title: Bothropic antivenom based on monoclonal antibodies, is it possible?
abstract: Neutralizing monoclonal antibodies against three major toxic components of Bothrops atrox venom were produced and tested. The mAbs against phospholipase A2, hemorrhagic metalloprotease, and thrombin-like enzymes were produced in large amounts and purified with caprylic acid followed by ammonium sulfate precipitation. Purified mAbs were analyzed by SDS-PAGE and their ability to neutralize the respective toxins was tested. Five Swiss mice were injected i.p. with 13.5 mg of pooled mAbs and challenged via s.c. route with venom. Survival rate was recorded for the next 48 h. All mice treated and challenged with venom survived, whereas only one mouse in the control group survived. Bleeding time in mice treated with mAbs was similar to that observed in control mice. Our results show that monoclonal antibodies neutralized the lethal toxicity of Bothrops venom and indicate that there is a reasonable possibility of developing antivenoms based on humanized mAbs to treat victims of venomous animals in the future.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Biologia do Reconhecer, Centro de Biociências e Biotecnologia, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Av. Alberto Lamego 2000, CEP:28013-602 Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil.
authors.forename: Thiago S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Frauches
authors.forename: Jorge H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Petretski
authors.forename: Andrea C V
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Arnholdt
authors.forename: Elena B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Lasunskaia
authors.forename: Eulógio C Q
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: de Carvalho
authors.forename: Thereza L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Kipnis
authors.forename: Wilmar D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: da Silva
authors.forename: Milton M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Kanashiro
mesh_terms: D000645:Ammonium Sulfate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000997:Antivenins / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001777:Blood Coagulation / Q000187:drug effects; D017837:Bothrops; D002210:Caprylates / Q000378:metabolism; D003435:Crotalid Venoms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology / Q000633:toxicity; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D051379:Mice; D009500:Neutralization Tests
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000997:Antivenins; D002210:Caprylates; D003435:Crotalid Venoms; C031492:octanoic acid; D000645:Ammonium Sulfate
keywords: Antivenom; Bothrops atrox; Monoclonal antibodies; Snake venom