The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species

Fish venoms are often poorly studied, in part due to the difficulty in obtaining, extracting, and storing them. In this study, we characterize the cardiovascular and neurotoxic effects of the venoms from the following six species of fish: the cartilaginous stingrays Neotrygon kuhlii and Himantura to...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Han Han, Kate Baumann, Nicholas R. Casewell, Syed A. Ali, James Dobson, Ivan Koludarov, Jordan Debono, Scott C. Cutmore, Niwanthi W. Rajapakse, Timothy N. W. Jackson, Rob Jones, Wayne C. Hodgson, Bryan G. Fry, Sanjaya Kuruppu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2017-02-01
Series:Toxins
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/9/2/67
id doaj-76f9d9689728486f9d319aa5e30f2d31
record_format Article
spelling doaj-76f9d9689728486f9d319aa5e30f2d312020-11-24T23:24:25ZengMDPI AGToxins2072-66512017-02-01926710.3390/toxins9020067toxins9020067The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish SpeciesHan Han0Kate Baumann1Nicholas R. Casewell2Syed A. Ali3James Dobson4Ivan Koludarov5Jordan Debono6Scott C. Cutmore7Niwanthi W. Rajapakse8Timothy N. W. Jackson9Rob Jones10Wayne C. Hodgson11Bryan G. Fry12Sanjaya Kuruppu13Department of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaAlistair Reid Venom Research Unit, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, Liverpool L3 5QA, UKDepartment of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaMarine Parisitology Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaBaker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute, 75 Commercial Road, Prahran 3181, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaThe Aquarium Vet, P.O. Box 2327, Moorabbin, VIC 3189, AustraliaDepartment of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, AustraliaVenom Evolution Lab, School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, AustraliaDepartment of Pharmacology, Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, AustraliaFish venoms are often poorly studied, in part due to the difficulty in obtaining, extracting, and storing them. In this study, we characterize the cardiovascular and neurotoxic effects of the venoms from the following six species of fish: the cartilaginous stingrays Neotrygon kuhlii and Himantura toshi, and the bony fish Platycephalus fucus, Girella tricuspidata, Mugil cephalus, and Dentex tumifrons. All venoms (10–100 μg/kg, i.v.), except G. tricuspidata and P. fuscus, induced a biphasic response on mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the anesthetised rat. P. fucus venom exhibited a hypotensive response, while venom from G. tricuspidata displayed a single depressor response. All venoms induced cardiovascular collapse at 200 μg/kg, i.v. The in vitro neurotoxic effects of venom were examined using the chick biventer cervicis nerve‐muscle (CBCNM) preparation. N. kuhlii, H. toshi, and P. fucus venoms caused concentration‐dependent inhibition of indirect twitches in the CBCNM preparation. These three venoms also inhibited responses to exogenous acetylcholine (ACh) and carbachol (CCh), but not potassium chloride (KCl), indicating a post‐synaptic mode of action. Venom from G. tricuspidata, M. cephalus, and D. tumifrons had no significant effect on indirect twitches or agonist responses in the CBCNM. Our results demonstrate that envenoming by these species of fish may result in moderate cardiovascular and/or neurotoxic effects. Future studies aimed at identifying the molecules responsible for these effects could uncover potentially novel lead compounds for future pharmaceuticals, in addition to generating new knowledge about the evolutionary relationships between venomous animals.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/9/2/67venom fish cardiovascular neuromuscular toxin
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Han Han
Kate Baumann
Nicholas R. Casewell
Syed A. Ali
James Dobson
Ivan Koludarov
Jordan Debono
Scott C. Cutmore
Niwanthi W. Rajapakse
Timothy N. W. Jackson
Rob Jones
Wayne C. Hodgson
Bryan G. Fry
Sanjaya Kuruppu
spellingShingle Han Han
Kate Baumann
Nicholas R. Casewell
Syed A. Ali
James Dobson
Ivan Koludarov
Jordan Debono
Scott C. Cutmore
Niwanthi W. Rajapakse
Timothy N. W. Jackson
Rob Jones
Wayne C. Hodgson
Bryan G. Fry
Sanjaya Kuruppu
The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species
Toxins
venom
 fish
 cardiovascular
 neuromuscular
 toxin
author_facet Han Han
Kate Baumann
Nicholas R. Casewell
Syed A. Ali
James Dobson
Ivan Koludarov
Jordan Debono
Scott C. Cutmore
Niwanthi W. Rajapakse
Timothy N. W. Jackson
Rob Jones
Wayne C. Hodgson
Bryan G. Fry
Sanjaya Kuruppu
author_sort Han Han
title The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species
title_short The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species
title_full The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species
title_fullStr The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species
title_full_unstemmed The Cardiovascular and Neurotoxic Effects of the  Venoms of Six Bony and Cartilaginous Fish Species
title_sort the cardiovascular and neurotoxic effects of the  venoms of six bony and cartilaginous fish species
publisher MDPI AG
series Toxins
issn 2072-6651
publishDate 2017-02-01
description Fish venoms are often poorly studied, in part due to the difficulty in obtaining, extracting, and storing them. In this study, we characterize the cardiovascular and neurotoxic effects of the venoms from the following six species of fish: the cartilaginous stingrays Neotrygon kuhlii and Himantura toshi, and the bony fish Platycephalus fucus, Girella tricuspidata, Mugil cephalus, and Dentex tumifrons. All venoms (10–100 μg/kg, i.v.), except G. tricuspidata and P. fuscus, induced a biphasic response on mean arterial pressure (MAP) in the anesthetised rat. P. fucus venom exhibited a hypotensive response, while venom from G. tricuspidata displayed a single depressor response. All venoms induced cardiovascular collapse at 200 μg/kg, i.v. The in vitro neurotoxic effects of venom were examined using the chick biventer cervicis nerve‐muscle (CBCNM) preparation. N. kuhlii, H. toshi, and P. fucus venoms caused concentration‐dependent inhibition of indirect twitches in the CBCNM preparation. These three venoms also inhibited responses to exogenous acetylcholine (ACh) and carbachol (CCh), but not potassium chloride (KCl), indicating a post‐synaptic mode of action. Venom from G. tricuspidata, M. cephalus, and D. tumifrons had no significant effect on indirect twitches or agonist responses in the CBCNM. Our results demonstrate that envenoming by these species of fish may result in moderate cardiovascular and/or neurotoxic effects. Future studies aimed at identifying the molecules responsible for these effects could uncover potentially novel lead compounds for future pharmaceuticals, in addition to generating new knowledge about the evolutionary relationships between venomous animals.
topic venom
 fish
 cardiovascular
 neuromuscular
 toxin
url http://www.mdpi.com/2072-6651/9/2/67
work_keys_str_mv AT hanhan thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT katebaumann thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT nicholasrcasewell thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT syedaali thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT jamesdobson thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT ivankoludarov thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT jordandebono thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT scottccutmore thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT niwanthiwrajapakse thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT timothynwjackson thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT robjones thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT waynechodgson thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT bryangfry thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
AT sanjayakuruppu thecardiovascularandneurotoxiceffectsofthevenomsofsixbonyandcartilaginousfishspecies
_version_ 1725560766939004928