Acutobin

Acutobin is a defibrinogenating serine protease purified from the venom of the sharp-nosed pit viper Deinagkistrodon acutus and developed as an antithrombotic agent for prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke and other thrombotic cardiovascular disorders. It is a 39 kDa glycoprotein fibrinogenase that selectively cleaves fibrinogen, reducing plasma fibrinogen levels and thereby inhibiting fibrin formation and thrombus growth, with relatively weak effects on other coagulation factors compared with thrombin-like enzymes from other venoms. Preclinical models of middle cerebral artery occlusion have shown that intravenous acutobin administration after ischemia reduces brain infarct volume and neurological deficits without causing major hemorrhagic complications, supporting its therapeutic potential as a safer defibrinogenating anticoagulant. The molecule is heavily N-glycosylated with terminal disialylated, multiantennary complex-type N-glycans, a structural feature that influences its pharmacokinetics, immunogenicity, and defibrinogenating activity.