Toxin synergism in snake venoms

Abstract

Synergism between venom toxins exists for a range of snake species. Synergism can be derived from both intermolecular interactions and supramolecular interactions between venom components, and can be the result of toxins targeting the same protein, biochemical pathway or physiological process. Few simple systematic tools and methods for determining the presence of synergism exist, but include co-administration of venom components and assessment of Accumulated Toxicity Scores. A better understanding of how to investigate synergism in snake venoms may help unravel strategies for developing novel therapies against snakebite envenoming by elucidating mechanisms for toxicity and interactions between venom components.

Keywords:

• Toxin synergism
• intermolecular synergism
• supramolecular synergism
• toxicity score
• snake venom
• snake toxins
• accumulated toxicity score

Acknowledgements

I thank the Novo Nordisk Foundation for supporting this research (NNF16OC0019248). I further thank Professor R. Manjunatha Kini (National University of Singapore), Mikael Rørdam Andersen (Technical University of Denmark), Mikael Engmark (Technical University of Denmark), Jakob Berg Jespersen (Technical University of Denmark), Ulrich Johan Kudahl (University of Cambridge, UK), Professor José María Gutiérrez (Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Costa Rica) and Professor Bruno Lomonte (Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Costa Rica) for fruitful scientific discussion.

Declaration of interest

The author declares that he has no conflicts of interest concerning this manuscript.