Purification and Biochemical and Functional Characterization of Fibrinogen of Bothrops and Crotalus Snake Plasma

• Grant number: 12/08829-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2012
• End date: May 31, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Compared Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Anita Mitico Tanaka-Azevedo
• Grantee: Juliana Feitosa
• Host Institution: Instituto Butantan. São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The genus Bothrops (Wagler, 1824) is responsible for about 90% of snakebites reported annually in Brazil, and 50% are caused by the species Bothrops jararaca (Bj) (Wied, 1824) [1]. The second kind of higher incidence of snakebites is the genus Crotalus which corresponds to about 8% of these accidents [1].The Bothrops venom can activate blood clotting factors, leading to the consumption of fibrinogen and, consequently, the formation of fibrin. Thus, one can induce blood incoagulability. In addition, Bothrops venom can still cause acute inflammatory activity and bleeding, by inhibiting platelet aggregation. The venom possesses myotoxic and neurotoxic action [1].Fibrinogen is a protein present in plasma and which acts at the end of the coagulation cascade. It consists of three pairs of polypeptide chains (A±, B² and ³) linked by disulfide bonds. The molecular chains of human fibrinogen A±, B² and ³ are 64, 55 and 47 kDa, respectively. The thrombin converts fibrinogen into fibrin monomers, releasing fibrinopeptides A and B of the A± and B² chains, thus forming insoluble fibrin polymer.This paper aims to purify and characterize the plasma fibrinogênios snakes of Bothrops and Crotalus, studying composition and the possible role of antivenom.