Antigenic cross-reactivity and immunogenicity of Bothrops venoms from snakes of the Amazon region

• Published in: Toxicon (Oxford) Vol. 55; no. 4; pp. 881 - 887
• Main Authors: Furtado, Maria de Fátima D., Cardoso, Silvia Travaglia, Soares, Oscar Espellet, Pereira, Aparecida Pietro, Fernandes, Daniel Silva, Tambourgi, Denise Vilarinho, Sant'Anna, Osvaldo Augusto
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Amazonian snakes; Animal poisons toxicology. Antivenoms; Animals; Antibodies, Neutralizing - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Blotting, Western; Bothrops; Bothrops - classification; Bothrops venoms; Cross Reactions; Crotalid Venoms - immunology; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; Female; Immunogenicity; Lachesis muta muta; Lethal Dose 50; Male; Medical sciences; Mice; Native populations; Rats; Rats, Wistar; South America; Toxic activities; Toxicology; South America; America; Amazon Basin; Amazonian snakes; Immunogenicity; Bothrops venoms; Toxic activities; Native populations; Vertebrata; Venom; Cross reaction; Animal origin; Activity; Reptilia; Ophidia
• ISSN: 0041-0101; 1879-3150
• DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2009.12.014

Snakebites are still a critical public health problem in developing countries or isolated areas. In Brazil, the North Region has a high distribution coefficient worsened by the significant number of eventually unreported cases, due to difficulties in access to health services, to the natural geographic barriers and the vast territory. In the Rio Negro area, the species Bothrops atrox, Bothrops brazili, Lachesis muta muta and Bothriopsis taeniata are thought to be the major species responsible for snakebites. The aim of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the antigenic cross-reactivity and expression of toxins and the immunogenicity of Bothrops venom species of the Amazon and to evaluate the general efficacy of the therapeutic sera. The in vivo assays demonstrated that the defibrinating activity of B. taeniata venom was absent but that the lethal and hemorrhagic properties were more intense than in the B. atrox venom. The results evidence venom variability among the two B. atrox populations from two distinct Amazonian regions, which may reveal a subjacent speciation process. The results point to new aspects that may guide the improvement of anti-Bothropic therapeutic serum.