Alejandro Montoya-Gómez

Anuran skin secretions are rich sources of bioactive metabolites whose composition may vary according to environmental conditions. In this study, skin secretions from two populations of Dendropsophus columbianus exposed to contrasting environmental conditions (Clarete and Las Guacas, Popayán, Cauca, Colombia) were evaluated for antifungal activity against Hemileia vastatrix, the causal agent of coffee leaf rust. Secretion from the Clarete population showed no significant inhibition of urediniospore germination (p = 0.9999). In contrast, secretion from Las Guacas, a polluted and poorly conserved environment, exhibited significant dose-dependent antifungal activity (p = 0.0004–p < 0.0001). LC-MS analysis detected low-molecular-weight singly charged compounds (400–1500 m/z) consistent with alkaloid-like secondary metabolites. Although no definitive structural identification was achieved, these findings highlight the chemical plasticity and biotechnological potential of D. columbianus for the sustainable control of coffee leaf rust.

Glioblastoma is the most common and aggressive malignant brain tumor, characterized by poor response to current therapies and inevitable recurrence. Novel therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. Lansbermin‐I , a disintegrin isolated from the venom of Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii , was purified, sequenced, structurally modeled, and evaluated for its antitumor potential against the human Glioblastoma cell line T98G. Cytotoxicity assays revealed a dose‐dependent effect, with Lansbermin‐I inducing up to 38.1% cell death at 100 μg/mL, surpassing the activity of temozolomide (34.9%) while exhibiting lower toxicity on non‐tumorigenic human astrocytes (28% vs. 37%). Lansbermin‐I also inhibited T98G adhesion to fibronectin by nearly 80% ( p < 0.0001), suggesting interference with integrin‐mediated interactions. Flow cytometry demonstrated a significant increase in apoptotic cells (60% vs. 36% in control) and cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase. In silico docking studies supported a strong interaction of Lansbermin‐I with integrin αvβ3, comparable to that of fibronectin, reinforcing its potential mechanism of action through the disruption of adhesion and survival signaling. Collectively, these findings highlight Lansbermin‐I as a promising selective prototype for Glioblastoma therapy. Further studies are warranted to elucidate its molecular targets and evaluate its efficacy in preclinical models.

Prostate cancer is a significant global health concern and one of the leading causes of death from diseases in men. There is a growing interest in exploring new therapeutic approaches to enhance patient treatment outcomes and quality of life. Snake venom-derived compounds have emerged as promising candidates for anticancer treatment due to their potential to be selective and reduce adverse effects. In this article, we conduct a literature review on prostate cancer and discuss the investigation of snake venoms as potential alternatives in treatments to minimize toxicity and maximize efficacy. The potential of snake venom toxins in modulating key processes such as cell apoptosis, inhibition of cell migration, and angiogenesis is highlighted. This comprehensive exploration reaffirms the importance of advancing research into snake venom-based therapies to combat prostate cancer, transform treatment paradigms, and improve the well-being of affected individuals.

Glioblastoma (GB) is the most common type of malignant tumor of the central nervous system, responsible for significant morbidity and with a 5-year overall relative survival of only 6.8%. Without advances in treatment in the last twenty years, the standard of care continues to be maximum safe resection, Temozolomide (TMZ), and radiotherapy. Many new trials are ongoing, and despite showing increased progression-free survival, these trials did not improve overall survival. They did not consider the adverse effects of these therapies. Therefore, an increasing number of bioprospecting studies have used snake venom molecules to search for new strategies to attack GB selectively without producing side effects. The present review aims to describe GB characteristics and current and new approaches for treatment considering their side effects. Besides, we focused on the antitumoral activity of snake venom proteins from the Viperidae family against GB, exploring the potential for drug design based on in vitro and in vivo studies. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. In January 2024, a systematic search was performed in the PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases from January 2000 to December 2023. Search terms were selected based on the population/exposure/outcome (PEO) framework and combined using Boolean operators ("AND", "OR"). The search strategy used these terms: glioblastoma, glioma, high-grade glioma, WHO IV glioma, brain cancer, snake venom, Viperidae, and bioprospection. We identified 10 in vivo and in vitro studies with whole and isolated proteins from Viperidae venom that could have antitumor activity against glioblastoma. Studies in bioprospecting exploring the advantage of snake venom proteins against GB deserve to be investigated due to their high specificity, small size, inherent bioactivity, and few side effects to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to reach the tumor microenvironment.

