Histological alterations in Kidney and Liver of laboratory mice following intramuscular injection of Montevipera bornmuelleri (Werner, 1898) Venom.

Abstract

Histopathological changes after bites of the Montivipera bornmuelleri viper, endemic to high altitudes areas of Lebanon, have not yet been investigated. Our study focuses on histological changes and irreversible damages in the kidney and liver of white laboratory Balb/c mice that received an intramuscular injection of lyophilized venom diluted in saline solution (NaCl 0.9%). Different venom concentration doses ranging from 0.25 mg/kg to 15mg/kg in a total injection volume of 100µl was injected intramuscularly (IM) into 5 groups of mice. After dissection, observations showed no macroscopically identifiable damages in any of the organs studied. However, tissue samples from the liver and the kidney were obtained for histological studies at various time intervals following the venom injection. The histological study was carried out using the Bouin solution (fixing bath), followed by dehydration in alcohol. Paraffin-embedded sections were stained using hemalun-easine. Tissues from 6 control mice, which received only an injection of saline solution, were also examined. The common histological alterations observed microscopically in the liver and the kidney were: pycnotic nuclei, necrosis, vacuolization, cytoplasmic destruction, edema, hemorrhage and congestion of blood vessels. Moreover, inflammatory infiltration of lymphocytic cells was observed in the prevascular regions of both organs. The histological changes observed appeared within 1h and intensified with time. These changes were proportional to the dose of the venom injected into the laboratory mice. Our results on what happens in the kidney and liver of mice after injecting the venom of M. bornmuelleri had many similarities with the effect of venom of other vipers (e. g. Daboia palestinea, Bitis ssp, Bothrops moujenis etc…) observed by others authors.