Identification and analgesic activity study of analgesic protein Ⅶ-2 from Naja naja atra venom

• Published in: The journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases Vol. 30; p. e20230099
• Main Authors: Sun, Yao, Zhang, Gen-Bao, Li, Shu, Liu, Xiao-Yu, Chen, Lei, Bao, Peng-Ju
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Portuguese
• Published: Brazil Centro de Estudos de Venenos e Animais Peçonhentos (CEVAP/UNESP) 2024; SciELO
• Subjects: Acid-sensing ion channel 1a; Capillary electrophoresis; Naja naja atra; TOXICOLOGY; TROPICAL MEDICINE; Venom; Naja naja atra; Acid-sensing ion channel 1a; Capillary electrophoresis; Venom
• ISSN: 1678-9199; 1678-9199
• DOI: 10.1590/1678-9199-JVATITD-2023-0099

Acid-sensing ion channel 1a (ASIC1a) plays a critical role in physiological and pathological processes. To further elucidate the biological functions of ASICs and their relationships with disease occurrence and development, it is advantageous to investigate and develop additional regulatory factors for ASICs. In this study, cation exchange chromatography was used to separate seven chromatographic components from venom. Capillary electrophoresis was employed to detect that Ⅶ peak component containing a main protein Ⅶ-2, which could bind to ASIC1a. The analgesic effects of Ⅶ-2 protein were determined using hot plate methods, and ASIC1a expression in spinal cord tissue from rats with inflammatory pain was detected using western blot. The purified Ⅶ-2 protein named venom-Ⅶ-2 (NNAV-Ⅶ-2) was obtained by Sephadex G-50 gel filtration, which exhibited a single band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis with a molecular weight of 6.7 kD. Remarkably, the NNAV-Ⅶ-2 protein demonstrated a significant analgesic effect and downregulated ASIC1a expression in the spinal cord tissue of rats with inflammatory pain. The analgesic mechanism of the NNAV-Ⅶ-2 protein may be associated with its binding to ASIC1a, consequently downregulating ASIC1a expression in neural tissues.