title: Hemorrhagic, fibrinogenolytic and edema-forming activities of the venom of the colubrid snake Philodryas olfersii (green snake).
abstract: The venom of P. olfersii has high hemorrhagic, edema-inducing and fibrin(ogen)olytic activities. It is devoid of thrombin-like, procoagulant, phospholipase A2 and platelet aggregating enzymes. The main activities are metalloproteinases inhibited by metal chelators (EDTA and 1,10-phenanthroline) and sulfhydryl compounds (DTT and cysteine). The hemorrhagic and fibrinogenolytic enzymes were partially purified by gel filtration on HPLC. The hemorrhagic activity of the venom was neutralized by commercial horse antivenoms to Bothrops species, as well as by rabbit antisera specific for hemorrhagic factors isolated from these Bothrops venoms. No immunoprecipitin reactions were obtained, indicating that the few epitopes of the P. olfersii hemorrhagin are involved in these neutralization reactions. The fibrinogenolytic enzyme cleaves A alpha-chain more quickly than the B beta-chain of human fibrinogen. The venom also solubilizes fibrin. This solubilization appears to occur from the hydrolysis of unpolymerized alpha-chain and cross-linked gamma-gamma dimer. The fibrin peptide products are distinct from those produced by plasmin.
authors.affiliation: Serviço de Bioquímica, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Assakura
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Salomão
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Puorto
authors.forename: F R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Mandelbaum
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000276:immunology; D002364:Caseins / Q000378:metabolism; D002614:Chelating Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003429:Cross Reactions; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D051379:Mice; D011506:Proteins / Q000032:analysis; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity*; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D002364:Caseins; D002614:Chelating Agents; D011506:Proteins; D012910:Snake Venoms; D013438:Sulfhydryl Compounds; D005340:Fibrinogen