Effect of Crotalus Neutralizing Factor (CNF) ISOLATED FROM PLASMA FROM SNAKE Crotalus durissus terrificus ON THE FUNCTIONALITY OF HUMAN LEUKOCYTESPalavras-chave: Inibidor de PLA2. CNF. Neutrófilos.
Crotalus neutralizing factor (CNF) is a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) inhibitor, isolated from the blood plasma of the South American rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus terrificus. That inhibitor neutralizes both the lethal and enzymatic activity (PLA2) of crotoxin, the major venom neurotoxin from C. d. Terrificus Previous laboratory data (under submission) investigated the effects of CNF on blood mononuclear cell functionality (PBMCs) and human neutrophils. CNF showed no toxicity on PBMCs and human neutrophils. In non-toxic concentration, CNF, in PBMCs, acted by stimulating the TNF-α release, however, did not stimulate IL-10 and IL-2 production and did not affect cell proliferation. In addition, it did not induce superoxide anion release, but inhibited the superoxide anion production when stimulated by crotoxin. In neutrophils, CNF does not induced the release of both MPO and superoxide anion, but induced the production of IL-8. The present project intends to continue with the study focused on the production lipid mediators and endogenous PLA2S activation in both PBMCs and human neutrophils. For this, the cells will be obtained from healthy donors through the density gradient method. And the production of lipid mediators will be evaluated by enzyme immunoassay. Additionally, activation of endogenous PLA2S will be conducted by commercial kits. Since leukocytes play a major role in resolving inflammation, being directly involved in the poisoning processes, and taking CNF as a possible model for developing antidotes for poisoning, knowledge of the function and state of activation of these cells in the CNF validity becomes impo