Cutaneous glands of the striped toad, Rhinella crucifer (Wied-Neuwied, 1821) (Amphibia: Bufonidae): Histological study and bioactivities of glandular secretions.

This study investigated the morphology of Rhinella crucifer cutaneous glands, as well as the protein/peptide profiles and bioactivities of body gland secretions (BGS) and parotoid macrogland secretions (PS). The parotoid as well as dorsal and ventral skin fragments of male and female individuals were processed for histological analysis. The protein and peptide profiles of male and female gland secretions were evaluated. Male secretions were also assessed for proteolytic, trypsin inhibiting, hemagglutinating, hemolytic, antimicrobial, and anticoagulant activities. The R. crucifer skin structure presented protuberances that are clearly visible and formed by the integument, which has cutaneous glands throughout the body. An average of 438 and 333 glands were identified in males in females, respectively. No significant differences were observed in the distribution of glands across the body as well as for area and perimeter of glands. Differences were observed in protein composition between the PS and BGS from males and females, and secretions from animals collected from undisturbed and anthropogenically disturbed areas. Proteins with similarities to catalase and elongation factor 1-alpha were detected in the PS. Zymography revealed proteolytic activity in both male BGS and PS. Male BGS showed antibacterial activity against Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli and anticoagulant activity, being able to prolong prothrombin time by 6.34-fold and activated partial thromboplastin time by 2.17-fold. Finally, male PS and BGS caused a maximum hemolysis degree of 1.4%. The data showed that the cutaneous secretions of R. crucifer are potentially promising for biotechnological prospecting. Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Citation

Géssica Gomes Barbosa, Tulíbia Laurindo Silva, Ana Patrícia Silva de Oliveira, Thâmarah de Albuquerque Lima, Pollyanna Michelle da Silva, Carlos José Correia de Santana, Jeymesson Raphael Cardoso Vieira, Dyeime Ribeiro de Sousa, Francisco Assis Leite Souza, Rafael Pereira, Russolina Benedeta Zingali, Romero Marcos Pedrosa Brandão Costa, Patrícia Maria Guedes Paiva, Gilberto Gonçalves Rodrigues, Mariana S Castro, Thiago Henrique Napoleão. Cutaneous glands of the striped toad, Rhinella crucifer (Wied-Neuwied, 1821) (Amphibia: Bufonidae): Histological study and bioactivities of glandular secretions. Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part B, Biochemistry & molecular biology. 2024 Aug-Sep;273:110983

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PMID: 38688407

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