Biomedical subjects

B Oliveira

Publications and source records attributed to B Oliveira.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Effect of crotapotin and heparin on the rat paw oedema induced by different secretory phospholipases A2.

The effects of crotapotin (a non-toxic and non-enzymatic acid polypeptide naturally complexed with phospholipase A2) and heparin on rat paw edema induced by different secretory phospholipases A2 (sPLA2) have been investigated. The ability of crotapotin to affect the enzymatic activity of the sPLA2(s) have also been evaluated. Secretory PLA2(s) obtained from both snake (Naja naja, Naja mocambique mocambique, Crotalus adamanteus and Crotalus durissus terrificus) and bee (Apis mellifera) venoms as well as that from bovine pancreas were used in this study. Rat paw oedema was induced by a single subplantar injection of the sPLA2s (5-30 microg/paw) in absence and presence of either crotapotin (10-100 microg/paw) or heparin (50 U/paw). Paw volume was measured using a hydroplethysmometer. Phospholipase A2 from Naja naja, Naja mocambique mocambique, Apis mellifera venoms and the basic component of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom all induced dose-dependent rat paw oedema whereas those from Crotalus adamanteus venom and bovine pancreas were ineffective. Paw oedema induced by PLA2(s) from both Naja naja and Apis mellifera venoms was significantly (P < 0.05) inhibited by crotapotin (0.1-100 microg/site) whereas the Naja mocambique mocambique venom PLA2-induced oedema was significantly potentiated (P < 0.05) by this polypeptide (40 microg/site). On the other hand, heparin (50 U/paw) had no effect on the paw oedema induced by PLA2 from Naja naja and Apis mellifera venoms but significantly inhibited the Naja mocambique mocambique venom PLA2-induced oedema. The measurement of the in vitro phospholipasic activity revealed that crotapotin inhibited by 60-70% the enzymatic activities of PLA2(s) from Crotalus adamanteus, Naja mocambique mocambique, Apis mellifera venoms and bovine pancreas. Our results suggest that despite the great homology between the various types of sPLA2 they interact with crotapotin on cell surfaces in different ways leading to either inhibition or potentiation of the paw oedema by a mechanism unrelated to their enzymatic activities. Since heparin reduced paw oedema induced by PLA2 from Naja mocambique mocambique venom it is likely that this sPLA2 is similar to the novel heparin-sensitive PLA2 found in mast cells.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

TsTX-IV, a short chain four-disulfide-bridged neurotoxin from Tityus serrulatus venom which acts on Ca2+-activated K+ channels.

The primary structure of TsTX-IV, a neurotoxin isolated from Tityrus serrulatus scorpion venom, is reported. Its amino acid sequence was determined by automated Edman sequential degradation of the reduced and carboxymethylated toxin and of relevant peptides obtained by digestion with Staphylococcus aureus strain V8 protease or trypsin and cleavage by CNBr. The complete sequence showed 41 amino acid residues, which account for an estimated molecular weight of 4520, and eight half-cystine residues which cross-link the toxin molecule with four disulfide bonds. The molecular weight determined by mass spectrometry was 4518. Comparison of this sequence with those from other scorpion toxins showed a resemblance with toxins which act on different types of K+ channels. TsTx-IV was able to block Ca2+-activated K+ channels of high conductance. TsTX-IV is the first four-disulfide-bridged short toxin from T. serrulatus so far completely sequenced.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Purification and characterization of insulin and peptides derived from proglucagon and prosomatostatin from the fruit-eating fish, the pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus.

The fruit-eating teleost fish, the pacu Piaractus mesopotamicus (Characiformes, Characidae) is classified along with the carp and the catfish in the superorder Ostariophysi. The pacu is able to survive and grow in captive conditions feeding exclusively on carbohydrates. Hormonal polypeptides in an extract of pacu Brockmann bodies were purified to homogeneity by reversed phase HPLC and their primary structures determined by automated Edman degradation. Pacu insulin contains only two substitutions, Glu-->Asp at A15 and Thr-->Ser at B24 (corresponding to B22 in mammalian insulins) compared with carp insulin. The B-chains of both insulins contain a dipeptide extension to the N-terminus and a deletion of the C-terminal residue compared with human insulin. Pacu glucagon differs from catfish glucagon by a single substitution at position 17 (Arg-->Gln. The primary structure of the 34 amino acid residue glucagon-like peptide (GLP) differs from catfish GLP only at positions 12 (Ser-->Ala) and 33 (Pro-->Gln). In common with other teleost species, the pacu expresses two somatostatin genes. Somatostatin-14, derived from preprosomatostatin-I (PSS-I), is identical to mammalian/catfish somatostatin-14. Although pacu somatostatin-II was not identified in this study, a peptide was purified that shows 67% sequence identity with residues (1-58) of catfish preprosomatostatin-II (PSS-II). This relatively high degree of sequence similarity contrasts with the fact that catfish PSS-II shows virtually no sequence identity with the corresponding PSS-II from anglerfish (Acanthopterygii) and trout (Protoacanthopterygii). A comparison of the primary structures of the islet hormones suggest that amino acid sequences may have been better conserved within the Ostariophysi than in other groups of the taxon Euteleostei that have been studied.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1999

