Citation

Martin-Eauclaire MF, Bosmans F, Céard B, Diochot S, Bougis PE. Toxicon 2014; 79: 55-63.

Affiliation

Aix Marseille Université, CNRS, CRN2M UMR7286, 13015, Marseille, France. Electronic address: pierre-edouard.bougis@univ-amu.fr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2014, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.toxicon.2014.01.002

PMID

24418174

Abstract

Even though Buthus occitanus scorpions are found throughout the Mediterranean region, a lack of distinctive characteristics has hampered their classification into different subspecies. Yet, stings from this particular scorpion family are reported each year to result in pain followed by various toxic symptoms. In order to determine the toxicity origin of the rare French Buthus occitanus Amoreux scorpion, we collected several specimens and studied their venom composition using a nano ultra high performance liquid chromatography and matrix assisted laser desorption/ionisation time-of-flight mass spectrometry (nano UHPLC/MALDI-TOF-MS) automated workflow combined with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) approach. Moreover, we compared this dataset to that obtained from highly lethal Androctonus australis and Androctonus mauretanicus scorpions collected in North Africa. As a result, we found that the Buthus occitanus Amoreux venom is toxic to mice, an observation that is most likely caused by venom components that inhibit voltage-gated sodium channel inactivation. Moreover, we identified similarities in venom composition between Buthus occitanus scorpions living in the South of France and other Buthidae collected in Morocco and Algeria. As such, the results of this study should be taken into consideration when treating stings from the Buthus occitanus species living in the South of France.

Language: en