All articles tagged with #snake venom
Scientists have developed a "blood-vessel-on-a-chip" to study how snake venom causes internal bleeding and to aid in the creation of new antivenoms. This 3D model mimics human blood vessels and reveals how different venoms damage them, potentially reducing the need for animal testing and improving snakebite treatments.
Scientists at Scripps Research have developed a synthetic antibody effective against the venom of multiple deadly snake species, raising hope for a universal antivenom. This discovery could revolutionize snakebite treatment, as current antivenoms require separate manufacturing for each type of snake. The antibody, 95Mat5, was found to be effective in neutralizing venom from various elapid snakes in initial testing on mice. With proper funding, researchers aim to develop a "cocktail of antibodies" that could protect against all the world's deadliest snakes, potentially eliminating the need for hundreds of specific antivenoms.
Researchers at Scripps Research have developed an antibody that can block the effects of lethal toxins in the venoms of a wide variety of snakes found throughout Africa, Asia, and Australia, representing a significant step toward creating a universal antivenom. The antibody, called 95Mat5, protected mice from the venom of snakes including black mambas and king cobras, and works by mimicking the structure of the human protein that the toxins usually bind to. This synthetic antibody could potentially work as a universal antivenom against medically relevant snake venoms worldwide, and the researchers are now pursuing broadly neutralizing antibodies against other snake toxins.
Researchers at DTU discovered that an antibody, previously considered a promising antidote to snake venom, unexpectedly enhanced the venom's toxicity in certain testing conditions, shedding light on a phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement of toxicity (ADET). This finding has significant implications for the development of broad-spectrum antivenoms and could potentially expedite the process of creating effective treatments for snakebites, which claim the lives of over 100,000 people annually. The study, published in Nature Communications, marks the first observation of ADET in connection with animal venoms and underscores the complexity of antibody behavior in combating toxins.
Researchers have discovered that an antibody, previously considered a promising antidote to snake venom, can actually enhance the venom's potency under certain conditions, leading to the death of mice in experiments. This phenomenon, known as antibody-dependent enhancement of toxicity (ADET), has not been observed before in connection with animal toxins. The findings could have significant implications for the development of antivenom and highlight the need for thorough testing of antibodies to ensure their effectiveness in neutralizing dangerous snake venoms.