AaTs-1, a Tetrapeptide from Scorpion Venom Mitigates Demyelination and Neuroinflammation in a Cuprizone-Induced Model of Multiple Sclerosis

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  AaTs-1, a Tetrapeptide from Scorpion Venom Mitigates Demyelination and Neuroinflammation in a Cuprizone-Induced Model of Multiple Sclerosis Abstract Purpose This study focuses on the evaluation of the therapeutic potential of Tetrascorpin-1 (AaTs-1), a tetrapeptide isolated from Androctonus australis hector venom, proposed as a putative formyl peptide receptor 2 (FPR2) antagonist, in a cuprizone-induced murine model of Multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic autoimmune and inflammatory disease of the central nervous system. Methods Acute demyelination was induced in mice by administering cuprizone (0.2% w/w in the diet) for six weeks. During the sixth week of cuprizone intake, demyelinated mice received intranasal administration of AaTs-1 at a dose of 50–100 µg/kg for five consecutive days, with 24-hour intervals between treatments. Results Behavioral assessments, immunological assays, and histological analyses revealed that AaTs-1 improved body weight, reduced behavioral impairments...

Structural and Functional Analyses of Stabilimentum in the Garden Spider, Argiope bruennichi (Araneae: Araneidae)

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Structural and Functional Analyses of Stabilimentum in the Garden Spider, Argiope bruennichi (Araneae: Araneidae)

ABSTRACT

In the web construction of the garden spider, Argiope bruennichi, the decoration known as the stabilimentum forms a zigzag band after completing the orb web. Based on ecological observations, the spider A. bruennichi was observed to consistently maintain an inverted posture on the stabilimentum of the web, with its position consistently fixed on the open side of the web. The stabilimentum of the spider web can be basically divided into a hub region and a band region; the hub region measures approximately 2.5 times the spider's body length, while the band region measures approximately 2.7 times the spider's body length. The hub silk is constructed after the formation of band silk from periphery towards the center, and that the silk in the hub and band regions originate from numerous pairs of aciniform gland spigots on the median and posterior spinnerets. Our fine structural analysis revealed significant differences in the silk morphological properties between stabilimentum band silk in closed and open sides. Particularly, the silks of the stabilimentum were found to be dried fibers less than 500 nm in diameter, devoid of adhesive substances commonly found in prey capture. Moreover, the zigzag band pattern of the stabilimentum silk fibers is expected to play a role in attracting prey animals through light scattering by forming light dispersion at various angles from the light source.

Lee, M., & Moon, J. (2025). Structural and Functional Analyses of Stabilimentum in the Garden Spider, Argiope bruennichi (Araneae: Araneidae). Entomological Research, 55(2), e70023. https://doi.org/10.1111/1748-5967.70023