Poster 207 - Heparin improves the muscle regeneration after damaged by Bothrops jararacussu venom

Poster 207. Congresso da Sociedade Brasileira de Toxinologia, 8., Symposium of the Pan American Section of the International Society on Toxinology, 8., 2004, Angra dos Reis, Brasil. Abstracts... J. Venom. Anim. Toxins incl.Trop. Dis., 2004, 10, 3, p.566.

HEPARIN IMPROVES THE MUSCLE REGENERATION AFTER DAMAGED BY Bothrops jararacussu VENOM.

1Calil-Elias, S.; 1Tomaz, M.A.; 1Fernandes, F.F.A; 1Sanches, F.V.; 2El-Kik, C.; 2Escaleira, R.C.; 2Costa, M.L.; 2Mermelstein, C. S.; 2Corrêa Junior, J.D.; 2Martinez, A.M.B; 1Melo, P.A.

1 Departamento de Farmacologia Básica e Clínica; 2 Departamento de Histologia e Embriologia, ICB, UFRJ. 21941-560, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.

Objectives: We have previously shown that heparin antagonizes the myotoxic effect of Bothropsjararacussu venom on mice EDL (Extensor digitorum longus) muscle (Calil-Elias, et. al., 2002). In this study we analyzed the effect of treatment with heparin in the muscle regeneration after being damaged by the B.jararacussu venom. Methods and results: The mice were treated, by i.v. route, with heparin (H – 10 mg/Kg), low molecular weight heparin (LMWH – 10 mg/Kg), or specific polyvalent antivenom (PAV – 1 mL/Kg) both 15 and 240 min after B jararacussu venom (1 mg/Kg) perimuscular injection. The animals were killed under anesthesia with ether 21 days after the injection, and EDL muscles were removed by dissection. The regenerated muscles were analyzed by electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), contractility activity (isometric tension) and intracellular calcium distribution by using oxalate-pyroantimonate cytochemistry added to energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis. The electrophoresis showed a decrease in myosin protein content in the animals that received only the venom injection but the treatments were effective in regenerating all the muscle protein. The animals that received only the venom and those that received the treatment with PAV showed an increased tension obtained by electric stimulation, on the other hand the animals that received the treatments with LMWH and H showed a completely recovery of the contractility. The calcium distribution in the control muscle was present mainly on sarcoplasmic reticulum. Although the animals that received only the venom injection presented the precipitates randonmically dispersed on the cytoplasm. The animals that received the treatment with LMWH showed the calcium distribution similar to the control. Conclusions: These data indicated that heparin improves the regeneration of EDL muscle damaged by B. Jararacussu venom.