Acutolysin C, a weak hemorrhagic toxin from the venom of Agkistrodon acutus with leucoagglutination activity

Wei CB (1, 2), Chen J (3), Li JH (4)

(1) Department of Chemistry and Biology, Western Anhui University, Lu’an, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China; (2) Lu’an Bionical Sensor and Testing Technique Laboratory of Anhui Province, Lu’an, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China; (3) Faculty of Life Science and Biotechnology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China; (4) Life Science College, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China.

Abstract: The properties and agglutination activity of acutolysin C, a hemorrhagic metalloproteinase obtained from Agkistrodon acutus venom, were studied herein. Acutolysin C is a basic glycoprotein consisting of a single polypeptide chain with a molecular weight of 23.1 kDa and pI 8.7, containing one Zn2+ and one Ca2+ per molecule. It possesses caseinolytic, weak lethal (LD50 = 7.6 mg/kg) and weak hemorrhagic (MHD = 12.0 μg) activities, but does not present fibrinolytic, fibrinogenolytic, arginine esterase and phospholipase A2 actions. In addition, it revealed agglutination activity on some animal lymphocytes, including five species of mammals, six of birds, three of reptiles and one of amphibians, but had no effect on lymphocytes from two species of reptiles, one amphibian and nine species of fish. It had no effects on the erythrocytes and platelets of all 26 animal species tested. Both leucoagglutination and caseinolytic activities were inhibited by EDTA; while cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, 1,4-dithiothreitol, glutathione, serum against acutolysin C and serum against homologous snake venom as well as glucose, sucrose, mannose, lactose and galactose had no effects on inhibition. The lowest concentration of acutolysin C that induced mouse lymphocyte agglutination was 2.5 μg/mL. Acutolysin C is an interesting substance since it is the first member of the hemorrhagin family to be shown to have leucoagglutination activity.

Key words: Agkistrodon acutus, acutolysin C, hemorrhagin, leucoagglutination activity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank Dr. M. J. Adams, Rothamsted Research, Harpenden, UK, for help in correcting the English version of the manuscript, and Professor Xu Xun, Xiamen University, for her kind suggestions. This work was supported by the Natural Scientific Foundation of Anhui Province Education Commission and the S&T Programme of Ningbo Sci-Tech Bureau.

COPYRIGHT

© CEVAP 2011

SUBMISSION STATUS

Received: July 21, 2010.

Accepted: October 25, 2010.

Abstract published online: November 5, 2010.

Full paper published online: February 28, 2011,

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

There is no conflict.

FINANCIAL SOURCE

The Natural Scientific Foundation of the Anhui Province Education Commission (KJ2010A328) and the S&T Programme of Ningbo Sci-Tech Bureau (2007C10081) provided the financial grants.

ETHICS COMMITTEE APPROVAL

The present study was approved by the Animal Research Ethics Committee, Zhejiang University.

CORRESPONDENCE TO

Wei Chuanbao, Department of Chemistry and Biology, Western Anhui University, Lu’an City 237012, Anhui Province, People’s Republic of China. Phone: +86 564 3305073. Fax: +86 564 3305033. Email: weichuanbao@sina.com.