University of Messina, Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, Viale Ferdinando Stagno D' Alcontres 31, Messina, I-98166, Italy.
Paracelsus Medical University, Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Strubergasse 21, Salzburg, A-5020, Austria.
Sci Rep. 2017 Jan 23;7:41065. doi: 10.1038/srep41065.
Cnidarians may negatively impact human activities and public health but concomitantly their venom represents a rich source of bioactive substances. Pelagia noctiluca is the most venomous and abundant jellyfish of the Mediterranean Sea and possesses a venom with hemolytic and cytolytic activity for which the mechanism is largely unknown. Here we show that exposure of mammalian cells to crude venom from the nematocysts of P. noctiluca profoundly alters the ion conductance of the plasma membrane, therefore affecting homeostatic functions such as the regulation and maintenance of cellular volume. Venom-treated cells exhibited a large, inwardly rectifying current mainly due to permeation of Na and Cl, sensitive to amiloride and completely abrogated following harsh thermal treatment of crude venom extract. Curiously, the plasma membrane conductance of Ca and K was not affected. Current-inducing activity was also observed following delivery of venom to the cytosolic side of the plasma membrane, consistent with a pore-forming mechanism. Venom-induced NaCl influx followed by water and consequent cell swelling most likely underlie the hemolytic and cytolytic activity of P. noctiluca venom. The present study underscores unique properties of P. noctiluca venom and provides essential information for a possible use of its active compounds and treatment of envenomation.
刺胞动物可能会对人类活动和公共健康产生负面影响，但同时它们的毒液也代表了生物活性物质的丰富来源。夜光游水母是地中海最毒、最丰富的水母，其毒液具有溶血和细胞溶解活性，但机制在很大程度上尚不清楚。在这里，我们表明，哺乳动物细胞暴露于来自夜光游水母刺丝囊的粗毒液中，会严重改变质膜的离子通透性，从而影响稳态功能，如细胞体积的调节和维持。毒液处理过的细胞表现出一种大的、内向整流电流，主要是由于 Na 和 Cl 的渗透，对阿米洛利敏感，并且在粗毒液提取物的苛刻热处理后完全消除。奇怪的是，Ca 和 K 的质膜电导不受影响。在将毒液递送到质膜胞质侧后，也观察到电流诱导活性，这与孔形成机制一致。毒液诱导的 NaCl 内流，随后是水和细胞膨胀，这很可能是夜光游水母毒液溶血和细胞溶解活性的基础。本研究强调了夜光游水母毒液的独特性质，并为其活性化合物的可能应用和毒液治疗提供了必要的信息。
