Venom of the crotaline snake Atropoides nummifer (jumping viper) from Guatemala and Honduras: comparative toxicological characterization, isolation of a myotoxic phospholipase A(2) homologue and neutralization by two antivenoms.
A comparative study was performed on the venoms of the crotaline snake Atropoides nummifer from Guatemala and Honduras. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, under reducing conditions, revealed a highly similar pattern of these venoms, and between them and the venom of the same species from Costa Rica. Similar patterns were also observed in ion-exchange chromatography on CM-Shephadex C-25, in which a highly basic myotoxic fraction was present. This fraction was devoid of phospholipase A(2) activity and strongly reacted, by enzyme-immunoassay, with an antiserum against Bothrops asper myotoxin II, a Lys-49 phospholipase A(2) homologue. A basic myotoxin of 16 kDa was isolated to homogeneity from the venom of A. nummifer from Honduras, showing amino acid composition and N-terminal sequence similar to those of Lys-49 phospholipase A(2) variants previously isolated from other crotaline snake venoms. Guatemalan and Honduran A. nummifer venoms have a qualitatively similar toxicological profile, characterized by: lethal; hemorrhagic; myotoxic; edema-forming; coagulant; and defibrinating activities, although there were significant quantitative variations in some of these activities between the two venoms. Neutralization of toxic activities by two commercially-available antivenoms in the region was studied. Polyvalent antivenom produced by Instituto Clodomiro Picado was effective in the neutralization of: lethal; hemorrhagic; myotoxic; coagulant; defibrinating; and phospholipase A(2) activities, but ineffective against edema-forming activity. On the other hand, MYN polyvalent antivenom neutralized: hemorrhagic; myotoxic; coagulant; defibrinating; and phospholipase A(2) activities, albeit with a lower potency than Instituto Clodomiro Picado antivenom. MYN antivenom failed to neutralize lethal and edema-forming activities of A. nummifer venoms.
Rojas
E
E
Instituto Clodomiro Picado, Facultad de Microbiología, Universidad de Costa Rica, San José, Costa Rica.
Saravia
P
P
Angulo
Y
Y
Arce
V
V
Lomonte
B
B
Chávez
J J
JJ
Velásquez
R
R
Thelestam
M
M
Gutiérrez
J M
JM
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange; D003029:Coagulants / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D003429:Cross Reactions; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D004487:Edema / Q000139:chemically induced; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects; D006166:Guatemala; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced; D006721:Honduras; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007271:Injections, Intradermal; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D009500:Neutralization Tests; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity; D017819:Viperidae
D000997:Antivenins; D003029:Coagulants; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D010741:Phospholipases A