An examination of the potential role of spider digestive proteases as a causative factor in spider bite necrosis

• Published in: Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Toxicology & pharmacology Vol. 130; no. 2; pp. 209 - 218
• Main Authors: Foradori, Matthew J, Keil, Lauren M, Wells, Roger E, Diem, Max, Tillinghast, Edward K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01-10-2001
• Subjects: Animals; Araneidae; Argiope; Argiope aurantia; Chiracanthium; Collagen - metabolism; Collagenase; Collagenases - metabolism; Connective Tissue - enzymology; Digestive fluid; Elastin - metabolism; Endopeptidases - adverse effects; Endopeptidases - chemistry; Endopeptidases - metabolism; Extracellular Matrix Proteins - metabolism; Female; Fibrin - metabolism; Gelatinase; Hemolymph - metabolism; Loxosceles reclusa; Molecular Weight; Necrosis; Necrotic arachnidism; Protease; Rabbits; Skin - pathology; Spider; Spider bite; Spider Bites - pathology; Spider Venoms - adverse effects; Spiders - enzymology; Tegenaria agrestis; Digestive fluid; Protease; Necrotic arachnidism; Spider; Collagenase; Argiope; Gelatinase; Spider bite; Necrosis
• ISSN: 1532-0456; 1878-1659
• DOI: 10.1016/S1532-0456(01)00239-3

Tissue necrosis following spider bites is a widespread problem. In the continental United States, the brown recluse (
Loxosceles reclusa), hobo spider (
Tegenaria agrestis), garden spider (
Argiope aurantia) and
Chiracanthium species, among others, reportedly cause such lesions. The exact mechanism producing such lesions is controversial. There is evidence for both venom sphingomyelinase and spider digestive collagenases. We have examined the role of spider digestive proteases in spider bite necrosis. The digestive fluid of
A. aurantia was assayed for its ability to cleave a variety of connective tissue proteins, including collagen. Having confirmed that the fluid has collagenases, the digestive fluid was injected into the skin of rabbits to observe whether it would cause necrotic lesions. It did not. The data do not support the suggestions that spider digestive collagenases have a primary role in spider bite necrosis.