Abstract

INDIAN PAPER WASP ROPALIDIA MARGINATA VENOM TOXIN PEPTIDES: BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS AND ITS IMPACT ON GLYCOGEN LEVEL IN LIVER, GASTROCNEMIUS MUSCLE, RECTUS ABDOMINIS, ATRIA AND VENTRICLE IN ALBINO MICE

Simran Sharma and Ravi Kant Upadhyay*

ABSTRACT

In the present investigation, we examined the effects of purified Ropalidia marginata venom toxins on glycogen levels in various tissues of albino mice, including the liver, rectus abdominis, gastrocnemius muscle, atria, and ventricles. The findings revealed a significant decrease in glycogen levels in these tissues. In the liver, glycogen levels dropped considerably (p≤0.05), decreasing to 79.33% after 6h with 40% of the 24-h LD50 of purified wasp venom, and further down to 61.85% after 8h with 80% of the same dosage. Similarly, glycogen levels in the rectus abdominis muscle were substantially reduced to 73.31% at 6h and 72.66% at 8h. In the gastrocnemius muscle, we observed a noteworthy decrease (p<0.05), with glycogen levels falling to 59.77% and 47.12% at 6h following injections of 40% and 80% of the 24-h LD50, respectively. Atrial glycogen levels also showed significant reductions (p<0.05), dropping to 73.2% and 58.82% at 6h post-exposure to 40% and 80% of the LD50 of purified venom. Ventricular glycogen levels showed a similar trend, decreasing significantly (p<0.05) to 67.65% after 6h of exposure to 80% of the LD50 and down to 75.74% after 10h of the same exposure. The liver, typically the primary storage site for glycogen, experienced a slight reduction in glycogen content following the administration of the purified wasp venom toxins. Wasp venom may affect energy metabolism, endangering heart function as well as the availability of energy for vital physiological functions. The depletion can be attributed to the activation of stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones stimulate glycogen phosphorylase while inhibiting glycogen synthase. As a result, this hormonal response leads to glycogenolysis, which is the breakdown of glycogen, while hindering glycogenesis, the process of glycogen synthesis. Consequently, this may impact energy balance and metabolic regulation due to decreased glycogen storage in the liver. Moreover, fluctuations in glycogen concentrations were observed in the liver, rectus abdominis, gastrocnemius muscle, and both atrial and ventricular tissues of the albino mice after they received venom toxin injections at various time points. 

Keywords: Ropalidia marginata, Glycogen, Liver, Rectus abdominis, Gastrocnemius muscle, Atria and Ventricles.