Identification of two novel cytolysins from the hydrozoan Olindias sambaquiensis (Cnidaria)

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Proteomic characterisation of toxins isolated from nematocysts of the South Atlantic jellyfish Olindias sambaquiensis

Surprisingly little is known of the toxic arsenal of cnidarian nematocysts compared to other venomous animals. Here we investigate the toxins of nematocysts isolated from the jellyfish Olindias sambaquiensis. A total of 29 unique ms/ms events were annotated as potential toxins homologous to the toxic proteins from diverse animal phyla, including conesnails, snakes, spiders, scorpions, wasp, bee, parasitic worm and other Cnidaria. Biological activities of these potential toxins include cytolysins, neurotoxins, phospholipases and toxic peptidases. The presence of several toxic enzymes is intriguing, such as sphingomyelin phosphodiesterase B (SMase B) that has only been described in certain spider venoms, and a prepro-haystatin P-IIId snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP) that activates coagulation factor X, which is very rare even in snake venoms. Our annotation reveals sequence orthologs to many representatives of the most important superfamilies of peptide venoms suggesting that their origins in higher organisms arise from deep eumetazoan innovations. Accordingly, cnidarian venoms may possess unique biological properties that might generate new leads in the discovery of novel pharmacologically active drugs.

A report of 49 cases of cnidarian envenoming from southeastern Brazilian coastal waters

Forty-nine accidents caused by jellyfish (Cnidaria) were observed during a period of 5 years on the southeastern coast of Brazil. Most of them involved male patients (65.3%), the injured areas being mainly the legs (71.3%) and the trunk (65.3%). Twenty accidents with Chiropsalmus quadrumanus, four with Physalia physalis and 20 with unidentified jellyfish presented intense pain, linear plaques and systemic symptoms. The five cases with Olindias sambaquiensis caused mild pain, round plaques and no systemic symptoms. There are a few reports on accidents caused by jellyfish, in this country, and scarce clinical or epidemiological data are available up to the present moment. (C) 2002 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved.

Skin lesions in envenoming by cnidarians (Portuguese man-of-war and jellyfish): etiology and severity of accidents on the Brazilian coast

This work attempts to establish dermatological identification patterns for Brazilian enidarian species and it probable correlation with envenoming, severity In all observational prospective study, one hundred and twenty-eight patients from the North Coast re-ion of São Paulo State, Brazil were seen between 2002 and 2008. About 80% of these Showed only local effects (erythema, edema, and pain) with small, less than 20 cm, oval or round skin marks and impressions from Small tentacles. Approximately 20% of the victims had long, more than 20 cm, linear and crossed marks with frequent systemic phenomena, such as malaise, vomiting, dyspnea, and tachycardia. The former is compatible with the common hydromedusa from Southeast and Southern Brazil (Olindias sambaquiensis). The long linear marks with intense pain and systemic phenomena are compatible with envenoming, by the box jellyfish Tamoya haplonema and Chiropsalmus quadrumanus and the hydrozoan Portuguese man-of-war (Physalis physalis). There was an association between Skin marks and probable accident etiology. This simple observation rule can be indicative of severity as the Cubozoa Class (box jellyfish) and Portuguese man-of-war cause the most severe accidents. In such cases, medical attention, including intensive care, is important, as the systemic manifestations call be associated with death.

Levantamento de cnidários associados a acidentes humanos no Litoral Norte do Estado de São Paulo

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)