Alexandra Rucavado Romero

Researchers

  • Senior Professor: Clodomiro Picado Institute, Faculty of Microbiology.
  • Ph.D. University of Costa Rica, 2006.
  • M.Sc. University of Costa Rica, 1996.
  • Lic. Microbiology and Clinical Chemistry, University of Costa Rica (UCR), 1992.
     

Alexandra Rucavado Romero

Alexandra Rucavado's researches study the mechanisms of action and the pathological effects of metalloproteinases in snake venoms. Her works study the role that snake venom metalloproteinases play in the physiopathology of the envenoming; she is also researching effective inhibitors to neutralize the pathological effects caused by these toxins. Some of her studies have addressed subjects like the role of alterations in the platelet function and hemostasis in general, in the development of the hemorrhagic syndrome observed in envenomings caused by snakes from the Viperidae family. 

Publicaciones representativas de sus intereses de investigación

  • Rucavado, A., Escalante, T., Franceschi, A., Chaves, F., León, G., Cury, Y., Ovadia, M., Gutiérrez, J. M. (2000). Inhibition of local hemorrhage and dermonecrosis induced by Bothrops asper snake venom: effectiveness of early in situ administration of the peptidomimetic metalloproteinase inhibitor batimastat and the chelating agent CaNa2EDTA. Am J Trop Med Hyg, 63(5-6), 313-9.
  • Rucavado, A., Escalante, T., Gutiérrez, J. M. (2004). Effect of the metalloproteinase inhibitor batimastat in the systemic toxicity induced by Bothrops asper snake venom: understanding the role of metalloproteinases in envenomation. Toxicon, 43(4), 417-24.
  • Rucavado, A., Soto, M., Escalante, T., Loría, G. D., Arni, R., Gutiérrez, J. M. (2005). Thrombocytopenia and platelet hypoaggregation induced by Bothrops asper snake venom. Toxins involved and their contribution to metalloproteinase-induced pulmonary hemorrhage.Thromb Haemost, 94(1), 123-31.
  • Escalante, T., Ortiz, N., Rucavado, A., Sánchez, E. F., Richardson, M., Fox, J. W., Gutiérrez, J. M. (2011). Role of collagens and perlecan in microvascular stability: exploring the mechanism of capillary vessel damage by snake venom metalloproteinases. PLoS One, 6(12), e28017. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0028017
  • Rucavado, A., Escalante, T., Shannon, J., Gutiérrez, J. M., Fox, J. W. (2011). Proteomics of wound exudate in snake venom-induced pathology: search for biomarkers to assess tissue damage and therapeutic success. J Proteome Res, 10(4), 1987-2005. doi: 10.1021/pr101208f
  • Hernández, R., Cabalceta, C., Saravia-Otten, P., Chaves, A., Gutiérrez, J. M., Rucavado, A. (2011). Poor regenerative outcome after skeletal muscle necrosis induced by Bothrops asper venom: alterations in microvasculature and nerves. PLoS One, 6(5), e19834. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0019834
  • Rucavado, A., Escalante, T., Shannon, J. D., Ayala-Castro, C. N., Villalta, M., Gutiérrez, J. M., Fox, J. W. (2012). Efficacy of IgG and F(ab')2 antivenoms to neutralize snake venom-induced local tissue damage as assessed by the proteomic analysis of wound exudate. J Proteome Res, 11(1), 292-305. doi: 10.1021/pr200847q
  • Camacho, E., Villalobos, E., Sanz, L., Pérez, A., Escalante, T., Lomonte, B., Calvete, J. J., Gutiérrez, J. M., Rucavado, A. (2014). Understanding structural and functional aspects of PII snake venom metalloproteinases: characterization of BlatH1, a hemorrhagic dimeric enzyme from the venom of Bothriechis lateralis. Biochimie, 101, 145-55. doi: 0.1016/j.biochi.2014.01.008
  • Herrera, C., Escalante, T., Voisin, M. B., Rucavado, A., Morazán, D., Macêdo, …Fox, J. W. (2015). Tissue Localization and Extracellular Matrix Degradation by PI, PII and PIII Snake Venom Metalloproteinases: Clues on the Mechanisms of Venom-Induced Hemorrhage. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 9(4), e0003731. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003731
  • Herrera, C., Macêdo, J. K., Feoli, A., Escalante, T., Rucavado, A., Gutiérrez, J. M., Fox, J. W. (2016). Muscle Tissue Damage Induced by the Venom of Bothrops asper: Identification of Early and Late Pathological Events through Proteomic Analysis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis, 10(4), e000459. doi: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004599xx