Immunity against the venom of Mexican scorpion Centruroides lumpidus limpidus induced by some proteins from this venom.

A protein fraction, which consisted of at least 12 proteins, was obtained from the venom of Mexican scorpion Centruroides limpidus limpidus. The molecular weights of these proteins ranged between 9,800 and 163,000 daltons. This fraction was separated from the rest of the venom components, which were almost all neurotoxins, by chromatographying the venom obtained by electrical stimulation through a Sephadex G-50M column. This fraction was non-toxic for mice, even at dose of 200 micrograms/mouse. The most important is that it was able to induce immunity against C. l. limpidus venom, since 92.8% of the animals inoculated with three doses survived after the challenge with 39.2 micrograms of venom (2 DL50 for mice of 20 g); on the contrary, 88 min after the challenge, 100% of the control mice had already died. In another experiment, this immunogen was inoculated into mice three times at variable doses. Seven days after the last injection, each mouse was challenged with 19.6 micrograms of venom. In all controls the typical envenomation picture produced by scorpion venom was developed, and death was registered in 19% of the animals. In contrast, 87% of mice immunized with the highest dose failed to show signs of envenomation or died throughout the observation time. Only two immunized animals (13%) showed mild tachycardia and hyperpnea at 120 min post-challenge. Immunoelectrophoresis and immunodiffusion tests revealed that these proteins induced antibodies against components of the most toxic fraction.