Scorpion beta and alpha-toxins modify the activation and inactivation of voltage-gated sodium channels. Although the two types of toxin bind at two distinct receptor sites on the same sodium channel, they exhibit synergic effects when coinjected into insects. To clarify the basis of this synergism we examined the mutual effects of alpha and beta toxin representatives in radio-ligand binding ass...

The toxin, previously described as a "non-toxic" toxin, was isolated from the scorpion venom of Tityus serrulatus (Ts), responsible for the most severe and the highest number of accidents in Brazil. In this study, the subtype specificity and selectivity of Ts4 was investigated using six mammalian Nav channels (Nav1.2→Nav1.6 and Nav1.8) and two insect Nav channels (DmNav1 and BgNav). The electro...

1 Rahav G, Weiss AT. Scorpion sting-induced pulmonary edema: scintigraphic evidence of cardiac dysfunction. Chest 1990; 97:1478-80 2 Gueron M. Actinomyces me rii breast abscess [letterl. Am J Med 1988; 84:369 3 Sofer S, Gueron M. Respiratory failure in children following envenomation by the scorpion L, iurus quinquestriatus: hemodynamic and neurological aspects. Toxicon 1988; 26:931-39 4 Gueron...

Scorpion envenomations represent an actual public health problem in Algeria, at various levels, in three-fourths of the country provinces. A total of 903, 461 scorpion sting cases and 1996 induced deaths were reported in the country between 1991 and 2012. As the scorpion envenomation surveillance is based on passive system, the present study aims to analyse and to interpret the reported scorpio...

A polypeptide toxin extracted from scorpion venom, OSK1, is modified such that its potency is drastically enhanced in blocking one class of voltage-gated potassium channels, Kv1.3, which is a pharmacological target for immunosuppressive therapy. The bound complex of Kv1.3 and OSK1 reveals that one lysine residue of the toxin is in the proximity of another lysine residue on the external vestibul...