Patients envenomed by snakes from the Viperidae and Elapidae families in China often have varying degrees of local tissue
necrosis. Due to the relative clinical characteristics of local tissue
necrosis and ulceration following envenoming, this study has analyzed the
proteome of six
snake venoms from the Viperidae and Elapidae family, and the toxin profiles of each snake were compared and correlated with the clinical manifestations that follow cytotoxic envenoming. Deinagkistrodon acutus and Naja atra envenomation induce severe ulceration, which is absent in Bungarus multicinctus envenomation and mild in the other three vipers. It is interesting to note that the proportion of
c-type lectins (CTL) (20.63%) in Deinagkistrodon acutus
venom was relatively high, which differs from the
venom of other vipers. In addition, three-fingered toxin (3FTx) (2.15%) is present in the
venom of Deinagkistrodon acutus, but has not been detected in the remaining three vipers.
Snake venom metalloprotease (SVMP) (34.4%-44.7%),
phospholipase A2 (PLA2) (9.81%-40.83%), and
snake venom serine protease (SVSP) (9.44%-16.2%) represent the most abundant families of toxin in Viperidae
venom. The
Elapidae venom proteome was mainly composed of
neurotoxins and
cytotoxins, including 3FTx (39.28%-60.08%) and PLA2 (8.24%-58.95%) toxins, however, the proportion of CRISPS (26.36%) in Naja atra
venom was relatively higher compared to Bungarus multicinctus
venom. Significant differences in SVMP, SVSP, and 3FTx expression levels exist between the Viperidae and the Elapidae family. The main toxins responsible for the development of tissue
necrosis and ulcerations following Viperidae envenoming are hematotoxins (SVSMP, SVSP) and
myotoxins (PLA2). Deinagkistrodon acutus
venom contains high levels of CTL and traces of 3FTx, leading to more severe local
necrosis. However, Naja atra
venom can also cause severe local
necrosis through the effects of
myotoxin (3FTx, CRISP, PLA2). Bungarus multicinctus
venom does not contain
myotoxins, resulting in pure systemic
neurological manifestations no obvious
necrosis of local tissue in patients.