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The therapeutic use of specific antibodies is invaluable in certain clinical conditions, such as administration of specific antivenom for snakebite envenomation. The production of antibodies and their purification from mammalian blood has been found low yielding and laborious. Most antivenom is polyvalent whole serum or partially purified immunoglobulin. The side effects of anti-snake-venom therapy...
In order to study the liver glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity toward aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) epoxide in mastomys in comparison with other rodents, we performed in vitro studies of the cytosolic GST activity toward AFB1-epoxide using mastomys, rat, mouse and hamster liver. Also AFB1 metabolism by liver microsomes including formation of AFB1–DNA adducts was studied. Cytosolic GST activity toward...
Symptoms of envenomation by the New-Guinean small-eyed snake Micropechis ikaheka (Elapidae) include peripheral neurotoxicity and myotoxicity. We have now purified to homogeneity a long-chain neurotoxin, mikatoxin, from M. ikaheka venom by successive gel filtration and reverse-phase chromatography. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry showed mikatoxin to be a homogenous peptide of MW 7775.6. Mikatoxin...
A phospholipase A2 purified from the venom of Naja kaouthia (Guangxi cobra) exhibits anticoagulant activities. The structures of two crystal forms were determined by X-ray crystallography at 2.8Å resolution with the Naja naja (India cobra) PLA2 as an initial model. The enzyme exhibits a trimer structure, which is similar to that of India cobra PLA2. This reinforces the physiological relevance of the...
Two phospholipase A2 (PLA2) genes classified into group IA were cloned from the genomic library of the sea snake Laticauda semifasciata. Eight clones were obtained by PCR cloning procedure from genomic DNA of Laticauda laticaudata (four clones) and Laticauda colubrina (four clones). The genes were 3.6–4.4kbp in length. Intron and exon organization of the group IA PLA2 genes was the same as that of...
A reusable immunoaffinity column for purification of microcystins in lake water was prepared by coupling anti-microcystin-LR monoclonal antibodies to immunoaffinity support. Thanks to spherical shape of the immunoaffinity support Formyl-Cellulofine® used in this study, applied solutions passed the column smoothly even when used repeatedly. Reusability of the column was examined by determining the...
A histologic and ultrastructural study of the alterations found in the lymph nodes and livers of nine sheep with experimental cholangiohepatopathy by grazing on Brachiaria decumbens has been performed. Sheep were euthanized in three groups, on the 77th, 89th, and 150th days of the experimental feeding. The main gross lesions were whitish spots of multifocal distribution scattered throughout the hepatic...
The effect of gossypol, a compound found in cottonseed, on intracellular free Ca2+ levels ([Ca2+]i) in Chang liver cells were evaluated using fura-2 as a fluorescent Ca2+ indicator. Gossypol (0.2–5μM) increased [Ca2+]i in a concentration-dependent manner with an EC50 value of 1.5μM. The [Ca2+]i response was composed of an initial rise and a slow decay to a sustained phase within 5min after drug application...
The tick, Ornithodoros savignyi has been implicated in inducing paralysis and tampan toxicosis. In this study, a basic toxin (TSGP4) was identified and the presence of an acidic toxin (TSGP2) was confirmed. Both basic and acidic toxins were more lethal than previously described, with TSGP4 (34μg) and TSGP2 (24μg) causing mortality of adult mice within 30min. Pathological effects on the cardiac system,...
Arenosclerins A–C and haliclonacyclamine E, new tetracyclic alkylpiperidine alkaloids isolated from the marine sponge Arenosclera brasiliensis, were subjected to antimicrobial and cytotoxic bioassays. Fourteen samples of microorganisms were used: Candida albicans, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and 12 antibiotic-resistant bacteria isolated from hospital environment. The minimum inhibitory...
We studied the variation in toxin profiles of purified extracts of 10 individual specimens and two pools of ciguateric Caranx latus. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS) identified in all individual samples at least seven Caribbean ciguatoxins (C-CTXs) comprising C-CTX-1 and its epimer C-CTX-2 ([M+H]+m/z 1141.58), and five new C-CTX congeners with pseudo-molecular ions...
Domoic acid (DA) is a potent food web transferred algal toxin that has caused dramatic mortality events involving sea birds and sea lions. Although no confirmed DA toxicity events have been reported in whales, here we present data demonstrating that humpback and blue whales are exposed to the toxin and consume DA contaminated prey. Whale fecal samples were found to contain DA at levels ranging from...
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