Effects of neuwiedase, a metalloproteinase from snake venom, on the invasion and replication of fibroblasts

Exp Parasitol. 2008 Sep 14. [Epub ahead of print]

Toxoplasma gondii: Effects of neuwiedase, a metalloproteinase from Bothrops neuwiedi snake venom, on the invasion and replication of human fibroblasts in vitro

Bastos LM, Júnior RJ, Silva DA, Mineo JR, Vieira CU, Teixeira DN, Homsi-Brandeburgo MI, Rodrigues VM, Hamaguchi A.

Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Natural Products, Institute of Genetic and Biochemistry, Federal University of Uberlândia, Av. Pará, 1720, 38400-902 Uberlândia, MG, Brazil.

The major aim to the present study was to determine the effects of neuwiedase, a metalloproteinase isolated from Bothrops neuwiedi snake venom, on invasion and replication of Toxoplasma gondii in human fibroblasts in vitro. Neuwiedase treatment was done on host cells previously infected with T. gondii or on parasite before fibroblast infection. When treatments were done after or before infection, infection rates were inhibited in 71% and 61%, respectively. Considering that therapy protocols currently used in T. gondii infection cause considerable side effects, particularly in immunocompromised individuals and pregnant women, the results of neuwiedase treatment described herein could be taken into account for the development of new synthetic therapeutic agents, mainly due to the capacity of this enzyme to degrade extracellular matrix components, such as laminin, fibronectin and type I collagen, which is important to interfere in T. gondii host cell invasion.

PMID: 18823981 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]