Pathogenesis of hemorrhage induced by bilitoxin, a hemorrhagic toxin isolated from the venom of the common cantil (Agkistrodon bilineatus bilineatus).
The pathogenesis of hemorrhage induced by the i.m. injection of the hemorrhagic toxin, bilitoxin, was studied using light and electron microscopy. White mice were injected with sublethal doses of the toxin, and tissue samples were obtained at 5 and 30 min, and 1, 3 and 24 hr after the injection. There was a good correlation between amount of toxin injected and amount of hemorrhage observed. Microscopically, hemorrhage was visible in all parts of the connective tissue surrounding muscle cells just 5 min after injection and fibrin was present both intravascularly and extravascularly. At later time periods the hemorrhage was more extensive and there was more fibrin. Many vessels were plugged with platelets. At 30 min after the injection, muscle cells appeared to be damaged having either delta lesions or disrupted myofibrils. Electron microscopy revealed damaged capillaries with ruptured endothelial cells, disrupted basal lamina and intact intercellular junctions. Thus, this hemorrhagic toxin acts rapidly to disrupt the capillary endothelium without damaging the intercellular junctions, and it also appears to damage skeletal muscle cells.
Ownby
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CL
Department of Physiological Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078.
Nika
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Imai
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Sugihara
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D000818:Animals; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000032:analysis / Q000633:toxicity*; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D051379:Mice; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D009132:Muscles / Q000473:pathology; D009336:Necrosis
C031442:Agkistrodon venoms; D003435:Crotalid Venoms