title: Neurotoxic, hemorrhagic and proteolytic activities of Duvernoy's gland secretion from Venezuelan opisthoglyphous colubrid snakes in mice.
abstract: Many colubrid snakes produce toxic oral secretions. We studied venom (Duvernoy's gland secretion) collected from Venezuelan opisthoglyphous (rear-fanged) colubrid snakes. Different proteins were present in Thamnodynastes stigilis Duvernoy's gland secretion and were characterized by 20% SDS-PAGE protein electrophoresis. The venom displayed proteolytic (gelatinase) activity that was partially purified on a chromatography ionic exchange mono Q2 column. We demonstrated hemorrhagic activity of Thamnodynastes stigilis Duvernoy's gland secretion on chicken embryos and mouse skin and peritoneum. Mice inoculated with Thamnodynastes stigilis Duvernoy's gland secretion presented signs of neurotoxicity. Thamnodynastes stigilis Duvernoy's gland secretion had proteolytic, hemorrhagic, and neurotoxic activities, not previously described in this species and identifies the presence of a new venomous colubrid in Venezuela.
authors.affiliation: Immunochemistry Section, Tropical Medicine Institute, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Apartado 47423, Caracas 1041, Venezuela.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lemoine
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Salgueiro
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Acosta
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Acosta
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002642:Chick Embryo / Q000187:drug effects; D017812:Colubridae; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D018093:Gelatinases / Q000187:drug effects; D006470:Hemorrhage / Q000139:chemically induced*; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D010537:Peritoneum / Q000187:drug effects; D012867:Skin / Q000187:drug effects; D012910:Snake Venoms / Q000633:toxicity*
chemical_list: D012910:Snake Venoms; D018093:Gelatinases