Special Issue "Toxinology and Pharmacology of Snake Venoms"

A special issue of Toxins (ISSN 2072-6651). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Venoms".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2021.

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Igor Križaj
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Molecular and Biomedical Sciences at Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: animal venoms; envenomation; neurotoxins; anticoagulants; procoagulants; antithrombotics; hemorrhagins; myotoxins; molecular mechanisms of action; toxin receptors; secreted phospholipases A2; venomics; proteomics; protein structure; structure–function relationships; venoms to drugs

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Evolution endowed snakes with the ultimate weapon: the venom. With it, several hundred types of venomous snakes can kill or weaken their victims to prevent them from escape. Snakes get closer to humans and cause more harm and more deaths than any other venomous animal, including spiders and scorpions. Snake venoms can be especially dangerous for the circulatory, nervous, and muscular systems in humans. The increased sensitivity of analytical instruments and the development of new techniques such as transcriptomics and proteomics in the last two decades have permitted us to analyze the structures and functions of venom components of rare snake species and to identify novel minor snake venom constituents. As a result, the number of polypeptides identified in snake venoms is increasing dramatically. The unraveled biochemical composition, genomics, and proteomics of toxins and venoms have deepened our understanding of their interaction with organisms, most importantly with humans. Their modes of action are better understood, which opens the door to their eventual application as molecular tools and diagnostic or therapeutic agents, including the development of antidotes. Snake venom research influences various areas of life and biomedical sciences. It has deep linkages with biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, pathophysiology, pharmacology, and the rapidly developing field of clinical toxinology. The latter deals with understanding and managing the medical effects of toxins on the human body. Given the huge impact of snake-venom-based deaths globally, and the potential of venoms in the generation of drugs against different diseases, this field of research is guaranteed to bloom. This Special Issue of Toxins welcomes articles addressing most aspects of biochemical, evolutionary, pathophysiological, and therapeutic research on snake venoms and envenomation, to provide readers with an updated and comprehensive picture of this exciting area of research.

Prof. Dr. Igor Križaj
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All papers will be peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Toxins is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • snake venom
  • envenomation
  • venomics
  • toxin
  • molecular mechanism of action
  • evolution
  • drug discovery

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

Article
Intravenous Vipera berus Venom-Specific Fab Fragments and Intramuscular Vipera ammodytes Venom-Specific F(ab’)2 Fragments in Vipera ammodytes-Envenomed Patients
Toxins 2021, 13(4), 279; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13040279 - 14 Apr 2021
Viewed by 594
Abstract
Vipera ammodytes (V. ammodytes) is the most venomous European viper. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetic values of intravenous Vipera berus venom-specific (paraspecific) Fab fragments (ViperaTAb) and intramuscular V. ammodytes venom-specific F(ab’)2 fragments [...] Read more.
Vipera ammodytes (V. ammodytes) is the most venomous European viper. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical efficacy and pharmacokinetic values of intravenous Vipera berus venom-specific (paraspecific) Fab fragments (ViperaTAb) and intramuscular V. ammodytes venom-specific F(ab’)2 fragments (European viper venom antiserum, also called “Zagreb” antivenom) in V.ammodytes-envenomed patients. This was a prospective study of V.ammodytes-envenomed patients that were treated intravenously with ViperaTAb or intramuscularly with European viper venom antiserum that was feasible only due to the unique situation of an antivenom shortage. The highest venom concentration, survival, length of hospital stay and adverse reactions did not differ between the groups. Patients treated with intravenous Fab fragments were sicker, with significantly more rhabdomyolysis and neurotoxicity. The kinetics of Fab fragments after one or more intravenous applications matched better with the venom concentration in the early phase of envenomation compared to F(ab’)2 fragments that were given intramuscularly only on admission. F(ab’)2 fragments given intramuscularly had 25-fold longer apparent total body clearance and 14-fold longer elimination half-time compared to Fab fragments given intravenously (2 weeks vs. 24 h, respectively). In V.ammodytes-envenomed patients, the intramuscular use of specific F(ab’)2 fragments resulted in a slow rise of antivenom serum concentration that demanded their early administration but without the need for additional doses for complete resolution of all clinical signs of envenomation. Intravenous use of paraspecific Fab fragments resulted in the immediate rise of antivenom serum concentration that enabled their use according to the clinical progress, but multiple doses might be needed for efficient therapy of thrombocytopenia due to venom recurrence, while the progression of rhabdomyolysis and neurotoxic effects of the venom could not be prevented. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxinology and Pharmacology of Snake Venoms)
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Article
Extensive Variation in the Activities of Pseudocerastes and Eristicophis Viper Venoms Suggests Divergent Envenoming Strategies Are Used for Prey Capture
Toxins 2021, 13(2), 112; https://doi.org/10.3390/toxins13020112 - 02 Feb 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1919
Abstract
Snakes of the genera Pseudocerastes and Eristicophis (Viperidae: Viperinae) are known as the desert vipers due to their association with the arid environments of the Middle East. These species have received limited research attention and little is known about their venom or ecology. [...] Read more.
Snakes of the genera Pseudocerastes and Eristicophis (Viperidae: Viperinae) are known as the desert vipers due to their association with the arid environments of the Middle East. These species have received limited research attention and little is known about their venom or ecology. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of desert viper venoms was conducted by visualising the venom proteomes via gel electrophoresis and assessing the crude venoms for their cytotoxic, haemotoxic, and neurotoxic properties. Plasmas sourced from human, toad, and chicken were used as models to assess possible prey-linked venom activity. The venoms demonstrated substantial divergence in composition and bioactivity across all experiments. Pseudocerastes urarachnoides venom activated human coagulation factors X and prothrombin and demonstrated potent procoagulant activity in human, toad, and chicken plasmas, in stark contrast to the potent neurotoxic venom of P. fieldi. The venom of E. macmahonii also induced coagulation, though this did not appear to be via the activation of factor X or prothrombin. The coagulant properties of P. fieldi and P. persicus venoms varied among plasmas, demonstrating strong anticoagulant activity in the amphibian and human plasmas but no significant effect in that of bird. This is conjectured to reflect prey-specific toxin activity, though further ecological studies are required to confirm any dietary associations. This study reinforces the notion that phylogenetic relatedness of snakes cannot readily predict venom protein composition or function. The significant venom variation between these species raises serious concerns regarding antivenom paraspecificity. Future assessment of antivenom is crucial. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Toxinology and Pharmacology of Snake Venoms)
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