Snake venom weakens neurovascular integrity and promotes vulnerability to neuroinflammation

Snake envenomation poses significant medical challenges, particularly in subtropical and tropical regions, with long-term impacts on neurovascular integrity and neuroinflammation remaining underexplored. This study investigates the effects of venom from four species of venomous snakes in southern China-Zhoushan Cobra (Naja atra, NA), Many-banded Krait (Bungarus multicinctus, BM), Five-paced Pit Viper (Deinagkistrodon acutus, DA), and Chinese Moccasin (Protobothrops mucrosquamatus, PM) - on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and chronic neuroinflammation. Using mass spectrometry, we analyzed venom protein compositions, while cytotoxic effects on mouse brain endothelial cells (bEND.3) were evaluated to determine IC₅₀ values. In vitro BBB models and in vivo experiments in C57BL/6J mice revealed that NA venom, in particular, significantly compromised BBB integrity without inducing large-scale apoptosis, leading to persistent BBB disruption characterized by increased permeability and selective degradation of extracellular matrix and tight junction proteins. Moreover, to simulate secondary infections that often occur following snakebites, we combined venom exposure with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment, which exacerbated neuroinflammatory responses by intensifying microglial activation and promoting a pro-inflammatory phenotype. These findings highlight the role of snake venom in compromising neurovascular integrity and promoting vulnerability to chronic neuroinflammation, emphasizing the need for further research into venom-induced neuroinflammatory pathways and their potential as therapeutic targets.