Isolation and characterization of a new trypsin inhibitor from Crotalaria paulina seeds.

A new trypsin inhibitor (CPTI) has been isolated from Crotalaria paulina seeds. Purification of the inhibitor was carried out by gel filtration, ion-exchange chromatography, and subsequent reversed-phase HPLC. The presence of a single polypeptide chain, with a molecular mass of 20 kDa and isoelectric point 4.0, was detected. The trypsin inhibitor had a Ki value of 4.5 x 10(-8) M and was capable of acting on human, bovine, and porcine trypsin and weakly on bovine chymotrypsin. Amino acid analysis showed that CPTI has a high content of aspartate, glutamate, leucine, serine, and glycine, having 177 amino acid residues in its composition. These data suggest that the protein belongs to the Kunitz-type trypsin inhibitors.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction studies of piratoxin II, a phospholipase A2 isolated from the venom of Bothrops pirajai.

The phospholipases A2 (PLA2, E.C. 3.1.1.4, phosphatide sn2 acylhydrolases) are the major components of the venom of several snakes. They are responsible for several important pharmacological effects observed in ophidian incidents. PLA2 piratoxin II from Bothrops pirajai has been crystallized by the vapour-diffusion technique. X-ray diffraction data have been collected to 2.04 A resolution (90.2% complete, Rmerge = 0.070). The space group is P21 and the cell parameters are a = 46.19, b = 60.36, c = 58.74 A and beta = 96.05 degrees. The structure has been solved by molecular replacement using the crystallographic structure of PLA2 from Bothrops asper (PDB code 1CLP) as a search model.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Crystallization and preliminary diffraction data of neurotoxin Ts-gamma from the venom of the scorpion Tityus serrulatus.

Scorpion neurotoxin Ts-gamma was isolated from Tityus serrulatus venom and purified to apparent homogeneity by ion-exchange HPLC. Crystals of the toxin were grown using polyethylene glycol 6000 as precipitant and were found to belong to the monoclinic space group P21 with cell parameters a = 22.20, b = 36.90, c = 31.57 A, beta = 100.85 degrees. The crystals diffract beyond 1.73 A resolution at a synchrotron beamline, being notably stable during X-ray exposure. The structure has been solved by molecular replacement using the very high resolution structure of Sahara scorpion Androctonus australis Hector (PDB code 1AHO) as a search model.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Mast cell degranulation induced by two phospholipase A2 homologues: dissociation between enzymatic and biological activities.

Bothropstoxin-I and bothropstoxin-II are phospholipase A2 homologues isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom. The former is devoid of phospholipase A2 activity whereas the latter has very low enzymatic activity. In this study, we have investigated the in vivo (rat paw and skin oedema) and in vitro (mast cell degranulation) inflammatory effects caused by bothropstoxin-I and bothropstoxin-II. Bothropstoxin-I (25-100 microg/paw) and bothropstoxin-II (12.5-50 microg/paw) caused dose-dependent rat paw oedema. The intradermal injection of bothropstoxin-I (0.125-5 microg/site) and bothropstoxin-II (0.125-5 microg/site) into rat skin also resulted in dose-dependent oedema formation. These oedematogenic activities were largely reduced in animals pretreated with the histamine/5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor antagonist cyproheptadine (2 mg/kg, i.p. 0.5 h before). Similarly, p-bromophenacyl bromide, a compound known to inhibit phospholipase A2 activity, significantly inhibited rat paw and skin oedema induced by both phospholipase A2 homologues. The polyanion heparin (5 IU/site) significantly reduced the rat skin oedema induced by either bothropstoxin-I or bothropstoxin-II as well as the paw oedema (50 IU/site) induced by the former. When assayed in the rat peritoneal mast cells in vitro, both bothropstoxin-I (10 and 100 microg/ml) and bothropstoxin-II (3 and 10 microg/ml) significantly caused [14C]5-HT release. The [14C]5-HT release caused by these phospholipase A2 homologues were reduced by p-bromophenacyl bromide and heparin (50 IU/ml). Our results indicate that oedema formation induced by bothropstoxin-I and bothropstoxin-II is mostly dependent on in vivo mast cell degranulation. Since heparin greatly reduced the oedematogenic activity of these phospholipase A2 homologues, it is likely that the cationic charge of these substances plays a major role in the mast cell activation. Our results also indicate that p-bromophenacyl bromide may not be a suitable pharmacological tool to investigate the correlation between enzymatic activity and the inflammatory effects of phospholipases A2.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

