Loxosceles gaucho Venom-Induced Acute Kidney Injury – In Vivo and In Vitro Studies

Abstract

Loxosceles (recluse or brown spider) is the most important spider genus causing human envenomation. In Brazil Loxosceles spiders were responsible for approximately 7,000 cases of spider envenomation per year. The brown spider accidents may cause late cutaneous necrosis at the bite site, intravascular hemolysis, rhabdomyolysis, coagulation system changes and acute kidney injury (AKI). Even patients with mild cutaneous lesion may develop severe hemolysis and AKI, which is the main cause of death after these accidents. The mechanisms causing kidney injury are poorly understood. In this manuscript we described a consistent rodent model of Loxosceles gaucho venom-induced AKI and studied some of the possible mechanisms of the renal lesion. The results of this research showed that kidney injury may occur independently of the cutaneous lesion and without changes in the systemic blood pressure. Kidney dysfunction occurred likely due to intra-renal vasoconstriction and rhabdomyolysis, although a direct toxic effect of the venom on the proximal tubules cannot be ruled out