A protective immune response against lethal, dermonecrotic and hemorrhagic effects of Loxosceles intermedia venom elicited by a 27-residue peptide

作者：Dias Lopes C; Guimaraes G; Felicori L; Fernandes P; Emery L; Kalapothakis E; Nguyen C; Molina F; Granier C; Chavez Olortegui C^*

来源：Toxicon, 2010, 55(2-3): 481-487.

DOI：10.1016/j.toxicon.2009.09.019

• Loxosceles intermedia spider
• Epitope
• Synthetic peptide
• In vivo protection

Antibodies raised against recombinant Loxosceles intermedia dermonecrotic protein isoform 1 (rLiD1) display neutralizing capacity for the L intermedia whole venom. We previously found that an immunodominant continuous B-cell epitope, recognized by these antibodies corresponds to a region of the protein known to be involved in the active site. In this study, we extend previous work by preparing a 27-residue synthetic replica of this epitope ((25)NLGANSIETDVSFDDNANPEYTYHGIP(51)) and using it as an immunogen in mice and rabbits. The immunization process induced antibodies that protected mice from a lethal dose of L intermedia crude venom and rabbits against the dermonecrotic effects of rLiD1. An Ala scan of the epitope indicated that 4 residues, E44, Y45, T46 and Y47, are essential (over 70% decrease in binding upon replacement with alanine) for antibody recognition. The possible mechanisms of neutralization are discussed in light of these findings.

• 出版日期2010-3