Immunogenicity of B. alternatus venom in horses and laying hens.

FARACE M.; LEIVA C.; CHACANA P.; FERNANDEZ MIYAKAWA, M.

Congreso; Reunión Conjunta 2016 entre la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC), la Sociedad Argentina de Inmunología (SAI) y la Sociedad Argentina de Farmacología Experimental (SAFE); 2016

Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Clínica (SAIC)

Bothrops alternatus 􀀊yarará􀀋 venom contains over 􀀓􀀒􀀒 proteinsof varying toxicity and sna􀁍e bites are usually treated by the administrationof antivenoms. These antisera are mainly produced fromhorses or sheep and, in the last years, also egg yol􀁍 antibodies􀀊􀀫g􀀻􀀋 have been explored as an alternative due to its advantagesregarding animal 􀁙elfare and lo􀁙er costs of production. Althoughthis therapy is being used for more than 􀀓􀀒􀀒 years, no relevantinnovations have been made to optimize the quality of the antivenomsregarding their efficacy and safety. 􀀫n fact, current immuni zationprotocols are carried out by using 􀁙hole venoms and do notconsider differences in the immunogenicity of the components.Several studies revealed that most toxic venom componentsare not necessarily the most immunogenic, particularly thoseof lo􀁙􀀏molecular 􀁙eight. The aim of this 􀁙or􀁍 􀁙as to comparethe neutralizing activity and differential recognition of the venomproteins of antisera obtained from horses and hens. 􀀫n order todetermine differences in the efficacy bet􀁙een 􀀫g􀀩 and 􀀫g􀀻􀀏basedantivenoms, in vitro neutralization of proteolytic, procoagulant andindirect haemolytic activity of B. alternatus venom 􀁙as assayed. 􀀫nall cases, horse antivenom sho􀁙ed higher neutralizing activity than􀀫g􀀻. 􀀹estern blot analysis 􀁙as done to assess if decreased neutralizingactivity of 􀀫g􀀻􀀏antivenom 􀁙as due to differential immuneresponse of hens and horses to the components of the venom.Although most of the proteins 􀁙ere recognized by both antisera,some toxins from the venom 􀁙ere differentially detected by either􀀫g􀀻 or horse 􀀫g􀀩. Further identification of these proteins 􀁙ould allo􀁙 optimizing the production of 􀀫g􀀻 or 􀀫g􀀩􀀏based antivenoms byusing a rational mixture of antigens to immunize the animals. 􀀫nthis 􀁙ay, use of venom fractions or proteins as immunogens couldimprove antibody therapy by producing more protective antisera􀁙ith less adverse effects.