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    Clin Toxicol (Phila). 2007;45(2):158-63.

    Antigenic cross-reactivity between sixteen venoms from scorpions belonging to six genera.

    D'Suze G, Moncada S, González C, Sevcik C, Alagón A.

    Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Lab. de Neurofarmacología Celular, Caracas, Venezuela. gdsuze@ivic.ve

    Venoms of 15 scorpion species from Venezuela and one from Brazil were compared in their antigenic cross-reactivity with specific F(ab')2 against Tityus discrepans (Td-antibodies), using the method of King and collaborators (1). Our results show that Tityus venoms cross-reactivity (shared epitopes) with the venoms of other species within the genus tended to be less for a greater distance between the habitat of the species. A nonparametric linear regression of free Td-antibody binding to T. discrepans venom immobilized to a solid phase in the presence of other Tityus venoms versus distance showed binding = a + b x log10 (distance) where: median (95% confidence interval) for a = 0.92 (7.43, 9.80) and b = 17.20 (4.15, 22.57) binding/log10(Km); Spearman rS = 0.783 with associated P = 0.006. Our results show that toxins from different Tityus species, targeting mammalian Na+ and K+ channels, are antigenically very similar. Venoms from species from other genera such as Centruroides, Broteas, Diplocentrus, Chactas, and Rhopalurus did not cross-react with Td-antibodies.

    PMID: 17364633 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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