title: Anti-sera raised in rabbits against crotoxin and phospholipase A2 from Crotalus durissus cascavella venom neutralize the neurotoxicity of the venom and crotoxin.
abstract: Crotoxin, the principal neurotoxin in venom of the South American rattlesnakes Crotalus durissus terrificus and Crotalus durissus cascavella, contains a basic phospholipase A2 (PLA2) and an acidic protein, crotapotin. In this work, we examined the ability of rabbit anti-sera against crotoxin and its PLA2 subunit to neutralize the neurotoxicity of venom and crotoxin from C. d. cascavella in mouse phrenic nerve-diaphragm and chick biventer cervicis preparations. Immunoblotting showed that the anti-sera recognized C. d. cascavella crotoxin and PLA2. This was confirmed by ELISA, with both anti-sera having end-point dilutions of 3 x 10(-6). Anti-crotoxin serum neutralized the neuromuscular blockade in phrenic nerve-diaphragm muscle preparations at venom or crotoxin:anti-serum ratios of 1:2 and 1:3, respectively. Anti-PLA2 serum also neutralized this neuromuscular activity at a venom or crotoxin:anti-serum ratio of 1:1. In biventer cervicis preparations, the corresponding ratio for anti-crotoxin serum was 1:3 for venom and crotoxin, and 1:1 and 1:2 for anti-PLA2 serum. The neutralizing capacity of the sera in mouse preparations was comparable to that of commercial anti-serum raised against C. d. terrificus venom. These results show that anti-sera against crotoxin and PLA2 from C. d. cascavella venom neutralized the neuromuscular blockade induced by venom and crotoxin in both nerve-muscle preparations, with the anti-serum against crotoxin being slightly less potent than that against crotoxin.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), CP 6109, CEP 13083-970 Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors.forename: Daniela G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Beghini
authors.forename: Saraguaci
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hernandez-Oliveira
authors.forename: Léa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rodrigues-Simioni
authors.forename: José Camilo
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Novello
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hyslop
authors.forename: Sérgio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marangoni
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000997:Antivenins / Q000276:immunology* / Q000494:pharmacology; D002645:Chickens; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000633:toxicity; D003439:Crotoxin / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000276:immunology*; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D000997:Antivenins; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; D009498:Neurotoxins; D003439:Crotoxin; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2