Inhibition by CaNa2EDTA of local tissue damage induced by Bothrops asper (terciopelo) venom: Application in horse immunization for antivenom production

Guillermo León, Ricardo Estrada, Fernando Chaves, Gustavo Rojas, Michael Ovadia, José María Gutiérrez*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

22 Scopus citations

Abstract

The ability of the chelating agent CaNa2EDTA to inhibit local tissue damage induced by Bothrops asper venom was studied in mice and in horses used for polyvalent (Crotalinae) antivenom production. CaNa2EDTA was devoid of toxicity when injected i.m. or s.c. inducing only a mild edema. Preincubation of B. asper venom with CaNa2EDTA inhibited hemorrhagic and dermonecrotic activities, but did not reduce edema-forming and myotoxic effects. A group of horses initially immunized with native venoms developed less severe local tissue reactions when injected with booster doses of venom and CaNa2EDTA than when receiving booster injections of venom alone, although they showed a similar antivenom response. Moreover, antivenoms produced from plasmas of horses that received booster injections of either venom alone or venom plus CaNa2EDTA had similar neutralizing activity against lethal, hemorrhagic and coagulant effects induced by B. asper venom. The similar antibody response was corroborated by Western blotting using crude venom and by an ELISA that estimates anti-myotoxin titer. It is concluded that the chelating agent CaNa2EDTA reduces the extent of local tissue damage induced by B. asper venom, without affecting the immune response of horses against pharmacologically-relevant venom components.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)321-331
Number of pages11
JournalToxicon
Volume36
Issue number2
DOIs
StatePublished - 26 Mar 1998

Funding

FundersFunder number
Vicerrectorı́a de Investigación
Universidad de Costa Rica741-89-057
Agence de l’Innovation de DefenseDHR-5544-6-00-1064-00

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