Evaluation of cytotoxicity of isolated fractions from the venom of Iranian cobra snake on skin cancer cell line, B16F10

Skin cancer is the most common cancer and very high risk of metastasis of cancer. In recent years, proteins derived from natural sources such as poison animals are considered toxic. The aim of this study was purified Iranian cobra venom using chromatography & fractions obtained by examining toxicity and anti-tumor effect on skin cancer cell line.

B16F10 melanoma cells in RPMI 1640 medium with 10% FBS were cultured. Iranian cobra venom gel filtration chromatography and ion exchange was purified. Molecular weight fractions were analyzed by SDS-PAGE. The effect of anti-adhesion and cytotoxicity of the active fractions using trypan blue staining and MTT was measured on B16F10 cells were cultured and data were analyzed using student t-test.

Six fractions obtained of gel filtration chromatography. The isolated fractions were evaluated anti-adhesion effect and fraction F3 for further purification by ion exchange chromatography was nominated and 4 fractions were separated. The fraction with a molecular weight of about 47 kDa (F2) was nominated. Totally toxicity was calculated as 49% and 8% on skin cancer cell line and HEK-293, respectively (P≤ 0.05).

In this study, cytotoxic effect on skin cancer cells B16F10 showed that Iranian cobra venom have a protein with highly valued medicinal properties and could be an option for future research against skin cancer.