Biochemical and histopathological alterations induced in rats by Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom and its major neurotoxin tityustoxin-I

• Published in: Toxicon (Oxford) Vol. 35; no. 7; pp. 1053 - 1067
• Main Authors: Corrêa, M.M., Sampaio, S.V., Lopes, R.A., Mancuso, L.C., Cunha, O.A.B., Franco, J.J., Giglio, J.R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.1997; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animal poisons toxicology. Antivenoms; Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Glucose - metabolism; Buthidae; Enzymes - blood; Fatty Acids - metabolism; Heart - drug effects; Liver - drug effects; Liver - pathology; Liver Glycogen - metabolism; Male; Medical sciences; Myocardium - pathology; Neurotoxins - chemistry; Neurotoxins - toxicity; Rats; Rats, Wistar; Scorpion Venoms - chemistry; Scorpion Venoms - toxicity; Scorpiones; Submandibular Gland - drug effects; Submandibular Gland - pathology; Tityus serrulatus; Toxicology; Viscera - drug effects; Viscera - pathology; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; GOD, glucose oxidase; PAGE, polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis; LD, lactate dehydrogenase; CK, creatine kinase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; FFA, free fatty acids; GGT, gamma-glutamyi transferase; AMS, amylase; AST, aspartate aminotransferase; WVE, whole venom extract; Scorpionides; Intravenous administration; Rat; Toxicity; Liver; Rodentia; Animal origin; Blood plasma; Toxin; Arachnida; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Histopathology; Enzymatic activity; Arthropoda; Animal; Venom; Neurotoxin; Invertebrata
• ISSN: 0041-0101; 1879-3150
• DOI: 10.1016/S0041-0101(96)00219-X

Intravenous injection into the rat of sublethal doses of Tityus serrulatus scorpion venom (100 μg protein/kg) or its major neurotoxin tityustoxin-I (TsTX-I, 20 μg/kg) caused, 30–180 min after injection, statistically significant increases in the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, amylase, creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase, as well as hyperglycemia, a high level of plasma free fatty acids and a low level of liver glycogen. The in vitro serum levels of the above enzymes did not change. For alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase and alkaline phosphatase, neither in vitro nor in vivo alterations were observed. The whole venom and TsTX-I caused hepatic congestion with hemolysis and hydropic degeneration. Other histological lesions included edema and congestion with subpleural hemorrhage in the lungs, hypertrophy of fibers with degeneration areas in the heart, and congestion and hemorrhage in the kidneys. In the salivary glands, alterations to the acini and ductules were visible. In the adrenal glands no morphological alterations could be detected at the studied doses. The results suggest that the in vivo enzymatic and histopathological alterations are due to tissue lesions evoked by the whole venom and TsTX-I. An indirect effect, however, induced by stimulation of acetylcholine and catecholamine release in the postganglionic nerve terminals, cannot be excluded.