Antitumor activity of scorpion venom-derived peptides: A meta-analysis of preclinical studies

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  Antitumor activity of scorpion venom-derived peptides: A meta-analysis of preclinical studies Abstract Despite advances in cancer therapeutics, there are still challenges in improving drug toxicity and selectivity. Peptides from various venous species have recently garnered attention for their biopharmaceutical potential, particularly in cancer. The present study aimed to conduct a meta-analysis of the antitumor activity of scorpion venom-derived peptides (SVDPs) previously reported in preclinical models. The bibliographic research included original and review articles written in English published from 2015 to 2026. Studies within the scope were retrieved from the EBSCO Discovery Service, PubMed, and WIPO databases. A total of 27 articles that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria were included in this research, and the collected data were synthesized through a meta-analysis. In the included in vitro and in vivo studies, the effect of SVDPs on breast/mammary gland, cervical,...

Refuge preferences and web trap lines: the potential for competitive displacement of endemic katipō Latrodectus katipo by the invasive false katipō Steatoda capensis (Araneae: Theridiidae).

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Refuge preferences and web trap lines: the potential for competitive displacement of endemic katipō Latrodectus katipo by the invasive false katipō Steatoda capensis (Araneae: Theridiidae)

Competitive displacement is a form of interspecific competition. Here, we explore the potential for competitive displacement in refuges of the endangered katipō spider (Latrodectus katipo) by the invasive false katipō (Steatoda capensis) (Araneae, Theridiidae). We conducted experimental assays using artificial refuges to test individual preferences for refuge shape, surface, and height. We also tested how refuge type affects the number of web trap lines used for prey capture. Both species preferred triangular refuges over rectangular refuges, with no evidence of a preference for other refuge types. For reasons which remain unclear, individuals varied in their preferences for surface and height. Katipō spiders showed site fidelity in all three assays, while false katipō spiders only showed site fidelity in the shape and surface assays. However, there was also evidence of individual variation in site fidelity in the shape assay. Spiders constructed more web trap lines beneath the triangular refuges, potentially due to their preference for triangular refuges. We suggest that overlapping refuge preferences, but not web structure, may contribute to competition and the potential for competitive displacement of the katipō by false katipō. Although not exclusively preferred by katipō, introducing artificial triangular refuges in katipō habitats should be tested as a means of supporting the persistence and expansion of katipō populations.


James Joseph Roberts, Anne Wignall, Dianne H. Brunton et al. Refuge preferences and web trap lines: the potential for competitive displacement of endemic katipō Latrodectus katipo by the invasive false katipō Steatoda capensis (Araneae: Theridiidae)., 30 May 2024, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4379057/v1]