Immunohistochemical changes in kidney glomerular and tubular proteins caused by rattlesnake (Crotalus vegrandis) venom.
Renal damage is an important cause of death in patients who have survived the early effects of severe crotalid envenomation. Extracellular matrix of renal tissue is altered by Crotalus toxin activities. The aim of this study was to describe how cytoskeletal proteins and basal membrane components undergo substantial alterations under the action of Crotalus vegrandis crude venom and its hemorrhagic fraction (Uracoina-1) in mice. To detect the proteins in question, the immunoperoxidase method with monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies was used. Cell types within renal lesions were characterized by phenotypic identification, by means of immunohistologic analysis of marker proteins using different primary antibodies against mesangial cells, endothelial cells, cytoskeletal proteins (intermediate filament), extracellular matrix and basal membranes. Samples for morphological study by standard procedures (biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase technique) using light microscopy were processed. Positive and negative controls for each antigen tested in the staining assay were included. After crude venom and hemorrhagic fraction inoculation of mice, the disappearance of cytoskeletal vimentin and desmin and collagen proteins in the kidney was observed. In extracellular matrix and basal membranes, collagen type IV from envenomed animals tends to disappear from 24 h to 120 h after venom injection.
Girón
María E
ME
Immunochemistry Section, Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas 1041, Venezuela.
Aguilar
Irma
I
Rodríguez-Acosta
Alexis
A
D000818:Animals; D001485:Basement Membrane / Q000187:drug effects; D024141:Collagen Type IV / Q000187:drug effects*; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*; D003893:Desmin / Q000187:drug effects*; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007124:Immunoenzyme Techniques; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007678:Kidney Glomerulus / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D051379:Mice; D013997:Time Factors; D014746:Vimentin / Q000187:drug effects*
D024141:Collagen Type IV; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D003893:Desmin; D014746:Vimentin