Snake venom toxins in cancer therapy: advances in targeted delivery and peptide design

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  Snake venom toxins in cancer therapy: advances in targeted delivery and peptide design Abstract Snake venom represents a potent biological arsenal of cytotoxic compounds. Venom proteins and peptides, including disintegrins, venomous enzymes, three-finger toxins, and serine proteases, have garnered attention as effective anticancer agents. Despite their efficacy at nano- or micromolar concentrations, non-standardized mixtures often limit their therapeutic utilization, necessitating fractionation to minimize side effects. This review examines the antitumor potential of snake venom and its constituent proteins and peptides through a literature search in NCBI PubMed. We highlight the antitumor efficacies of venom polypeptides by correlating them with IC 50 values across various cell lines, demonstrating micromolar cytotoxic concentrations. The review encompasses several key areas: whole venom antitumor efficacy, mechanisms of action of individual proteins and peptides, fractionation...

Review of the Spider Genus Linothele (Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae) from Ecuador—An Exceptional Case of Speciation in the Andes

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Review of the Spider Genus Linothele (Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae) from Ecuador—An Exceptional Case of Speciation in the Andes


Abstract

The genus Linothele (Araneae: Dipluridae) from Ecuador is reviewed. A total of 38 new species are described; from the Andes: L. alausi n. sp. (♀), L. anabellecitae n. sp. (♀♂), L. angamarca n. sp. (♀♂), L. banos n. sp. (♀♂), L. canirasi n. sp. (♀), L. carchi n. sp. (♀), L. cayambe n. sp. (♀♂), L. cuencana n. sp. (♀♂), L. guacamayos n. sp. (♀), L. gualaquiza n. sp. (♀), L. guallupe n. sp. (♀), L. ilinizas n. sp. (♀♂), L. ireneae n. sp. (♀), L. jarrini n. sp. (♀), L. javieri n. sp. (♀), L. kaysi n. sp. (♀), L. lacocha n. sp. (♀), L. lloa n. sp. (♀♂), L. milleri n. sp. (♀♂), L. molleturo n. sp. (♀), L. otokiki n. sp. (♀), L. peguche n. sp. (♀♂), L. podocarpus n. sp. (♀), L. pomona n. sp. (♀), L. pristirana n. sp. (♀♂), L. pseudoquori n. sp. (♀♂), L. rionegro n. sp. (♀♂), L. sigchila n. sp. (♀♂), L. uvalino n. sp. (♀), L. victoria n. sp. (♀), L. yunguilla n. sp. (♀♂); from the Pacific region: L. costenita n. sp. (♀♂), L. troncal n. sp. (♀); and, from the Amazonian region: L. amazonica n. sp. (♀), L. archidona n. sp. (♀), L. condor n. sp. (♀♂), L. jatunsacha n. sp. (♀), L. otoyacu n. sp. (♀♂). All previously known Ecuadorian species are re-illustrated, and the males of L. cavicola, L. pukachumpi, and L. tsachilas are described for the first time. The geographical distribution of the genus Linothele through mainland Ecuador is discussed, and short-range endemic species are proposed. Distribution maps are provided for all species found in Ecuador. Finally, the synonymy of L. megatheloides under L. sericata is rejected.


Dupérré, Nadine, Elicio Tapia, and Jason E. Bond. 2023. "Review of the Spider Genus Linothele (Mygalomorphae, Dipluridae) from Ecuador—An Exceptional Case of Speciation in the Andes" Arthropoda 1, no. 3: 68-341. https://doi.org/10.3390/arthropoda1030010