Crotoxin, a neurotoxin from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom, as a potential tool against thrombosis development

Endothelium plays an important modulatory role due to the synthesis and secretion of molecules that act on hemostasis and fibrinolysis. As there are no literature data about the effect of crotoxin (CTX) – the main component of Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom - on human endothelial cells, the present study examined how CTX (25–200 μg/mL) affects the endothelial production of the hemostatic factors antithrombin III, protein C, protein S, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA), and vWF in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) in vitro. Production of hemostatic factors was assessed in HUVEC cells treated with CTX (25–200 μg/mL) in the presence or absence of lypopolysaccharide (LPS; 1 μg/mL; 24 h). We found that CTX alone did not exert pro- or anticoagulant effect on hemostasis, and pro- or antifibrinolytic effect on fibrinolysis. LPS alone had procoagulant (increased vWF and reduced protein C and S levels) and antifibrinolytic action (reduced t-PA and increased PAI-1 levels). However, CTX exerted anticoagulant and profibrinolytic action in the presence of LPS by lowering the levels of vWF and t-PA and elevating the levels of protein C and PAI-1. Therefore can be used as a potential tool against thrombosis development.