Amino acid sequence of piratoxin-I, a myotoxin from Bothrops pirajai snake venom, and its biological activity after alkylation with p-bromophenacyl bromide.

The complete sequence of the 121 amino acid residues of piratoxin-I (PrTX-I), a phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-like myotoxin from Bothrops pirajai snake (Bahia jararacussu) venom, is reported. From the sequence, an M, of 13,825 and an approximate pI of 8.3 were calculated. PrTX-I shows a high sequence homology with Lys-49 myotoxins from other bothropic (approximately 95%) and nonbothropic (approximately 80%) venoms, but only 70-75% homology when aligned with the catalytically active Asp-49 PLA2s. When compared with bothropstoxin-I from Bothropsjararacussu, which is morphologically almost identical to B. pirajai, only two changes out of 121 total amino acid residues have been observed. The approximate minimal lethal dose LD50 (mice, i.p., 24 hr) of PrTX-I was 8 (6.8-9.1) mg/kg, and the minimal edematogenic dose (MED) in a rat paw model was 39.5+/-1.8 ug. After alkylation of His-48 with p-bromophenacyl bromide, the MED was 40.1+/-1.9 ug, but up to 4 LD50 were unable to cause death in any of a group of eight mice after 72 hr. Therefore the edematogenic activity was retained and apparently did not involve His-48, suggesting that at least two biologically active sites are present in PrTX-I.

Acetophenones↗

PubMed1998

Mitochondrial swelling and oxygen consumption during respiratory state 4 induced by phospholipase A2 isoforms isolated from the South American rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus terrificus) venom.

The non-covalent interaction between two molecular entities namely, phospholipase A2 and crotapotin, results in the main toxin, crotoxin, present in the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. High performance liquid chromatography has enabled us the isolation of three phospholipase A2 isoforms (F1, F2 and F3), characterized through denaturing and non-denaturing polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and also through the N-terminal amino acid sequence analysis. The effect of each purified phospholipase A2 isoform on isolated rat liver mitochondria was determined through mitochondrial swelling and O2 consumption during respiratory state 4. F1 showed a dose-dependent stimulation of O2 consumption while F2 and F3 caused stimulation only at low doses and inhibition at high amounts. These effects were completely suppressed by the presence of 0.1% bovine serum albumin or 0.5 mM EGTA in the incubation medium. Taking the mitochondrial swelling as an activity parameter, all of them presented the same behaviour at different intensities, leading to permeabilization of the mitochondrial membrane. In this case, addition of EGTA prevented it whereas bovine serum albumin was ineffective, indicating that the lipid microenvironment was affected. These results suggest that free fatty acids are directly responsible for the observed effects induced by phospholipase A2 isoforms on oxygen consumption experiments. The protection conferred by cyclosporin-A on swelling induced by the isoforms, when present in low concentrations, may suggest that cyclosporin-A binds to a mitochondrial membrane site protecting the membrane against the phospholipase A2 attack.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

Purification and partial characterization of a thrombin-like enzyme, balterobin, from the venom of Bothrops alternatus.

A thrombin-like enzyme, balterobin, was purified from the venom of Bothrops alternatus. The purification steps included Sephadex G-75, heparin-sepharose and reverse phase HPLC C-18 column. Balterobin showed an apparent molecular weight of 30,000 in non-reduced conditions and displays a specific coagulant activity of 32.8 NIH units/mg over bovine fibrinogen. It also exhibits arginine amidase activity on DL-BAPNA. Like thrombin-like enzymes from other snakes, balterobin possesses valine as N-terminal residue, and is inhibited by PMSF.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

The complete amino acid sequence of a trypsin inhibitor from Bauhinia variegata var. candida seeds.

