Biomaterial Database

Kinins in ant venoms--a comparison with venoms of related Hymenoptera. 1989

T Piek, and J O Schmidt, and J M de Jong, and P Mantel

Department of Pharmacology, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

1. Venom preparations have been made of six ant, one pompilid wasp, two mutillid wasp, and four social wasp species. 2. The venoms were analysed pharmacologically in order to detect kinin-like activity. 3. Due to the small amounts of venoms available only a cascade of smooth muscle preparation could be used. 4. Kinin activities have been found in five ant venoms and in four social wasp venoms. 5. No kinin activity has been found in the venoms of the pompilid and mutillid wasps. 6. All ant venoms also contain unidentified agonists for vertebrate smooth muscle preparations.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007705	Kinins	A generic term used to describe a group of polypeptides with related chemical structures and pharmacological properties that are widely distributed in nature. These peptides are AUTACOIDS that act locally to produce pain, vasodilatation, increased vascular permeability, and the synthesis of prostaglandins. Thus, they comprise a subset of the large number of mediators that contribute to the inflammatory response. (From Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacologic Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p588)	Kinin
D009119	Muscle Contraction	A process leading to shortening and/or development of tension in muscle tissue. Muscle contraction occurs by a sliding filament mechanism whereby actin filaments slide inward among the myosin filaments.	Inotropism,Muscular Contraction,Contraction, Muscle,Contraction, Muscular,Contractions, Muscle,Contractions, Muscular,Inotropisms,Muscle Contractions,Muscular Contractions
D009130	Muscle, Smooth	Unstriated and unstriped muscle, one of the muscles of the internal organs, blood vessels, hair follicles, etc. Contractile elements are elongated, usually spindle-shaped cells with centrally located nuclei. Smooth muscle fibers are bound together into sheets or bundles by reticular fibers and frequently elastic nets are also abundant. (From Stedman, 25th ed)	Muscle, Involuntary,Smooth Muscle,Involuntary Muscle,Involuntary Muscles,Muscles, Involuntary,Muscles, Smooth,Smooth Muscles
D006927	Hymenoptera	An extensive order of highly specialized insects including bees, wasps, and ants.
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000862	Ant Venoms	Venoms from the superfamily Formicoidea, Ants. They may contain protein factors and toxins, histamine, enzymes, and alkaloids and are often allergenic or immunogenic.	Formicoidea Venoms,Ant Venom,Fire Ant Venoms,Venom, Ant,Venoms, Ant,Venoms, Fire Ant,Venoms, Formicoidea
D001180	Arthropod Venoms	Venoms from animals of the phylum ARTHROPODA. Those most investigated are from SCORPIONS and SPIDERS of the class Arachnidae and from ant, bee, and wasp families of the INSECTA order HYMENOPTERA. The venoms contain protein toxins, enzymes, and other bioactive substances and may be lethal to man.	Arachnid Toxin,Arachnid Toxins,Arachnid Venoms,Hymenoptera Venom,Hymenoptera Venoms,Insect Venom,Insect Venoms,Arachnid Venom,Arthropod Venom,Toxin, Arachnid,Toxins, Arachnid,Venom, Arachnid,Venom, Arthropod,Venom, Hymenoptera,Venom, Insect,Venoms, Arachnid,Venoms, Arthropod,Venoms, Hymenoptera,Venoms, Insect