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Cross‐Neutralisation of the Neurotoxic Effects of E gyptian Cobra Venom with Commercial Tiger Snake Antivenom
Author(s) -
Kornhauser Rachelle,
Isbister Geoffrey K.,
O'Leary Margaret A.,
Mirtschin Peter,
Dunstan Nathan,
Hodgson Wayne C.
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
basic and clinical pharmacology and toxicology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.805
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1742-7843
pISSN - 1742-7835
DOI - 10.1111/j.1742-7843.2012.00925.x
Subject(s) - antivenom , venom , neutralization , toxicology , cobra , ophidia , pharmacology , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , antibody , immunology , computer science , programming language
Cross‐neutralisation has been demonstrated for haemorrhagic venoms including Echis spp. and C erastes spp. and for Australia elapid procoagulant toxins. A previous study showed that commercial tiger snake antivenom ( TSAV ) was able to neutralise the systemic effects of the E gyptian cobra, N aja haje , in vivo but it is unclear if this was true cross‐neutralisation. The aim of the current study was to determine whether TSAV can neutralise the in vitro neurotoxic effects of N . haje venom. Both N otechis scutatus (10 μg/ml) and N . haje (10 μg/ml) venoms caused inhibition of indirect (supramaximal V, 0.1 Hz, 0.2 msec.) twitches of the chick biventer cervicis nerve–muscle preparation with t 90 values (i.e. the time to produce 90% inhibition of the original twitch height) of 26 ± 1 min. (n = 4 ) and 36 ± 4 min.; (n = 4). This effect at 10 μg/ml was significantly attenuated by the prior addition of TSAV (5 U/ml). A comparison of the reverse‐phase HPLC profiles of both venoms showed some similarities with peak elution times, and SDS ‐ PAGE analysis elucidated comparable bands across both venoms. Further analysis using W estern immunoblotting indicated TSAV was able to detect N . haje venom, and enzyme immunoassay showed that in‐house biotinylated polyclonal monovalent N . scutatus antibodies were able to detect N . haje venom. These findings demonstrate cross‐neutralisation between different and geographically separated snakes supporting potential immunological similarities in snake toxin groups for a large range of snakes. This provides more evidence that antivenoms could be developed against specific toxin groups to cover a large range of snakes.