Cardiorespiratory alterations in rodents experimentally envenomed with Hadruroides lunatus scorpion venom

Abstract Background Hadruroides lunatus is the most abundant scorpion species in the Peruvian central coast, where most of the accidents involving humans are registered. In spite of its prevalence, there are only very few studies on H. lunatus envenomation. The aim of the present study was to analyz...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases
Main Authors: Fernanda Costal-Oliveira, Clara Guerra-Duarte, Maira Souza Oliveira, Karen Larissa Pereira de Castro, Leticia Lopes-de-Sousa, Aline Lara, Enéas Ricardo de Morais Gomes, Cesar Bonilla, Sílvia Guatimosim, Marília Martins Melo, Carlos Chávez-Olórtegui
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: SciELO 2016
Subjects:
Hadruroides lunatus venom
Cardiorespiratory alterations
Electrocardiography
Immunofluorescence
Calcium transient
Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine
RC955-962
Toxicology. Poisons
RA1190-1270
Zoology
QL1-991
Arctic
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s40409-016-0076-5
https://doaj.org/article/6a1d2d56687e478aaeede2272e57f1ec
Description
Summary:Abstract Background Hadruroides lunatus is the most abundant scorpion species in the Peruvian central coast, where most of the accidents involving humans are registered. In spite of its prevalence, there are only very few studies on H. lunatus envenomation. The aim of the present study was to analyze the cardiorespiratory alterations caused by H. lunatus envenomation in rodents. Methods Wistar rats injected with H. lunatus scorpion venom were submitted to electrocardiography. After euthanasia, rat lungs were collected and histopathologically analyzed. Mouse cardiomyocytes were used to perform immunofluorescence and calcium transient assays. Data were analyzed by ANOVA or Student’s t-test. The significance level was set at p< 0.05. Results It was observed that H. lunatus venom increased heart rate and caused arrhythmia, thereby impairing the heart functioning. Lungs of envenomed animals showed significant alterations, such as diffuse hemorrhage. In addition, immunofluorescence showed that H. lunatus venom was capable of binding to cardiomyocytes. Furthermore, mouse ventricular cardiomyocytes incubated with H. lunatus venom showed a significant decrease in calcium transient, confirming that H. lunatus venom exerts a toxic effect on heart. Conclusion Our results showed that H. lunatus venom is capable of inducing cardiorespiratory alterations, a typical systemic effect of scorpionism, stressing the importance of medical monitoring in envenomation cases.

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