Trypsin inhibitors of two varieties of Bauhinia variegata seeds have been isolated and characterized. Bauhinia variegata candida trypsin inhibitor (BvcTI) and B. variegata lilac trypsin inhibitor (BvlTI) are proteins with Mr of about 20,000 without free sulfhydryl groups. Amino acid analysis shows a high content of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, serine, and glycine, and a low content of histidine, tyrosine, methionine, and lysine in both inhibitors. Isoelectric focusing for both varieties detected three isoforms (pI 4.85, 5.00, and 5.15), which were resolved by HPLC procedure. The trypsin inhibitors show Ki values of 6.9 and 1.2 nM for BvcTI and BvlTI, respectively. The N-terminal sequences of the three trypsin inhibitor isoforms from both varieties of Bauhinia variegata and the complete amino acid sequence of B. variegata var. candida L. trypsin inhibitor isoform 3 (BvcTI-3) are presented. The sequences have been determined by automated Edman degradation of the reduced and carboxymethylated proteins of the peptides resulting from Staphylococcus aureus protease and trypsin digestion. BvcTI-3 is composed of 167 residues and has a calculated molecular mass of 18,529. Homology studies with other trypsin inhibitors show that BvcTI-3 belongs to the Kunitz family. The putative active site encompasses Arg (63)-Ile (64).

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1998

The amino acid sequence of bothropstoxin-II, an Asp-49 myotoxin from Bothrops jararacussu (Jararacucu) venom with low phospholipase A2 activity.

The complete amino acid sequence of bothropstoxin-II (BthTX-II), a myotoxin isolated from Bothrops jararacussu snake venom, is reported. The results show that BthTX-II is an Asp-49 phospholipase A2 (PLA2)-like protein composed of a single polypeptide chain of 120 amino acid residues (Mr = 13,976), containing one methionine and 14 half-cystines. Despite a high degree of homology with other PLA2's and the presence of the strategic residues known to compose the Ca2+-binding loop, namely Tyr-28, Gly-30, Gly-32, and especially Asp-49, besides His-48, Tyr-52, and Asp-99, all of them directly or indirectly involved in catalysis, BthTX-II revealed a very low PLA2 activity when assayed on egg yolk phosphatidylcholine. We attribute this low catalytic activity to the existence of extra mutations, e.g., Trp-5 for Phe-5, which points to the need of considering other strategic positions, since only Lys-49 PLA2's have been considered to be devoid of this enzymatic activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1997

Isolation and characterization of a new clotting factor from Bothrops jararacussu (jararacuçu) venom.

A detailed procedure for the isolation of a new clotting enzyme from the venom of Bothrops jararacussu (common name jararacuçu) is described. The estimated mol. wt of the native protein was 30,100 but 37,500 after reduction by dithiothreitol. Two major close bands corresponding to pI 5.18 and 5.20 were detected by electrofocusing but, after methanolysis, a single band focused at pI 8.20. The mol. wt of the protein moiety of this glycoprotein was 28,500, showing V-V-G-A-D-N-C-N-F-N... as N-terminal sequence. The content of neutral sugar was 4.8% and that of total sugars 5.3%. This clotting factor degraded only the A alpha-chain of the fibrinogen molecule. The stability of the clot, when produced in the presence of aprotinin opens new uses for snake clotting enzymes in the production of fibrin glue.

Amino Acids↗

PubMed1997

Erythrocruorin of Glossoscolex paulistus (Oligochaeta, Glossoscolecidae): modulation of oxygen affinity by specific antibodies.

1) The Soret region absorption spectrum of erythrocruorin (ERC) obtained from Glossoscolex paulistus, shows that oxy-ERC has a maximum absorption peak at 416 nm while the deoxy-ERC from has a maximum at 427 nm. 2) In the presence of a specific antiserum (anti-ERC) and of anti-ERC immunoglobulin G raised in rabbits, there is a deviation to low wavelengths in the maximum absorption peak of deoxy-ERC while for the oxy form a red-shift is noticed. These shifts accompanied an increased affinity of the hemeprotein for oxygen, possibly because of changes in the overall macromolecular conformation. 3) A decrease in the oxygen affinity of erythrocruorin is observed when large amounts of non-specific serum are used. The same effect is observed in the presence of serum albumin, probably as a result of non-specific binding between the albumin and erythrocruorin. 4) The fluorimetric titration of erythrocruorin with anti-ERC Fab fragments results in a decrease in the intrinsic tryptophan fluorescence of the hemeprotein, a response indicative of a modification in the ERC's quaternary structure.

