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New Insights into the Bioenergetic and Immunomodulatory Properties of Phospholipases A2 from Bothrops diporus Venom

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Phospholipases A2 (PLA2s) are key mediators of the cytotoxic and inflammatory activities of snake venoms. While PLA2 isoforms from Bothrops diporus venom have been characterized and shown to possess antimetastatic and antiangiogenic properties, their impact on mitochondrial bioenergetics and immune modulation has not yet been investigated. In this study, we examined the bioenergetic and immunomodulatory effects of B. diporus PLA2s using integrated biochemical, metabolic, and multiplex cytokine analyses. In MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, pooled PLA2s induced a dose-dependent decrease in MTT-reducing activity, increased mitochondrial ROS, caused Δψm hyperpolarization, and decreased NADH autofluorescence, collectively indicating sustained mitochondrial stress. Real-time impedance measurements further revealed a marked inhibition of cell proliferation. In human PBMCs, pooled PLA2s elicited a dynamic cytokine program, inducing early cytotoxic (Granzyme B) and chemotactic (CCL2, CCL3, CCL4) mediators, followed by late pro-inflammatory and regulatory factors such as IL-6, TNF-β, IL-10 and IL-15. Analysis of a single purified PLA2 isoform (Fraction 6) confirmed activation of the canonical IL-6/TNF-α/IL-1β axis but uniquely induced IL-10 and CCL20, revealing isoform-specific immunomodulatory properties. Altogether, these findings provide the first integrated characterization of mitochondrial and immune perturbations induced by B. diporus PLA2s, expanding their recognized biological scope and underscoring their potential as molecular templates for novel pharmacological strategies targeting mitochondrial vulnerabilities or modulating the tumor immune microenvironment.

Source: Toxins

DOI: 10.3390/toxins18020114