The antitumor potential of proteins from snake venoms has been studied in recent decades, and evidence has emerged that phospholipases A₂ can selectively attack cells of various types of tumors. Previous results have shown that phospholipase A₂ “Pllans-II,” isolated from Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii snake venom, displayed antitumoral activity on cervical cancer and did not alter the viability of non-tumorigenic cells. However, until now, there was no evidence of its safety at the local and systemic levels, nor had experiments been developed to demonstrate that its production using recombinant technology allows us to obtain a molecule with effects similar to those generated by native phospholipase. Thus, we evaluated the impact caused by Pllans-II on murine biomodels, determining whether it induced local hemorrhage or increased pro-inflammatory and liver damage markers and histological alterations in the liver and kidneys. Additionally, the protein was produced using recombinant technology using a pET28a expression vector and the BL21 (DE3) Escherichia coli strain. Equally, its enzymatic activity and anticancer effect were evaluated on cervical cancer lines such as HeLa and Ca Ski. The results demonstrated that Pllans-II did not generate hemorrhagic activity, nor did it increase the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1B, or TNF-α at doses of 3.28, 1.64, and 0.82 mg/kg. There was also no evidence of organ damage, and only ALT and AST increased in mild levels at the two highest concentrations. Additionally, the recombinant version of Pllans-II showed conservation in its catalytic activity and the ability to generate death in HeLa and Ca Ski cells (42% and 23%, respectively). These results demonstrate the innocuity of Pllans-II at the lowest dose and constitute an advance in considering a molecule produced using recombinant technology a drug candidate for selective attacks against cervical cancer.

Despite advances in chemotherapeutic drugs used against cervical cancer, available chemotherapy treatments adversely affect the patient’s quality of life. For this reason, new molecules from natural sources with antitumor potential and few side effects are required. In previous research, Pllans−II, a phospholipase A₂ type-Asp49 from Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii snake venom, has shown selective attack against the HeLa and Ca Ski cervical cancer cell lines. This work suggests that the cytotoxic effect generated by Pllans−II on HeLa cells is triggered without affecting the integrity of the cytoplasmic membrane or depolarizing the mitochondrial membranes. The results allow us to establish that cell death in HeLa is related to the junction blockage between α₅β₁ integrins and fibronectin of the extracellular matrix. Pllans−II reduces the cells’ ability of adhesion and affects survival and proliferation pathways mediated by intracellular communication with the external environment. Our findings confirmed Pllans−II as a potential prototype for developing a selective chemotherapeutic drug against cervical cancer.

Due to the lack of chemotherapeutic drugs that selectively affect cervical cancer cells, natural sources such as snake venom are currently being investigated for molecules with antitumor potential. Pllans–II, a phospholipase A₂ type–Asp49 from Porthidium lansbergii lansbergii snake venom, induced cell death in a cervical cancer cell line—Ca Ski—related to dysfunction in the ability to resolve endoplasmic reticulum stress, evidenced by sub–expression of genes such as PERK, ERO1 PDIs, HSP70, and CHOP. Western blot analysis validated the last two genes′ sub–expression at the protein level. In addition, Pllans–II presented a dose–dependent cytotoxic effect on cancer cells and an insignificant effect on healthy endothelial cells (HUVEC). Additionally, Pllans–II inhibited cancer cells′ adhesion and migration capacity, induced cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase, and induced apoptosis stimulated possibly by the extrinsic route. These results demonstrate for the first time that Pllans–II has an antitumor effect on a squamous epithelial cervical cancer cell line and represents a possible biotechnological tool for designing a prominent antitumor agent.