The underlying mechanism of scorpion venom peptide BmK AS in reducing epilepsy seizures: mediated through dual modulation of Nav1.6 and the inflammasome pathway

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  The underlying mechanism of scorpion venom peptide BmK AS in reducing epilepsy seizures: mediated through dual modulation of Nav1.6 and the inflammasome pathway Abstract Introduction:  Voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) dysregulation, particularly of the Nav1.6 subtype, is a core mechanism underlying epileptogenesis and its associated neuropsychiatric comorbidities. The scorpion venom peptide BmK AS has demonstrated anticonvulsant potential, but its efficacy in chronic epilepsy and the precise mechanisms of action remain undefined. Methods:  Here, we show that BmK AS exerts robust anti-epileptic and neuroprotective effects through converging mechanisms. In a kainic acid-induced mouse model, BmK AS treatment reduced mortality and seizure parameters. Electrophysiological studies assessed BmK AS modulation of VGSC subtypes. The functional relevance of Nav1.6 targeting was confirmed by the loss of BmK AS’s anti-seizure efficacy upon its pharmacological blockade in a PTZ-in...

On the spider genus Spanioplanus (Araneae: Linyphiidae): three new species from Uruguay and Argentina

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On the spider genus Spanioplanus (Araneae: Linyphiidae): three new species from Uruguay and Argentina

ABSTRACT

Three new species of the genus Spanioplanus Millidge (Araneae: Linyphiidae) are described: Spanioplanus juru n. sp. (male and female) from riparian forests and psammophilus scrublands in Uruguay, Spanioplanus holmbergi n. sp. (male and female) and Spanioplanus olejniki n. sp. (female) from riparian forests and hilly systems in central-eastern Argentina. Photographs and illustrations of somatic and sexual characters of the species are provided. Furthermore, data of the natural history and a distribution map for these species are presented together with an updated diagnosis of the genus. These findings document a higher species number of this previously monotypic genus and expand its known distribution in South America.

CAJADE, M., CARRIÓN, N., HAGOPIÁN, D., ZAPATA, L., GRISMADO, C., & SIMÓ, M. . (2025). On the spider genus <em>Spanioplanus</em> (Araneae: Linyphiidae): three new species from Uruguay and Argentina. Revista De La Sociedad Entomológica Argentina, 84(3), e0302. Retrieved from https://www.biotaxa.org/RSEA/article/view/86932