Exploring how a scorpion toxin might help treat heart attacks

Date:
July 15, 2020
Source:
American Chemical Society
Summary:
Scientists are discovering potential life-saving medicines from
an unlikely source: the venom of creatures like snakes, spiders
and scorpions. Scorpion venom, in particular, contains a peptide
that has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system of rats
with high blood pressure. Now, researchers say they know a little
more about how that happens.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Scientists are discovering potential life-saving medicines from an
unlikely source: the venom of creatures like snakes, spiders and
scorpions. Scorpion venom, in particular, contains a peptide that has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system of rats with high blood pressure. Now, researchers reporting in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research
say they know a little more about how that happens.


========================================================================== Scorpion venom is a complex mixture of biologically active molecules,
including neurotoxins, vasodilators and antimicrobial compounds, among
many others.

Although the venom is painful for those unlucky enough to be stung by a scorpion, individual venom compounds, if isolated and administered at
the proper dose, could have surprising health benefits. One promising
compound is the tripeptide KPP (Lys-Pro-Pro), which is a piece of a
larger scorpion toxin.

KPP was shown to cause blood vessels to dilate and blood pressure to
decline in hypertensive rats. Thiago Verano-Braga, Adriano Pimenta and colleagues wanted to find out what exactly KPP does to heart muscle
cells. The answer could explain the peptide's beneficial effects.

The researchers treated mouse cardiac muscle cells in a petri dish
with KPP and measured the levels of proteins expressed by the cells at different times using mass spectrometry. They found that KPP regulated
proteins associated with cell death, energy production, muscle
contraction and protein turnover. In addition, the scorpion peptide
triggered the phosphorylation of a mouse protein called AKT, which
activated it and another protein involved in the production of nitric
oxide, a vasodilator. KPP treatment, however, caused dephosphorylation
of a protein called phospholamban, leading to reduced contraction of
cardiac muscle cells. Both AKT and phospholamban are already known to
protect cardiac tissue from injuries caused by lack of oxygen. These
results suggest that KPP should be further investigated as a drug lead
for heart attacks and other cardiovascular problems, the researchers say.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by American_Chemical_Society. Note:
Content may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Diana P. Gome'z-Mendoza, Rafael Pereira Lemos, Itamar C. G. Jesus,
Vladimir Gorshkov, Shaun M. K. McKinnie, John C. Vederas, Frank
Kjeldsen, Silvia Guatimosim, Robson Augusto Santos, Adriano
M. C. Pimenta, Thiago Verano-Braga. Moving Pieces in a Cellular
Puzzle: A Cryptic Peptide from the Scorpion Toxin Ts14 Activates
AKT and ERK Signaling and Decreases Cardiac Myocyte Contractility
via Dephosphorylation of Phospholamban.

Journal of Proteome Research, 2020; DOI:
10.1021/acs.jproteome.0c00290 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/07/200715123145.htm

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