STRUCTURAL CHARACTERIZATION OF NOVEL CHEMOTACTIC AND MASTOPARAN PEPTIDES FROM THE VENOM OF THE SOCIAL WASP AGELAIA PALLIPES PALLIPES BY HPLC-ESI-MS/MS

Mendes, M. A.,  Souza, B. M.,  Santos, L.D. and Palma, M.S.

CEIS - Department of Biology / IBRC-UNESP-  Rio Claro / SP 13506-900-Brazil

Hymenoptera venoms are complex mixtures of biochemically and pharmacologically active components such as biogenic amines, peptides and proteins. HPLC-ESI-MS and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS techniques were applied for the detection, monitoring the purification, and sequencing, of two novel and biologically active peptides occurring at very low levels in the venom of the wasp Agelaiapallipes pallipes.  These peptides were sequenced by LC-ESI-MS/MS conditions and designated as:

Agelaia-CP       I/L-L-G-T-I-L-G-L-L-K-G-I/L-NH2                                                      (MW 1207.8 Da)

Agelaia –MP     I/L-N-W-L-K-L-G-K-A-I-I-D-A-I/L-NH2                                       (MW 1565.0 Da)

The peptide Agelaia-CP showed no hemolytic activity, but it behaved as a mast cell degranulator and induced a potent chemotaxys in PMNL cells, typical of a wasp chemotactic peptide. The peptide Agelaia-MP showed both powerful mast cell degranulation and hemolysis of washed rat red blood cells, and is thus assigned as a new member of the mastoparan peptides family. Both peptides seem to be directly involved in the strong inflammatory reactions associated with wasp stingings.

CAT-CEPID/FAPES, Institute of Immunological Investigations (Millennium Institute-MCT/CNPq)

Correspondence to: manitam@rc.unesp.br