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Immunomodulation of the inflammatory response induced by Androctonus australis hector neurotoxins: biomarker
Ryma Raouraoua-Boukari1, Sassia Sami-Merah, Djelila Hammoudi-Triki
1Laboratoire de Biologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire, Faculté des Sciences Biologiques, Université des Sciences et de la Technologie «Houari Boumédienne», Alger, Algérie.
Insights
The Androctonus australis hector scorpion
Area of Science:
- Toxicology
- Immunology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Androctonus australis hector (Aah) scorpion venom contains potent neurotoxins.
- These toxins primarily target voltage-gated sodium channels, causing severe effects in mammals.
- The impact of Aah venom on the immune response, particularly inflammation, remains underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of Aah venom and its components, specifically Aah II toxin, on the inflammatory process.
- To elucidate the role of Aah II toxin in modulating immune responses post-envenomation.
Main Methods:
- Wistar rats were administered sublethal doses of Aah venom, purified Aah II toxin, or saline.
- Immunological biomarkers (MPO, NO, ICAM-1) were analyzed in serum and lung tissue.
- Cytokine levels were measured in serum at 3, 6, and 24 hours post-injection.
Main Results:
- Intraperitoneal injection of Aah venom or Aah II toxin induced significant inflammatory reactions.
- Increased neutrophil release and lung tissue accumulation were observed.
- Elevated levels of nitric oxide (NO), histamine, cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-4, IL-5), and ICAM were detected.
Conclusions:
- Aah II toxin binding to sodium channels may trigger inflammatory mediator release and neutrophil migration.
- These events can exacerbate systemic inflammation and contribute to lung injury after scorpion envenoming.
- Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for managing Aah scorpion stings.
Objective:
Androctonus australis hector (Aah) is the most dangerous scorpion in the Maghreb countries. Its venom contains three major neurotoxins (Aah I, Aah II and Aah III), which are responsible for almost all the lethal effects caused in mammals. These toxins act on the voltage-gated sodium channels of excitable cells. The targets and the lethal effects of these toxins have been extensively studied. However, their effects on the induced immune response after envenoming have not deeply elicited. We therefore investigated the effects induced by Aah venom and its toxic components, mainly its main toxin Aah II, on the activation of the inflammatory process.
Methods:
Wistar rats were injected by intraperitoneal route with a sublethal dose of Aah venom, FTox-G50, the purified Aah II toxin or with 400 μl of sterile physiological saline solution. Immunological biomarkers such as MPO, NO and ICAM-1 were analyzed in serum in lung tissue. Cytokine levels were also determined in serum at 3, 6 and 24 h after envenoming.
Results:
We report in this study that intraperitoneal injection of the venom or its toxins (the whole toxic fraction or Aah II toxin) caused an inflammatory reaction involving increased neutrophil release into blood and neutrophil accumulation in lung tissue. This cell infiltration was associated with the release of NO, histamine, cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, IL-4 and IL-5) and ICAM.
Conclusion:
Aah II binding to its targets, in this case Na⁺ channels, may induce a cascade of events such as inflammatory mediator release and neutrophil migration that could contribute to the exacerbation of the systemic inflammatory response and the development of lung injury following scorpion envenoming.
