RESUMEN
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.
Asunto(s)
Anticuerpos Monoclonales/farmacología , Antivenenos/farmacología , Bothrops , Venenos de Crotálidos/antagonistas & inhibidores , Sulfato de Amonio/metabolismo , Animales , Anticuerpos Monoclonales/inmunología , Antivenenos/inmunología , Coagulación Sanguínea/efectos de los fármacos , Caprilatos/metabolismo , Venenos de Crotálidos/inmunología , Venenos de Crotálidos/toxicidad , Electroforesis en Gel de Poliacrilamida , Ratones , Pruebas de NeutralizaciónRESUMEN
Low molecular weight hemorrhagins were purified from crude Bothrops atrox snake venom by gel filtration followed by ionic strength chromatography. The protein fractions obtained, designated HI-1 to HI-8, contained proteins with molecular masses lower than 30 kDa. HI-5, the most representative among of these fractions, exhibited, in vitro, proteolytic and C inactivating properties, as analyzed by proteolysis of a protein substrate, and C system consumptive activities as assayed by reduction of the hemolytic C activity in normal human serum and by cleavage of partially purified component C3. HI-5 hemorrhagin injected i.m. into C-sufficient BALB/c mice induced a local inflammation characterized by edema, accumulation of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMN) and hemorrhage. In contrast, when injected into BALB/c mice previously C-depleted, the number of PMN per tissue section, but not hemorrhage, was significantly reduced (129.668 +/- 31.341 cells per microscopic field) as compared with the control C-sufficient mice (812.168 +/- 111.194 cells per microscopic field). The observations were confirmed by using C5-deficient mice instead of C-depleted mice. The average number of PMN per tissue section in C5-defficient A/J mice was 72.666 +/- 19.416 cells per microscopic field. These data indicate that the C system is involved in PMN accumulation, but not in the hemorrhage, at the local induced lesions by low molecular mass B. atrox hemorrhagins. HI-5 apparently is not contaminated with other direct or indirect inflammation mediators, PMN accumulation and hemorrhage, however, an independent phenomenon, could be mediated by the same hemorrhagin proteinase domain.
Asunto(s)
Bothrops , Proteínas del Sistema Complemento/fisiología , Venenos de Crotálidos/enzimología , Inflamación/inducido químicamente , Metaloendopeptidasas/toxicidad , Neutrófilos/metabolismo , Animales , Complemento C5/inmunología , Ensayo de Actividad Hemolítica de Complemento , Proteínas del Sistema Complemento/deficiencia , Venenos de Crotálidos/toxicidad , Edema/inducido químicamente , Hemorragia/inducido químicamente , Humanos , Inflamación/patología , Inyecciones Intramusculares , Metaloendopeptidasas/aislamiento & purificación , Ratones , Ratones Endogámicos A , Ratones Endogámicos BALB C , Peso Molecular , Músculo Esquelético/patología , Neutrófilos/efectos de los fármacos , Neutrófilos/patología , Suero/metabolismo , Especificidad de la EspecieRESUMEN
Phospholipases A(2) (PLA(2)s), of molecular mass 13-15kDa, are commonly isolated from snake venom. Two myotoxins with PLA(2) activity, BaPLA(2)I and BaPLA(2)III, with estimated molecular masses of 15kDa were isolated from the venom of Bothrops atrox using Sephacryl S-100-HR and reverse-phase chromatography. BaPLA(2)I was basic, with a pI of 9.1, while BaPLA(2)III was neutral with a pI of 6.9. On a molecular basis, BaPLA(2)III exhibited higher catalytic activity on synthetic substrates than BaPLA(2)I. Comparison of the N-terminal residues of BaPLA(2)I with other PLA(2) proteins from snake venoms showed that it has the highest homology (94%) with B. asper myotoxin II and homology with a PLA(2) Lys(49) from B. atrox (89%). In contrast, BaPLA(2)III demonstrated 75, 72, and 71% homology with PLA(2) from Vipera ammodytes meridionalis, B. jararacussu, and B. jararaca, respectively. BaPLA(2)I and BaPLA(2)III were capable, in vitro, of inducing mast cell degranulation and, in vivo, of causing creatine kinase release, edema, and myonecrosis typical of PLA(2)s from snake venoms, characterized by rapid disruption of the plasma membrane as indicated by clumping of myofilaments and necrosis of affected skeletal muscle cells. BaPLA(2)I- and BaPLA(2)III-specific monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, although incapable of neutralizing PLA(2) edematogenic activity, blocked myonecrosis efficiently in an in vivo neutralization assay. The results presented herein suggest that the biological active site responsible for edema induction by these two PLA(2) enzymes is distinct from the myonecrosis active site and is not dependent upon the catalytic activity of the PLA(2) enzyme.