Graudins A, Padula M, Broady K, Nicholson G M
Department of Health Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney, Australia. Graudins.uts.edu.au
Ann Emerg Med. 2001 Feb;37(2):154-60. doi: 10.1067/mem.2001.113033.
Widow spiders of the genus Latrodectus are found worldwide and produce similar clinical envenomation syndromes. In Australia, red-back spider antivenom (RBS-AV) is effective therapy for Latrodectus hasselti envenomation and it has been reported to reverse envenomation by other widow spiders. This study assessed the efficacy of RBS-AV in preventing in vitro and in vivo toxicity of widow spider venoms of North America and Europe.
The binding of RBS-AV to alpha-latrotoxin and Latrodectus venoms (Latrodectus spp mactans, hesperus, lugubris, tredecimguttatus, hasselti) was assayed using Western blotting. Prevention of in vitro toxicity to alpha-latrotoxin and the same venoms was tested by pretreating an isolated chick biventer cervicis nerve-muscle preparation with RBS-AV. Prevention of in vivo toxicity was determined by a lethality study in male Balb/c mice (2.5 to 5x median lethal dose [LD50]) or alpha-latrotoxin (10x LD50) preincubated with antivenom or without RBS-AV (control).
In Western blots, RBS-AV bound to alpha-latrotoxin and similar widow spider proteins in all venoms tested, indicating antigenic similarity with proteins found in RBS venom. Antivenom prevented the typical in vitro muscle contracture and loss of twitch tension seen with alpha-latrotoxin and the venoms tested. Control mice rapidly developed signs of envenomation, but mice treated with RBS-AV remained free of signs of envenomation.
RBS-AV prevented both in vitro and in vivo toxicity from Latrodectus venoms and alpha-latrotoxin in mice. These data suggest that RBS-AV may be clinically effective in the treatment of envenomation resulting from the bite of other widow spiders.
寇蛛属的寡妇蜘蛛遍布全球，会引发相似的临床中毒综合征。在澳大利亚，红背蜘蛛抗蛇毒血清（RBS - AV）是治疗澳洲寇蛛中毒的有效疗法，且有报道称其能逆转其他寡妇蜘蛛所致的中毒。本研究评估了RBS - AV预防北美和欧洲寡妇蜘蛛毒液体外及体内毒性的效果。
采用蛋白质印迹法检测RBS - AV与α - 拉毒素及寡妇蜘蛛毒液（剧毒寇蛛、西方寇蛛、黑寡妇寇蛛、红斑寇蛛、澳洲寇蛛）的结合情况。通过用RBS - AV预处理分离的鸡颈二腹肌神经 - 肌肉标本，测试其对α - 拉毒素及相同毒液体外毒性的预防作用。通过对雄性Balb/c小鼠进行致死性研究（2.5至5倍半数致死剂量[LD50]）或对与抗蛇毒血清预孵育或未用RBS - AV预孵育（对照）的α - 拉毒素（10倍LD50）进行致死性研究，确定其对体内毒性的预防作用。
在蛋白质印迹分析中，RBS - AV与所测试所有毒液中的α - 拉毒素及相似的寡妇蜘蛛蛋白结合，表明与RBS毒液中的蛋白具有抗原相似性。抗蛇毒血清预防了α - 拉毒素及所测试毒液引起的典型体外肌肉挛缩和抽搐张力丧失。对照小鼠迅速出现中毒迹象，但用RBS - AV治疗的小鼠未出现中毒迹象。
RBS - AV预防了小鼠体内外由寡妇蜘蛛毒液和α - 拉毒素所致的毒性。这些数据表明，RBS - AV在治疗其他寡妇蜘蛛咬伤所致中毒方面可能具有临床疗效。
