Cardiotoxic effects of Loxosceles intermedia spider venom and the recombinant venom toxin rLiD1
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 9, 2026

Extraction of Venom and Venom Gland Microdissections from Spiders for Proteomic and Transcriptomic Analyses
Published on: November 3, 2014
Camila Dias-Lopes1, Liza Felicori, Gabriela Guimarães
1Biochemistry Departament, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CP: 486, CEP: 30161-970, Belo Horizonte, Brazil.
Abstract:
Loxosceles spider bites cause many human injuries worldwide. Injections in mice of whole Loxosceles (L.) intermedia venom or a recombinant toxin (rLiD1) produce systemic symptoms similar to those detected in envenomed humans. This animal model was used to characterize the effects of Loxosceles intermedia venom in cardiac tissues. L. intermedia antigens were detected by ELISA in kidney, heart, lung and liver of experimentally envenomed mice. In addition, rLiD1 binding to cardiomyocytes was demonstrated by immunofluorescence and confocal microscopy. Furthermore, isolated perfused heart preparations and ventricular cardiomyocytes from envenomed mice showed heart function impairment, and a significant increase of I(Ca,L) density and intracellular Ca(2+) transients, respectively. Thus, L. intermedia spider venom, as shown through the use of the recombinant toxin rLiD1, causes cardiotoxic effects and a protein from the sphingomyelinase D family plays a key role in heart dysfunction. Thus, L. intermedia spider venom and the Loxtox rLiD1 play a key role in heart dysfunction.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
Drug Toxicity: Overview
Directly Acting Muscle Relaxants: Dantrolene and Botulinum Toxin
The binding of dantrolene to the RYR1...
Local Anesthetics: Adverse Effects
Once absorbed into the systemic circulation, local anesthetics can affect the organs that depend on the functioning of sodium...

