PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION ABOUT THE ANTI-COMPLEMENT PROPERTIES OF PARTIALLY SEPARATED Vipera ammodytes VENOM

S. STANILOVA(1), Z. ZHELEV(1), I. MATEV(2)

1 Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Medical Faculty, Armeiska 11 Street, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, 2 Department of Biology, Zootechnic Faculty, Thracian University of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.

ABSTRACT. The present study demonstrates that Vipera ammodytes venom is a potent inhibitor of human complement activation. Crude venom was fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography and each fraction was then tested for proteolytic, hemolytic and anti-complement activities. Three peaks decreased the hemolytic activity of human serum  when measured using assays for the classical and alternative pathways of activation. One of the anti-complement peaks contains a protease capable of cleaving the C3 component of complement.

KEY WORDS: Anti-complement, venom, Vipera ammodytes.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

ZHIVKO ZHELEV - Department of Molecular Biology and Immunology, Medical Faculty, Thracian University, Armeiska 11 Street, 6000 Stara Zagora, Bulgaria.