THESIS: N. Nascimento submitted this dissertation for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy publicly examined at the Department of Bioengineering of the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, of the University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil in l995.
Advisor: Professor José Roberto Rogero
ABSTRACT. Irradiation of crotoxin and its subunits with 2,000 Gy of gama-rays from 
Co source leads to aggregation and generation of lower molecular weight breakdown products. Aggregates separated by gel filtration retain at least part of their higher-ordered structure, based on their reactivity with monoclonal antibodies, known to react with conformational epitopes in native crotoxin. Linear epitopes are also preserved, as demonstrated by peptide mapping of the aggregates. These same aggregates can function as antigens to raise antisera which cross-react and neutralize crotoxin. Compared with crotoxin,the aggregates appear to be less myotoxic, largely devoid of phospholipase activity and virtually non-toxic in mice. These results indicate that the irradiation of toxic proteins can promote significant detoxification, but still retain many of the original antigenic and immunological properties of native crotoxin.
CORRESPONDENCE TO:
N. NASCIMENTO - Departamento de Bioengenharia, TBR, Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares - IPEN-CNEN/SP, Travessa R, 400, Cidade Universitária, CEP 05508-900, São Paulo, Brasil.
Publication Dates
-
Publication in this collection
08 Jan 1999 -
Date of issue
1996
