EVIDÊNCIA MOLECULAR DE FOSFOLIPASE A2 (PLA2) NO VENENO DE Loxosceles similis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18554/acbiobras.v8i2.8771Keywords:
Loxosceles similis, Phospholipase A2, PLA2, LsPLA2-1, Aranha marromAbstract
As aranhas marrons do gênero Loxosceles (Araneae, Sicariidae) ocorrem em regiões temperadas e tropicais ao redor do mundo. O envenenamento causado por suas picadas pode evoluir para o loxoscelismo, uma condição que a Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS) classifica como um problema de saúde pública negligenciado. No Brasil, onde as espécies de relevância médica estão principalmente distribuídas nas regiões Sul e Sudeste, o número de acidentes notificados vem aumentando. Embora a espécie Loxosceles similis seja tipicamente associada a habitats subterrâneos, também é encontrada em ambientes de superfície e já foi registrada, inclusive, no interior de residências no Sudeste do Brasil, sugerindo um potencial de endemicidade. Cavernas, inclusive aquelas com atividade turística, apresentam uma probabilidade particularmente elevada de abrigar essa espécie, o que pode expor visitantes ao risco de acidentes. A maioria dos acidentes ocorre quando as aranhas, escondidas em roupas ou calçados, são pressionadas contra a pele. A picada inicial é geralmente indolor, com desconforto e dor surgindo apenas após 2 a 4 horas, o que contribui para atrasos na busca por atendimento médico e início do tratamento adequado. Neste estudo, analisamos o transcriptoma da glândula de veneno de L. similis e identificamos uma potencial sequência codificadora de Fosfolipase A2 (PLA2). Até onde sabemos, este é o primeiro relato de um transcrito semelhante a PLA2 em espécies de Loxosceles. A presença dessa sequência sugere que o veneno de L. similis pode conter componentes enzimáticos adicionais além da família Loxtox, já bem caracterizada, contribuindo potencialmente para os danos locais aos tecidos, processos inflamatórios e manifestações sistêmicas do loxoscelismo. Esses achados expandem o conhecimento atual sobre a composição do veneno de Loxosceles e abrem novas perspectivas para a compreensão dos mecanismos moleculares subjacentes ao envenenamento.
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