Title
Engineered protein containing crotoxin epitopes induces neutralizing antibodies in immunized rabbits
Date Issued
01 March 2020
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Molina Molina D.A.
Guerra-Duarte C.
Costal-Oliveira F.
Almeida Rocha E.
Rego Rodrigues C.
Machado-de-Ávila R.A.
Soccol V.T.
Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia
Publisher(s)
Elsevier Ltd
Abstract
Crotoxin (Ctx) is the main lethal component of Crotalus durissus terrificus venom. It is a neurotoxin, composed of two subunits associated by noncovalent interactions, the non-toxic acid subunit (CA), named Crotapotin, and the basic subunit (CB), with phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity. Employing the SPOT synthesis technique, we determined two epitopes located in the C-terminal of each Ctx subunit. In addition, 3 other epitopes were mapped in different regions of Ctx using subcutaneous spot implants surgically inserted in mice. All epitopes mapped here were expressed together as recombinant multi-epitopic protein (rMEPCtx), which was used to immunize New Zealand rabbits. Anti-rMEPCtx rabbit serum cross-reacted with Ctx and crude venoms from C. d. terrificus, Crotalus durissus ruruima, Peruvian C. durissus and Bothrops jararaca (with lower intensity). Furthermore, anti-rMEPCtx serum was able to neutralize Ctx lethal activity. As the recombinant multiepitopic protein is not toxic, it can be administered in larger doses without causing adverse effects on the immunized animals health. Therefore, our work evidences the identification of neutralizing epitopes of Ctx and support the use of recombinant multiepitopic proteins as an innovation to immunotherapeutics production.
Start page
144
End page
153
Volume
119
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Inmunología
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85078679833
PubMed ID
Source
Molecular Immunology
ISSN of the container
01615890
Sponsor(s)
Funding text This research was supported by the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico, Brazil (CNPq) (Process: 406163/2018-9 ), Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, Brazil - CAPES (Program COFECUB Process: 88881.191812/2018-01 ) and by Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais, Brazil (FAPEMIG) .
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus