crotamine

Crotamine is a 42–amino acid, highly basic, myotoxic and neurotoxic polypeptide isolated from the venom of the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus terrificus, best characterized as a cell-penetrating peptide with selective tropism for actively proliferating cells, including tumor cells.[1][2][5][9] It interacts with voltage-sensitive sodium channels and selectively inhibits Kv1.3 potassium channels, disrupts mitochondrial and lysosomal function, and perturbs intracellular calcium homeostasis, leading to myonecrosis and cytotoxicity.[1][2][5][9] Beyond its native toxic role, crotamine exhibits antimicrobial and antifungal activity, promotes insulin release, modulates inflammatory and angiogenic pathways, and has been shown in rodents to induce browning of white adipose tissue, increase basal energy expenditure, reduce weight gain, and improve glucose homeostasis after oral administration.[1][7][8] Because of its strong cell-penetrating and nucleolar-targeting properties, crotamine is being explored preclinically as a delivery vector for nucleic acids and other biomolecules, as an imaging tool for detecting dividing cells, and as a prototype for anticancer and metabolic-disorder drug design.[2][9][10][11]

Other names

rattlesnake toxin crotaminecrotalus durissus terrificus venom crotaminecell-penetrating peptide crotamine