Among the proteins that are able to modify the cell permeability, are the hyaluronidases. Hyaluronidases are glycosidases (El-Safory et al., 2010) Volasertib ic50 capable of hydrolysing the hyaluronic acid and, thus, digest partially the extracellular matrix (Hoffman, 2006), increasing the infiltration and, possibly, the action of other compounds of the venom on cellular structures. The hyaluronic acid is a polysaccharide of high molecular weight found in the extracellular matrix, especially in connective tissues. This

polysaccharide is known as a “lubricant” responsible for the viscoelastic properties of fluid tissues and as a stabilizing and moisturizing agent of connective tissues (El-Safory et al., 2010). According to Wahby et al. (2012), hyaluronidase increases the permeability of the cell membranes and causes a reduction in the viscosity of the fluids injected into the tissues. Another protein that can be related to the mutagenicity of the wasp venom is phospholipase. Phospholipases are proteins that also have action on the lipid bilayer of the cells, by disrupting the phospholipids of the biological membranes, since they can catalyse the hydrolysis of ester

bonds at specific positions of the 1,2-diacyl-3,sn-phosphoglyceride, Selleckchem AZD5363 releasing fatty acids ( Santos et al., 2007). According to Aoki et al. (2007), some phospholipases A (phospholipase A1 – PLA1) can hydrolyse both phospholipids and triacylglycerols, as well as galactolipids. But there are

also some PLA1 that only hydrolyses phosphatidylserine and phosphatidic acid. Denaturation of the phospholipids leads to the formation of pores in the membrane, allowing an easier entrance of other compounds into the cells, leading to cell lysis, inflammation and tissue damages ( Dotimas and Hider, 1987). P. paulista presents phospholipase A1 that has direct haemolytic action in erythrocytes ( Santos et al., 2007). Mastoparans, the main components of the vespid venoms (Souza et al., 2009), seem to promote the formation only of ionic channels in the lipid membranes, leading to cell lysis (Li et al., 2000). These compounds also increase the permeability of the membrane to ions and small molecules, by forming pores when in high concentrations. According to Gusovsky et al. (1991), this action is due, probably, to the interaction of the mastoparans with the guanine nucleotide binding protein, so that there is a collapse of phosphoinositol. Furthermore, mastoparans can stimulate the activity of phospholipase A2 and C (Perianin and Snyderman, 1989), mobilization of Ca2+ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (Hirata et al., 2000 and Hirata et al., 2003), induce the mitochondrial permeability transition (Pfeiffer et al., 1995) and cell death by necrosis and apoptosis (Perianin and Snyderman, 1989).