Citation

Halassy B, Brgles M, Habjanec L, Balija ML, Kurtović T, Marchetti-Deschman M, Krizaj I, Allmaier G. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. C Toxicol. Pharmacol. 2011; 153(2): 223-230.

Affiliation

Research and Development Department, Institute of Immunology, Inc., Rockefellerova 10, HR-10 000 Zagreb, Croatia.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.cbpc.2010.10.007

PMID

20971215

Abstract

Vipera ammodytes is the most venomous European snake, whose venom has been used as antigen for immunization of antivenom-producing animals. Same as venom of any other snake, it is a complex mixture of proteins, peptides and other compounds which biochemical and pharmacological variability has been demonstrated at inter- and intraspecies level. In this work we demonstrated intraspecific variability between 8 venom production batches using both the conventional and the new methodology. Moreover, in contrast to literature on different venoms' variability, for the first time we were able to select those biochemical differences that are related to and give information on the venom's toxicity and immunogenicity. We have shown that methods quantifying ammodytoxin (the most toxic compound identified so far in the Vipera ammodytes ammodytes venom) content of the venom clearly distinguish between high and low immunogenic venoms.

Language: en