Vampire Venom: Vasodilatory Mechanisms of Vampire Bat Blood Feeding
Basic science / comparative published in Toxins (2019)
Abstract
Animals that specialise in blood feeding have particular challenges in obtaining their meal, whereby they impair blood hemostasis by promoting anticoagulation and vasodilation in order to facilitate feeding. These convergent selection pressures have been studied in a number of lineages, ranging from fleas to leeches. However, the vampire bat (Desmondus rotundus) is unstudied in regards to potential vasodilatory mechanisms of their feeding secretions (which are a type of venom). This is despite the intense investigations of their anticoagulant properties which have demonstrated that D. rotundus venom contains strong anticoagulant and proteolytic activities which delay the formation of blood clots and interfere with the blood coagulation cascade. In this study, we identified and tested a compound from D. rotundus venom that is similar in size and amino acid sequence to human calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) which has potent vasodilatory properties. We found that the vampire bat-derived form of CGRP (i.e., vCGRP) selectively caused endothelium-independent relaxation of pre-contracted rat small mesenteric arteries. The vasorelaxant efficacy and potency of vCGRP were similar to that of CGRP, in activating CGRP receptors and Kv channels to relax arteriole smooth muscle, which would facilitate blood meal feeding by promoting continual blood flow. Our results provide, for the first time, a detailed investigation into the identification and function of a vasodilatory peptide found in D. rotundus venom, which provides a basis in understanding the convergent pathways and selectivity of hematophagous venoms. These unique peptides also show excellent drug design and development potential, thus highlighting the social and economic value of venomous animals.
Abstract sourced from PubMed (NCBI) for the cited record. See the original publication for the authoritative version.
Resumen
Identification of a CGRP-like vasodilatory compound (vCGRP) in vampire bat venom — convergent example of haematophagous-organism bioactives alongside leech anticoagulants. Vasodilation works via Kv channel activation on arteriole smooth muscle.
Por qué esto importa para la hirudoterapia
Este estudio identificó y caracterizó un péptido vasodilatador del veneno del murciélago vampiro (Desmodus rotundus) que se asemeja al péptido relacionado con el gen de la calcitonina humano (CGRP). El vCGRP derivado del murciélago produjo relajación independiente del endotelio en arterias mesentéricas de rata precontraídas a través de receptores CGRP y canales Kv, con una eficacia y potencia similares a las del CGRP humano. Los autores enmarcan este hallazgo dentro de la evolución convergente del veneno hematófago, haciendo referencia explícita a las sanguijuelas entre los linajes hematófagos sujetos a presiones selectivas similares para la anticoagulación y la vasodilatación. Para el dominio de la ASH, la relevancia es más conceptual que práctica: comprender las estrategias moleculares convergentes entre animales hematófagos puede contextualizar los componentes vasodilatadores del secretoma de la sanguijuela, aunque no se evaluó ninguna molécula derivada de sanguijuela. La advertencia crítica es que este estudio no involucra sanguijuelas, ni compuestos derivados de sanguijuelas, ni comparación directa con constituyentes del secretoma de la sanguijuela; se trata exclusivamente de una investigación sobre veneno de murciélago vampiro en ratas y arterias aisladas, que ofrece únicamente una perspectiva evolutiva indirecta.
Citación
Vampire Venom: Vasodilatory Mechanisms of Vampire Bat Blood Feeding.
Kakumanu R et al. · Toxins, 2019
Contexto clínico relacionado
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Añadido a la biblioteca ASH: May 27, 2026 · Última actualización del sitio: 18 de junio de 2026