose phospholipase activity had been inactivated with p-bromophenacyl bromide inhibited to some extent the binding of tritiated toxin but with low efficacy. Taipoxin and phospholipase A2 from bee venom, but not Naja melanoleuca, inhibited the synaptosomal binding of toxin with low potencies in the presence, but not the absence, of Ca2+. 6. Toxin I, a single-chain protein from Dendroaspis polylepis known to potentiate transmitter release at chick neuromuscular junction, completely inhibited the binding of 3H-beta-bungarotoxin with a Ki of 0.07 nM; this explains its ability to antagonise the neuroparalytic action of beta-bungarotoxin. Other pure presynaptic neurotoxins, alpha-latrotoxin and botulinum neurotoxin failed to antagonise the observed binding; likewise tityustoxin, which is known to affect sodium channels, had no effect on 3H-beta-bungarotoxin binding. 7. Trypsinization of synaptosomes completely destroyed the binding activity, suggesting that the binding component is a protein; the functional role of the latter is discussed in relation to the specificity of toxin binding.