https://doi.org/10.4081/jbr.2026.14851
Inflammatory and stress biomarker changes in rat liver after Leiurus macroctenus envenomation
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Published: 16 April 2026
Scorpions of Leiurus macroctenus species are very dangerous, but to date the effect of their venom on the content of cytokines and stress biomarkers in the liver is understudied. This work aimed to analyse pro‑inflammatory, anti‑inflammatory and stress biomarkers content in rat liver after L. macroctenus envenomation. For the first time, a significant increase in the content of both pro-inflammatory cytokines: Tumour Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins-1β, -6, -8 (IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8), and anti-inflammatory cytokines: interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukins-4, -10 (IL-4, IL-10), along with an elevation in the content of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α), transcription factor Nuclear Factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and heat shock proteins (HSP60 and HSP70) was shown. These findings may indicate that L. macroctenus envenomation is associated with hepatic inflammatory/stress responses of the cellular microenvironment in the rat liver against the background of noticeable changes in the innate immune response, which, in turn, lead to the development of further pathological consequences in response to scorpion venom action. Notably, a decrease in the content of all analysed parameters was detected 72 hours after venom injection, which may indicate resolution in the liver tissue.
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CRediT authorship contribution
Dzevulska Iryna designed the study, analysed data, and wrote the paper; Аlevtyna Huet, Tetiana Halenova, and Tetiana Vovk performed research and statistical analysis, and wrote the paper; Nataliia Raksha and Haidai Olena designed and performed research, and offered critical revision of the manuscript; Maievskyi Oleksandr coordinated the research, provided supervision, and gave the final approval; Olexiy Savchuk coordinated and designed the research, and gave the final approval. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
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