Snake Venomics and Antivenomics of Cape Cobra (Naja nivea) from South Africa: Insights into Venom Toxicity and Cross-Neutralization Activity. 2022

Choo Hock Tan, and Kin Ying Wong, and Li-Kun Huang, and Kae Yi Tan, and Nget Hong Tan, and Wen-Guey Wu
Venom Research and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.

Naja nivea (Cape Cobra) is endemic to southern Africa. Envenoming by N. nivea is neurotoxic, resulting in fatal paralysis. Its venom composition, however, has not been studied in depth, and specific antivenoms against it remain limited in supply. Applying a protein decomplexation approach, this study unveiled the venom proteome of N. nivea from South Africa. The major components in the venom are cytotoxins/cardiotoxins (~75.6% of total venom proteins) and alpha-neurotoxins (~7.4%), which belong to the three-finger toxin family. Intriguingly, phospholipase A2 (PLA2) was undetected-this is a unique venom phenotype increasingly recognized in the African cobras of the Uraeus subgenus. The work further showed that VINS African Polyvalent Antivenom (VAPAV) exhibited cross-reactivity toward the venom and immunorecognized its toxin fractions. In mice, VAPAV was moderately efficacious in cross-neutralizing the venom lethality with a potency of 0.51 mg/mL (amount of venom completely neutralized per milliliter of antivenom). In the challenge-rescue model, VAPAV prevented death in 75% of experimentally envenomed mice, with slow recovery from neurotoxicity up to 24 h. The finding suggests the potential para-specific utility of VAPAV for N. nivea envenoming, although a higher dose or repeated administration of the antivenom may be required to fully reverse the neurotoxic effect of the venom.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D004546 Elapid Venoms Venoms from snakes of the family Elapidae, including cobras, kraits, mambas, coral, tiger, and Australian snakes. The venoms contain polypeptide toxins of various kinds, cytolytic, hemolytic, and neurotoxic factors, but fewer enzymes than viper or crotalid venoms. Many of the toxins have been characterized. Cobra Venoms,Elapidae Venom,Elapidae Venoms,Naja Venoms,Cobra Venom,Elapid Venom,Hydrophid Venom,Hydrophid Venoms,King Cobra Venom,Naja Venom,Ophiophagus hannah Venom,Sea Snake Venom,Sea Snake Venoms,Venom, Cobra,Venom, Elapid,Venom, Elapidae,Venom, Hydrophid,Venom, King Cobra,Venom, Naja,Venom, Ophiophagus hannah,Venom, Sea Snake,Venoms, Cobra,Venoms, Elapid,Venoms, Elapidae,Venoms, Hydrophid,Venoms, Naja,Venoms, Sea Snake
D000073156 Naja A genus of elapid snakes, also known as cobras, that are indigenous to Africa, Central and Southern Asia, and adjacent islands such as Taiwan and the Philippines. Boulengerina,Water Cobra,Cobra, Water,Cobras, Water,Water Cobras
D000818 Animals Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA. Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D000997 Antivenins Antisera used to counteract poisoning by animal VENOMS, especially SNAKE VENOMS. Anti-Venin,Anti-Venom,Antivenin,Antivenom,Anti-Venins,Anti-Venoms,Antivenoms,Anti Venin,Anti Venins,Anti Venom,Anti Venoms
D013019 South Africa A republic in southern Africa, the southernmost part of Africa. It has three capitals: Pretoria (administrative), Cape Town (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial). Officially the Republic of South Africa since 1960, it was called the Union of South Africa 1910-1960. Republic of South Africa,Union of South Africa
D051379 Mice The common name for the genus Mus. Mice, House,Mus,Mus musculus,Mice, Laboratory,Mouse,Mouse, House,Mouse, Laboratory,Mouse, Swiss,Mus domesticus,Mus musculus domesticus,Swiss Mice,House Mice,House Mouse,Laboratory Mice,Laboratory Mouse,Mice, Swiss,Swiss Mouse,domesticus, Mus musculus
D017815 Elapidae A family of extremely venomous snakes which include coral snakes, cobras and sea snakes. They are widely distributed, occurring in the Southern United States, South America, Africa, Southern Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Islands. Like viperids (VIPERIDAE), they have fangs in the front part of the upper jaw which discharge venom that is neurotoxic. Acanthophiinae,Notechis,Pseudonaja,Cobra,Elapid Snakes,Elapids,Cobras,Elapid,Elapid Snake,Snake, Elapid
D020258 Neurotoxicity Syndromes Neurologic disorders caused by exposure to toxic substances through ingestion, injection, cutaneous application, or other method. This includes conditions caused by biologic, chemical, and pharmaceutical agents. Poisoning, Nervous System,Encephalopathy, Toxic,Nervous System Poisoning,Neurotoxic Disorders,Neurotoxin Diseases,Neurotoxin Disorders,Toxic Encephalitis,Encephalitides, Toxic,Encephalitis, Toxic,Encephalopathies, Toxic,Nervous System Poisonings,Neurotoxic Disorder,Neurotoxicity Syndrome,Neurotoxin Disease,Neurotoxin Disorder,Poisonings, Nervous System,Syndrome, Neurotoxicity,Syndromes, Neurotoxicity,Toxic Encephalitides,Toxic Encephalopathies,Toxic Encephalopathy

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