Individual venom variability in the South American rattlesnake Crotalus durissus cumanensis

Abstract

Crotalus durissus cumanensis snake venoms from different Venezuelan regions, showed biochemical and hemostatic variations. Fibrino(geno)lytic, hemorrhagic and procoagulant activities and gel-filtration chromatography and SDSPAGE profiles were analyzed. Differences were observed in fibrinolytic activity: kallikrein-like amidolytic activity was highest in venoms of Santa Teresa, and Margarita. Lagunetica and Carrizales venoms showed the maximum fibrin lysis. The highest hemorrhagic activity was seen in Lagunetica venom. Margarita had the lowest LD50 of 0.18. Lagunetica, Carrizales and Anzoa´ tegui induced a rapid degradation of fibrinogen a chains and slower degradation on b chains, which could possibly due to a higher content of a fibrinogenases in these venoms. This fibrinogenolytic activity is decreased by metalloprotease inhibitors. All venoms, except Carrizales, presented thrombin-like activity. Anzoa´ tegui, Carrizales and Lagunetica, in which fibrinolytic activity was present, showed the largest concentration of high molecular mass components. These results represent a new finding, not previously described, of fibrinolytic activity in South American C. durissus venoms. Santa Teresa and Margarita had fibrinolytic activity, and lack of hemorrhagic activity, representing an important finding in Venezuelan venoms since the description of a fibrinolytic molecule without hemorrhagic activity can have valuable potential in thrombolytic therapy.