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Liu CC, Lin CC, Liou MH, Hsiao YC, Chu LJ, Wang PJ, Liu CH, Wang CY, Chen CH, Yu JS. Development of antibody-detection ELISA based on beta-bungarotoxin for evaluation of the neutralization potency of equine plasma against Bungarus multicinctus in Taiwan. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 262:130080. [PMID: 38354918 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.130080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
Animal testing has been the primary approach to assess the neutralization potency of antivenom for decades. However, the necessity to sacrifice large numbers of experimental animals during this process has recently raised substantial welfare concerns. Furthermore, the laborious and expensive nature of animal testing highlights the critical need to develop alternative in vitro assays. Here, we developed an antibody-detection enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique as an alternative approach to evaluate the neutralization potency of hyperimmunized equine plasma against B. multicinctus, a medically important venomous snake in Taiwan. Firstly, five major protein components of B. multicinctus venom, specifically, α-BTX, β-BTX, γ-BTX, MTX, and NTL, were isolated. To rank their relative medical significance, a toxicity score system was utilized. Among the proteins tested, β-BTX presenting the highest score was regarded as the major toxic component. Subsequently, antibody-detection ELISA was established based on the five major proteins and used to evaluate 55 hyperimmunized equine plasma samples with known neutralization potency. ELISA based on β-BTX, the most lethal protein according to the toxicity score, exhibited the best sensitivity (75.6 %) and specificity (100 %) in discriminating between high-potency and low-potency plasma, supporting the hypothesis that highly toxic proteins offer better discriminatory power for potency evaluation. Additionally, a phospholipase A2 (PLA2) competition process was implemented to eliminate the antibodies targeting toxicologically irrelevant domains. This optimization greatly enhanced the performance of our assay, resulting in sensitivity of 97.6 % and specificity of 92.9 %. The newly developed antibody-detection ELISA presents a promising alternative to in vivo assays to determine the neutralization potency of antisera against B. multicinctus during the process of antivenom production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Chun Liu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chuan Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Han Liou
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chin Hsiao
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Lichieh Julie Chu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Liver Research Center, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Po-Jung Wang
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Hsin Liu
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei 11561, Taiwan
| | - Cyong-Yi Wang
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei 11561, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Hung Chen
- Center for Diagnostics and Vaccine Development, Centers for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taipei 11561, Taiwan
| | - Jau-Song Yu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Research Center for Food and Cosmetic Safety, College of Human Ecology, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan..
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Knudsen C, Belfakir SB, Degnegaard P, Jürgensen JA, Haack AM, Friis RUW, Dam SH, Laustsen AH, Ross GMS. Multiplex lateral flow assay development for snake venom detection in biological matrices. Sci Rep 2024; 14:2567. [PMID: 38296989 PMCID: PMC10831076 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-51971-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Bothrops and Lachesis are two of Brazil's medically most relevant snake genera, causing tens of thousands of bites annually. Fortunately, Brazil has good accessibility to high-quality antivenoms at the genus and inter-genus level, enabling the treatment of many of these envenomings. However, the optimal use of these treatments requires that the snake species responsible for the bite is determined. Currently, physicians use a syndromic approach to diagnose snakebite, which can be difficult for medical personnel with limited training in clinical snakebite management. In this work, we have developed a novel monoclonal antibody-based multiplex lateral flow assay for differentiating Bothrops and Lachesis venoms within 15 min. The test can be read by the naked eye or (semi)-quantitatively by a smartphone supported by a 3D-printed attachment for controlling lighting conditions. The LFA can detect Bothrops and Lachesis venoms in spiked plasma and urine matrices at concentrations spanning six orders of magnitude. The LFA has detection limits of 10-50 ng/mL in spiked plasma and urine, and 50-500 ng/mL in spiked sera, for B. atrox and L. muta venoms. This test could potentially support medical personnel in correctly diagnosing snakebite envenomings at the point-of-care in Brazil, which may help improve patient outcomes and save lives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Knudsen
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | - Selma B Belfakir
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | | | - Jonas A Jürgensen
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Aleksander M Haack
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rasmus U W Friis
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Søren H Dam
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Andreas H Laustsen
- VenomAid Diagnostics, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, 2800, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
