Received: February 11, 2005, Accepted: May 30, 2005, Published online: February 24, 2006.

HEMOLITIC ACTION OF Naja naja atra CARDIOTOXIN ON ERYTHROCYTES FROM DIFFERENT ANIMALS

TROIANO J. C. (2), GOULD E. G. (1) GOULD I. (1)

(1) Fundación de Estudios Biológicos, Gral. Urquiza, Buenos Aires, Argentina; (2) Universidad del Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

ABSTRACT: A comparative study on the sensitivity of erythrocytes from different vertebrate species (avian, mammalian and reptilian) to the hemolytic action caused by cardiotoxin isolated from Naja naja atra venom was carried out. Cardiotoxin was able to induce direct hemolysis in washed erythrocytes from several animals, except for llama. The EC50 values from hemolysis of the most sensitive (cat) and the most resistant (snake) animal varied approximately tenfold. According to the cell behavior, it was possible to characterize four types of behavior: The first was observed in cat, horse and human cells; the second in rat, rabbit and dog erythrocytes; and the third only in llama erythrocytes, which were resistant to cardiotoxin concentrations up to 300 mg/ml. Finally, avian and reptilian erythrocytes were more resistant to cardiotoxin III-induced hemolysis than those of the mammalian species.

KEY WORDS: hemolysis, cobra, venom, erythrocytes, animals.

CORRESPONDENCE TO:

JUAN CARLOS TROIANO, Pringles, 760 3ro 17, Buenos Aires, (1083) Argentina. Email: juancarlostroiano@hotmail.com