Teresa Escalante Muñoz

Researchers

  • Senior Professor, Clodomiro Picado Institute, Faculty of Microbiology.
  • Ph.D. in Science, University of Costa Rica, 2011
  • M.Sc. in Microbiology, University of Costa Rica, 2005
  • Lic. in Microbiology and Clinical Chemistry, University of Costa Rica, 2000.

Teresa Escalante Muñoz

Teresa Escalante Muñoz is a member of the academic division of the Clodomiro Picado Institute, and a teacher at the Immunology Section of the Faculty of Microbiology, University of Costa Rica.

Her research focuses in the local and systemic pathology induced by snake venoms, mainly the effects caused by hemorrhagic metalloproteinases, which are toxins from viper venoms that destroy blood capillaries. Some of her work has delved into the mechanism of action of metalloproteinases, studying the alterations induced by these toxins on the extracellular matrix and microvessels, in both, in vitro models and animal models. She has also studied natural and synthetic inhibitors of these toxins, in the search for therapeutic alternatives to complement the antivenom serum therapy.
 

Publicaciones representativas de sus intereses de investigación

  • Escalante, T., Franceschi, A., Rucavado, A., & Gutiérrez, J. M. (2000). Effectiveness of batimastat, a matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, in neutralizing local tissue damage induced by BaP1, a hemorrhagic metalloproteinase from the venom of the snake Botrhops asper. Biochemical Pharmacology, 60(2), 269-274.
  • 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 chaleting agent CaNa2EDTA. American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 63(5-6), 313-319.
  • Escalante, T., Shannon, J., Moura-da-Silva, A. M., Gutiérrez, J. M., Fox, J. W. (2006). Novel insights into capillary vessel basement membrane damage by snake venos metalloproteinases: a biochemical and immunohistochemical study.  Arch Biochem Biophys, 455(2), 144-53.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Herrera, C., Escalante, T., Voisin, M. B., Rucavado, A., Morazán, D., Macêdo, J. K., Calvete, J. J., Sanz, L., Nourshargh, S., Gutiérrez, J. M., 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