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Knudsen C, Jürgensen JA, D Knudsen P, Oganesyan I, Harrison JA, Dam SH, Haack AM, Friis RUW, Vitved L, Belfakir SB, Ross GMS, Zenobi R, H Laustsen A. Prototyping of a lateral flow assay based on monoclonal antibodies for detection of Bothrops venoms. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1272:341306. [PMID: 37355315 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Brazil is home to a multitude of venomous snakes; perhaps the most medically relevant of which belong to the Bothrops genus. Bothrops spp. are responsible for roughly 70% of all snakebites in Brazil, and envenomings caused by their bites can be treated with three types of antivenom: bothropic antivenom, bothro-lachetic antivenom, and bothro-crotalic antivenom. The choice to administer antivenom depends on the severity of the envenoming, while the choice of antivenom depends on availability and on how certain the treating physician is that the patient was bitten by a bothropic snake. The diagnosis of a bothropic envenoming can be made based on expert identification of the dead snake or a photo thereof or based on a syndromic approach wherein the clinician examines the patient for characteristic manifestations of envenoming. This approach can be very effective but requires staff that has been trained in clinical snakebite management, which, unfortunately, far from all relevant staff has. RESULTS In this article, we describe a prototype of the first lateral flow assay (LFA) capable of detecting venoms from Brazilian Bothrops spp. The monoclonal antibodies for the assay were generated using hybridoma technology and screened in sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) to identify Bothrops spp.-specific antibody sandwich pairs. The prototype LFA is able to detect venom from several Bothrops spp. The LFA has a limit of detection (LoD) of 9.5 ng/mL in urine, when read with a commercial reader, and a visual LoD of approximately 25 ng/mL. SIGNIFICANCE The work presented here serves as a proof of concept for a genus-specific venom detection kit that could support physicians in diagnosing Bothrops envenomings. Although further optimisation and testing is needed before the LFA can find clinical use, such a device could aid in decentralising antivenoms in the Brazilian Amazon and help ensure optimal snakebite management for even more victims of this highly neglected disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Knudsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; BioPorto Diagnostics A/S, Hellerup, Denmark; VenomAid Diagnostics ApS, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
| | | | | | - Irina Oganesyan
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Julian A Harrison
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Søren H Dam
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; VenomAid Diagnostics ApS, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Aleksander M Haack
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; VenomAid Diagnostics ApS, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Rasmus U W Friis
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; VenomAid Diagnostics ApS, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Lars Vitved
- Cancer and Inflammation, Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Southern, Denmark
| | - Selma B Belfakir
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; VenomAid Diagnostics ApS, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Renato Zenobi
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Andreas H Laustsen
- Department of Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Technical University of Denmark, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark; VenomAid Diagnostics ApS, Kongens Lyngby, Denmark.
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Liu CC, Chou YS, Wu CJ, Hsieh CH, Hsiao YC, Chu LJ, Ouyang CH, Lin CC, Liaw GW, Chen CK. Detection of cytotoxins by sandwich-ELISA for discrimination of cobra envenomation and indication of necrotic severity. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 242:124969. [PMID: 37210050 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.124969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
Snake envenoming is both a healthcare and socioeconomic problem for developing countries and underserved communities. In Taiwan, clinical management of Naja atra envenomation is a major challenge, since cobra venom-induced symptoms are usually confused with hemorrhagic snakebites and current antivenom treatments do not effectively prevent venom-induced necrosis for which early surgical debridement should be administered. Identification and validation of biomarkers of cobra envenomation is critical for progress in setting a realistic goal for snakebite management in Taiwan. Previously, cytotoxin (CTX) was determined as one of potential biomarker candidates; however, its ability to discriminate cobra envenoming remains to be verified, especially in clinical practice. In this study, we selected a monoclonal single-chain variable fragment (scFv) and a polyclonal antibody to develop a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for CTX detection, which successfully recognized CTX from N. atra venom over that from other snake species. Using this specific assay, the CTX concentration in envenoming mice was shown to remain consistent in about 150 ng/mL during the 2-hour post-injection period. The measured concentration was highly correlated with the size of local necrosis in mouse dorsal skin, which the correlation coefficient is about 0.988. Furthermore, our ELISA method displayed 100 % of specificity and sensitivity in discriminating cobra envenoming among snakebite victims through CTX detection and the level of CTX in victim plasma was ranged from 5.8 to 253.9 ng/mL. Additionally, patients developed tissue necrosis at plasma CTX concentrations higher than 150 ng/mL. Thus, CTX not only serves as a verified biomarker for discrimination of cobra envenoming but also a potential indicator of severity of local necrosis. In this context, detection of CTX may facilitate reliable identification of envenoming species and improve snakebite management in Taiwan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chien-Chun Liu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Shao Chou
- Department of Emergency Medicine, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City 23741, Taiwan
| | - Cho-Ju Wu
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Hsien Hsieh
- Department of Emergency Medicine, En Chu Kong Hospital, New Taipei City 23741, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei 11042, Taiwan
| | - Yung-Chin Hsiao
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Lichieh Julie Chu
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan; Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Hsiang Ouyang
- Department of Trauma and Emergency Surgery, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chuan Lin
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan
| | - Geng-Wang Liaw
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Yeezen General Hospital, Taoyuan 32645, Taiwan.
| | - Chun-Kuei Chen
- Department of Emergency Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 33305, Taiwan; College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan.
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