The measurement of chicken and human antibodies to Clostridium botulinum neurotoxins A, B, and E was accomplished by affinity isolation of complexes containing these antibodies. By this approach, a mixture of toxin with the test antibody, fluoresceinated antibody, and enzyme (Russell's viper venom factor X activator)-labeled antibody is allowed to form a complex in solution phase. This complex ...

We present functional and binding data relevant to the reported roles for prothrombin and beta 2-glycoprotein I (beta 2GPI) in the expression of lupus anticoagulant activity. In a purified system containing human prothrombin, Xa, Va, and a rate-limiting concentration of phosphatidylserine (PS)/phosphatidylcholine (PC) vesicles, the preliminary incubation of vesicles with protein A separated IgG...

BACKGROUND Local hemodynamic factors, particularly low endothelial shear stress (ESS), play a role in the focal formation of atherosclerosis. We used in vivo MRI to investigate the role of the magnitude of ESS on vascular remodeling, plaque burden, and disruption using a rabbit model of controlled atherothrombosis. METHODS AND RESULTS Atherosclerosis was induced in New Zealand white rabbits b...

In this ligand-binding assay procedure, sensitivity is enhanced by successive generation of enzyme active sites via two zymogens from the blood-coagulation cascade: Factor X and prothrombin. A protease fraction from Russell's viper venom (RVV) acts upon Factor X, initiating a two-step cascade that culminates in generation of thrombin, the activity of which is monitored with a chromogenic substr...

BACKGROUND Thrombosis and coagulopathy are the commonest hematological manifestations of envenomation of Russell's viper venom (RVV). Factor X is activated by a factor X-activating enzyme from Russell's viper venom (RVV-X) to start the coagulation cascade. We established an animal model with local ischemic effects induced by RVV. We tried to treat RVV envenomation with antiplatelets and anticoa...

Accidents caused by the sting of Trachinus vipera (known as Lesser weever fish) are relatively common in shallow waters of the Mediterranean. Symptoms after the sting vary from severe pain to edema or even tissue necrosis in some cases. Here we show that purified Lesser weever fish venom induces eryptosis, the suicidal erythrocyte death, and apoptosis of human colon carcinoma cells. The venom l...

Venoms are a rich source of potential lead compounds for drug discovery, and descriptive studies venom form the first phase biodiscovery process. In this study, we investigated pharmacological crude Pseudocerastes Eristicophis snake venoms in haematological disorders cancer treatment. We assessed their antithrombotic using fibrinogen thromboelastography, gels with without protease inhibitors, c...

Hemorrhage is a common occurrence in a victim bitten by crotalid and viperid snakes, and hemorrhagic components in these various venoms have been isolated and characterized. Previously, we have shown that a low molecular weight hemorrhagic protein (HR2a, 202 amino acid residues) isolated from the venom of Trimeresurus flavoviridis is a member of a new subfamily of metalloproteinases. We now rep...

The venom gland of the snake Bitis gabonica (Gaboon viper) was used for the first time to construct a unidirectional cDNA phage library followed by high-throughput sequencing and bioinformatic analysis. Hundreds of cDNAs were obtained and clustered into contigs. We found mostly novel full-length cDNA coding for metalloproteases (P-II and P-III classes), Lys49-phospholipase A2, serine proteases ...

A 7.1 kDa basic peptide (Rusvikunin-II) was purified from a previously described protein complex (Rusvikunin complex, consists of Rusvikunin and Rusvikunin-II) of Daboia russelii russelii venom. The N-terminal sequence of Rusvikunin-II was found to be blocked, but peptide mass fingerprinting analysis indicated its identity as Kunitz-type basic protease inhibitor 2, previously reported from Russ...