Immunotherapeutic potential of Crotoxin: anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive properties

 

Marco Aurélio Sartim¹, Danilo Luccas Menaldo¹, Suely Vilela Sampaio¹

 

1 Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Toxicológicas e Bromatológicas, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP 14040-903, Brazil

 

ABSTRACT

For the past 80 years, Crotoxin has become one of the most investigated isolated toxins from snake venoms, partially due to its major role as the main toxic component in the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus. However, in the past decades, progressive studies have led researchers to shift their focus on Crotoxin, opening novel perspectives and applications as a therapeutic approach. Although this toxin acts on a wide variety of biological events, the modulation of immune responses is considered as one of its most relevant behaviors. Therefore, the present review describes the scientific investigations on the capacity of Crotoxin to modulate anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive responses, and its application as a medicinal immunopharmacological approach. In addition, this review will also discuss its mechanisms, involving cellular and molecular pathways, capable of improving pathological alterations related to immune-associated disorders.

 

Keywords: Crotalus durissus terrificus; Crotoxin; Innate immunity; Adaptative immunity; Inflammation

 

Received: August 06, 2018.

Accepted: December 04, 2018.

 

Correspondence: suvilela@usp.br

 

Authors’ contributions

MAS, DLM and SVS contributed equally to the scientific literature revision and to the manuscript elaboration, giving final approval of the version to be published.

 

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.