Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider

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  Sex Role–Dependent Behavioral and Architectural Divergence in a Jumping Spider ABSTRACT Sex differences in behavior and functional traits are often attributed to differences in mating effort intensity, but the role of sex-specific parental demands remains poorly understood. Using the jumping spider Toxeus maxillosus —where males engage in mate searching and courtship without providing parental care, while females provide extended maternal care from egg attendance to offspring maturity (around 3 months)—we conducted an exploratory investigation into whether these distinct selective pressures led to divergence in spatial behaviors and nest architecture. Results revealed that males and females showed equivalent accuracy, latency, and learning-related performance in both a route-planning test under water stress and a color-pattern associative memory task. In contrast, during nest-construction assays, females built complex, multi-entrance structures that closely matched the container'...

Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Synthetic Peptide Alleviates DSS-Induced Colitis via α7nAChR-Mediated Modulation of the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway

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Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Synthetic Peptide Alleviates DSS-Induced Colitis via α7nAChR-Mediated Modulation of the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway

Abstract

Background: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic relapsing inflammatory disorder with limited treatment options. Emerging evidence reveals bidirectional crosstalk between gut and brain through inflammatory signaling, leading us to hypothesize that anti-neuroinflammatory agents may concurrently ameliorate intestinal inflammation. The scorpion venom-derived heat-resistant synthetic peptide (SVHRSP), a bioactive peptide initially identified in scorpion venom and subsequently synthesized by our laboratory, possesses neuroprotective, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative activities. Its properties make SVHRSP a promising candidate for investigating the therapeutic potential of anti-neuroinflammatory strategies in mitigating intestinal inflammation. Methods: Using a chronic dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis model in wild-type and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (α7nAChR) knockout mice, along with lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages, we assessed SVHRSP’s effects on inflammation, histopathology, gut permeability, oxidative stress markers, and α7nAChR-Janus kinase 2 (JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling. Results: SVHRSP treatment significantly ameliorated colitis symptoms in wild-type mice by reducing inflammation, repairing histological damage, restoring gut barrier function, and attenuating oxidative stress, with these effects abolished in α7nAChR knockout mice. Mechanistically, SVHRSP activated JAK2/STAT3 signaling through α7nAChR engagement, suppressing proinflammatory cytokine production in macrophages. Conclusion: These results demonstrated that SVHRSP alleviated intestinal inflammation via α7nAChR-dependent JAK2/STAT3 activation. Combined with its known neuroprotective properties, our findings support the repurposing of this neuroactive peptide, SVHRSP, for treating intestinal inflammatory disorders.


Cheng, K.; He, G.; Li, X.; Li, Y.; Cui, X.; Wu, X.; Hong, J.-S.; Zhao, J.; Li, S.; Guo, Y. Scorpion Venom Heat-Resistant Synthetic Peptide Alleviates DSS-Induced Colitis via α7nAChR-Mediated Modulation of the JAK2/STAT3 Pathway. Antioxidants 2025, 14, 1296. https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14111296