Abstract
Pretreatment of isolated spleen strips of the cat with a supramaximal concentration of crude Latrodectus mactans venom (VLm) induced a supersensitivity to noradrenaline of similar magnitude to that produced by cocaine or surgical denervation. This effect persisted for 4 hr after washout of the venom. Reserpine pretreatment failed to modify this phenomenon. Cocaine significantly potentiated the response to noradrenaline in control reserpinized strips but failed to do so in spleen strips previously treated with the venom. Dose-response curves to methoxamine were not altered by VLm pretreatment. It is concluded that VLm-induced supersensitivity is the result of an irreversible impairment of the presynaptic neuronal uptake of amines. This effect appears to be due to an acute in vitro degeneration of adrenergic nerve terminals.
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