Citation

Harris RJ, Youngman NJ, Chan W, Bosmans F, Cheney KL, Fry BG. Toxicol. Lett. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2021, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.toxlet.2021.04.007

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The reef stonefish (Synanceia verrucosa) is a venomous fish which causes excruciatingly painful envenomations. While some research on the pathophysiology and functions of the venom has been conducted, there are still some gaps in the understanding of the venom effects due to the extreme lability of fish venom toxins and the lack of available testing platforms. Here we set out to assess new functions of the venom whilst also attempting to address some unclear pathophysiological effects from previous literature. Utilising a biolayer interferometry assay, our results highlight that the venom binds to the α-1 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor as well as the domain IV of voltage-gated Ca(2+) (Ca(V)1.2) channels. Both these results add some clarity to the previously ambiguous literature. We further assessed the coagulotoxic effects of the venom using a thromboelastography and Stago STA-R Max coagulation analyser assays. We reveal that the venom produced anticoagulant activity and significantly delayed time until clot formation of recalcified human plasma which is likely through the degradation of phospholipids. There was a difference in venom activity toward the nicotinic acetylcholine mimotopes and coagulation assays, whilst no difference was observed in the activity toward the domain IV of Ca(V)1.2. We also tested these functions with both fresh and lyophilised venom to ascertain any differences in activity since the lability of fish venoms are widely acknowledged. This research adds further insights into the neglected area of fish venom whilst also highlighting the extreme labile nature of fish venom toxins.

Language: en

Keywords

coagulotoxicity; fresh; lyophilised; neurotoxicity; Stonefish; Synanceia verrucosa; venom