Abstract
Crotoxin, the principal neurotoxin in venom of the South American rattlesnakes Crotalus durissus terrificus and Crotalus durissus cascavella, contains a basic phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2) and an acidic protein, crotapotin. In this work, we examined the ability of rabbit anti-sera against crotoxin and its PLA 2 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 PLA 2. This was confirmed by ELISA, with both anti-sera having end-point dilutions of 3×10 −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-PLA 2 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-PLA 2 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 PLA 2 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.
Published Version
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