Hyaluronidases molecular mass

The toxicities of insect venoms are low to most people. Despite this, relatively large numbers of fatalities occur each year from insect stings because of allergic reactions in sensitized individuals. These reactions can lead to potentially fatal anaphylactic shock, which affects the nervous system, cardiovascular function, and respiratory function. The agents in bee venom that are responsible for severe allergic reactions are mellitin and two enzymes of high molecular mass — hyaluronidase and phospholipase A-2. 

M. A. Cevallos, C. Navarro-Duque, M. Varela-Julia, and A. C. Alagon. Molecular mass determination and assay of venom hyaluronidases by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Toxicon 30 925 (1992). 

High relative molecular mass substrates are the standards for collagenase, hyaluronidase, lysozyme, ribonuclease, streptokinase, and urokinase. It should be emphasized that small variations in the quality of high relative molecular mass standards or conditions can result in sharp changes in the apparent composition of reaction products and can lead to nonreproducible results. 

It was suggested (Puhvel and Reisner, 1972) that hyaluronidase can split extracellular substances of the cell wall of sebaceous ducts and thus increase the permeability of epithelial follicles. Neuraminidase can damage cell and tissue membranes, affecting the sialic acid residues on the surface of the cells. Under the action of proteases of P. acnes, which also possesses keratinolytic activity, small chemotactic peptides are produced that may have a role in the onset of inflammation. Proteolytic activity may be significant (Ingham, 1983) in complement activation. It was shown (Ingham, 1983) that a preparation of extracellular proteases from P. acnes P-37 contained at least three types of proteases with different molecular masses. The secretion of proteinases is used as a criterion in the classification of these bacteria. 

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