Neurological and inflammatory disorders produced by Crotalus durissus terríficus venom in a murine model.

CANGELOSI ADRIANA; PINTO ALIPIO; MARICONDA V.L.; GOLDSTEIN JORGE; BRERO M.L.; CENTRO NACIONAL DE CONTROL DE CALIDAD DE BIOLOGICOS ; ADMINISTRACION NACIONAL DE LABORATORIOS E INSTITUTOS DE SALUD "DR. CARLOS G. MALBRAN" ; DIRECCION NACIONAL DE INSTITUTO DE INVESTIGACION

Mar del Plata

Congreso; LXI Reunión Científica Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC); 2016

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC)

Neurological and inflammatory disorders produced by Crotalus durissus terríficus venom in a murine model. The ofidic species Crotalus durissus terrificus (Cdt), popularly known as rattlesnake, is distributed in northern and central areas of Argentina, and is responsible for almost 3% of all snakebites in this country. These incidents may lead to physical and/or psychological sequelae or even death by paralysis of skeletal muscles and cardio-respiratory arrest as a consequence of a neurotoxic venom. As far as we know, CNS dysfunction following Cdt bites has never been studied. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the Cdt venom on mice cortical motor and striatal neurovascular units, and secondly, to determine whether inflammatory mediators are involved. NIH male mice were injected intravenously with vehicle (control) or 1 LD50 (5.66 μg) of Cdt venom. The mice were intracardially perfused 3, 6, 20, 24 or 48 hours after the above mentioned treatments and their brains were subjected to immunofluorescence by using an anti-GFAP antibody to identify reactive astrocytes, or anti-NeuN (Neuronal nuclei marker) antibody to determine early signs of neurodegeneration. Another group of mice were subjected to measure cytokine levels in the brain and in serum by a flow cytometer (BD Accuri C6). The immunofluorescence assay showed that the venom altered the neurovascular unit of the cortex and the striatum, which included a significant reactive astrocytes and neurodegenerative events at 6, 20, 24 y 48 hours after Cdt venom treatment in comparison to controls (p