engleski

The quantity of anti-ammodytoxin A IgG in the animal serum might be an indication of its neutralisation potency against the long-nosed viper venom

In the field of snake venom research and antivenom (antiserum against snake venom) production the only method currently available for assessment of neutralising potency of the antisera is the potency assay, an in vivo method performed in mice. Although the method is not in accordance with the current recommendations for animal wellfare, there has not been in vitro alternative yet, and the method is prescribed by European Pharmacopoeia (Ph.Eur. 01/2005:0145) for the control of antivenom potency.The aim of this study was to analyse the panel of venom-specific antisera, isolated from rabbits previously immunised with venom of long-nosed viper (V. ammodytes ammodytes), and to find out whether the neutralising potency of those antisera correlates with two parameters determined by in vitro methods - the quantity of whole venom-specific IgG and the quantity of ammodytoxin A-specific IgG, both determined by respective ELISAs. Ammodytoxin A (AtxA) is one of the most toxic venom components, responsible for the majority of the neurotoxic effects of the long-nosed viper envenomation.Results indicated that the total anti-venom IgG content did not corellate with neutralisation potency. On the contrary, we noticed quite strong correlation between anti-AtxA content and neutralisation potency. Such preliminary finding might open the possibility for a development of a new in vitro method as an alternative to in vivo potency assay.

ammodytoxin A; phospholipase; snake venom; in vitro alternative

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