Jararhagin, a hemorrhagic snake venom metalloproteinase from Bothrops jararaca

• Published in: Toxicon (Oxford) Vol. 60; no. 3; pp. 280 - 289
• Main Authors: Moura-da-Silva, Ana M., Baldo, Cristiani
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.09.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animal poisons toxicology. Antivenoms; Animals; Anticoagulants - chemistry; Anticoagulants - metabolism; Anticoagulants - pharmacology; Binding Sites; Biological and medical sciences; Bothrops - metabolism; Bothrops jararaca; Bothrops jararaca Venom; Brazil; Cell Adhesion - drug effects; coagulation; Collagen - chemistry; Collagen - metabolism; Crotalid Venoms - chemistry; Crotalid Venoms - enzymology; Crotalid Venoms - metabolism; Crotalid Venoms - pharmacology; Endothelial Cells - drug effects; Endothelial Cells - metabolism; endothelium; Hemostasis; Humans; Inflammation; Inflammation Mediators - metabolism; Integrins - chemistry; Integrins - metabolism; Jararhagin; Macrophages - drug effects; Macrophages - immunology; Macrophages - metabolism; Medical sciences; Metalloendopeptidases - chemistry; Metalloendopeptidases - metabolism; Metalloendopeptidases - pharmacology; Metalloproteinase; metalloproteinases; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - chemistry; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - metabolism; Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors - pharmacology; Protein Conformation; Reptilian Proteins - chemistry; Reptilian Proteins - metabolism; Reptilian Proteins - pharmacology; snake bites; Snake venom; snakes; Toxicology; venoms; Brazil; Snake venom; Metalloproteinase; Inflammation; Hemostasis; Jararhagin; Blood coagulation; Enzyme; Bothrops jararaca; Animal origin; Metalloendopeptidases; Hemorrhage; Ophidia; Peptidases; Vertebrata; Venom; Hydrolases; Reptilia
• ISSN: 0041-0101; 1879-3150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2012.03.026

Jararhagin is a metalloproteinase isolated from Bothrops jararaca snake venom, which has been extensively studied. These studies showed its involvement on most of the systemic and local damaging effects of snakebite envenomings. In this review we comment on the major targets of jararhagin as the vascular endothelium, platelets and coagulation factors and also its action on other cell systems as inflammatory cells and their mediators, cancer and cell signaling. The mechanisms of jararhagin action are discussed together with structural features essential for the expression of its biological activities. The studies reviewed here denote jararhagin as a prototype for studies of snake venom metalloproteinases, bringing new insights into cellular-matrix interactions and adding for the improvement of snakebite treatment.