Animals↗

PubMed1996

Isolation of protein factors from opossum (Didelphis albiventris) serum which protect against Bothrops jararaca venom.

The fractionation of Didelphis albiventris serum by DEAE-Sephadex A50 yields a fraction (DA2) which protects the opossum against Bothrops venom. One polypeptide (DA2-II) responsible for this protection was isolated from fraction DA2 by ion exchange chromatography and biochemically characterized. DA2-II is a 43,000 mol. wt glycoprotein with the following N-terminal sequence: LKAMDTTPPLKIKKEPVK. Pairwise comparison of the amino acid sequence with four anti-hemorrhagic factors isolated from other opossum species indicated that DA2-II possesses high similarity (60-80%) with these proteins.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Isolation and partial characterization of a polypeptide from Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom that relaxes rabbit corpus cavernosum in vitro.

The venom of the Brazilian spider Phoneutria nigriventer was fractionated using a C18 microBondapack reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography column. The resulting fractions were assayed in the rabbit perfused corpus cavernosum tissue to identify those fractions responsible for the corpus cavernosum relaxation. Two fractions (A and B) with retention times of 18.1 and 36.7 min, respectively, induced relaxation of corpus cavernosum strips. Fraction A was selected for further biochemical characterization. Repurification of this fraction revealed the presence of a polypeptide (named PNV4) which migrates in sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis as a single band consistent with a mol. wt close to 16,600. The amino acid composition of PNV4 showed the presence of 147 residues, a high content of Cys and a calculated mol. wt of 17,213 + Trp. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of PNV4 determined for its first 48 residues was AELTSCFPVGHECDGDASNCNCCGDDVYCGCGWGRWNCKCKVADQSYA.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed1996

Isolation of toxin TsTX-VI from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom. Effects on the release of neurotransmitters from synaptosomes.

A detailed procedure for the purification of Tityustoxin-VI, TsTX-VI, from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom is described. For comparative purposes, a second toxin, CM-VI, obtained from the same fractionation procedure, was analyzed in parallel. Typical biochemical parameters, such as electrophoretic migration, mol.weight, amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence (first 42 amino acid residues out of a total of approx. 60) were determined for both. Our data showed that CM-VI is identical or extremely homologous to gamma-toxin (TsTX-I), the highly toxic major toxin from T. serrulatus venom. TsTX-VI was less toxic, although still effective at inducing an allergic reaction, lacrymation and contraction of the hind legs of mice. Both toxins produced a dose dependent release of the neurotransmitters glutamic acid and gamma aminobutyric acid from rat brain synaptosomes, this effect being blocked by tetrodotoxin.

Animals↗

PubMed1995

Amino acid sequence of TsTX-V, an alpha-toxin from Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom, and its effect on K+ permeability of beta-cells from isolated rat islets of Langerhans.

Highly purified Tityustoxin V (TsTX-V), an alpha-toxin isolated from the venom of the Brazilian scorpion Tityus serrulatus, was obtained by ion exchange chromatography on carboxymethylcellulose-52. It was shown to be homogeneous by reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography, N-terminal sequencing (first 39 residues) of the reduced and alkylated protein and by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecylsulfate and tricine. Following enzymatic digestion, the complete amino acid sequence (64 residues) was determined. The sequence showed higher homology with the toxins from the venoms of the North African than with those of the North and South American scorpions. Using the rate of 86Rb+ release from depolarized rat pancreatic beta-cells as a measure of K+ permeability changes, TsTX-V (5.6 micrograms/ml) was found to increase by 2.0-2.4-fold the rate of marker outflow in the presence of 8.3 mM glucose. This effect was persistent and slowly reversible, showing similarity to that induced by 100 microM veratridine, an agent that increases the open period of Na+ channels, delaying their inactivation. It is suggested that, by extending the depolarized period, TsTX-V indirectly affects beta-cell voltage-dependent K+ channels, thus increasing K+ permeability.

Alkylation↗