Crude Venom from Nematocysts of the Jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca as a Tool to Study Cell Physiology

Marine animals represent a good model for toxicological investigations, being a source of novel bioactive substances considered as a suitable research tool. Among stinging animals, Cnidarians possess specialized cells, termed nematocytes, containing an inverted tubule and toxins, synergistically responsible for mechanisms of defence and predation. Such compounds include proteins and secondary metabolites with toxic action. To elucidate the effects of Cnidarian venom upon cell targets, this short review reports on the biological activity of venom extracted from nematocysts of the jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca, whose "blooming" is well known in the Mediterranean Sea. The effects on erythrocytes and on cultured cells, from both mammals and invertebrates, along with in vivo studies, are here being considered. What is known about the biological activity of Pelagia noctiluca crude venom accounts for a notable effect at different levels, suggesting that cell damage may be due to a pore formation mechanism on cell membrane target leading to osmotic lysis, and /or to oxidative stress events. In this light, the study of venom activity may contribute to i) validate suitable biological assays for venom testing; ii) elucidate cell function features; iii) understand the pathophysiology of envenoming.