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Vol. 49 No. 1, 2010
Characterization of the Serum Complement Activity of the
BroadSnouted Caiman Caiman
latirostris (Crocodilia: Alligatoridae)
Pablo
A. Siroski1,2,*, Mark Merchant3, María Virginia
Parachú Marcó1,4, Carlos I. Piña1,4, and Hugo H.
Ortega5
1Proyecto
Yacaré. Av. Aristóbulo del Valle 8700, CP 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina
2Secretaría de Medio Ambiente de la Provincia de Santa
Fe, CP 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina
3Department of Chemistry, McNeese State University,
Box 90455, Lake Charles, LA 70609, USA
4Centro de Investigaciones Científicas y Transferencia
de Tecnología a la Producción (CICyTTP-CONICET), CP 3105, Diamante,
Entre Ríos, Argentina
5Departamento de Ciencias Morfológicas, Facultad de
Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, CP 3000, Santa
Fe, Argentina – CONICET
Pablo A. Siroski,
Mark Merchant, María Virginia Parachú Marcó, Carlos I. Piña, and Hugo
H. Ortega (2010) The sheep red blood cell (SRBC) hemolysis
assay was used to detect and characterize complement-system activity of
broad-snouted caiman (Caiman
latirostris) serum. The hemolytic activity of caiman serum
was inhibited by 2 classic inhibitors (EDTA and heat) suggesting the
existence of complement-system activity. In addition, we found
that the capacity of C. latirostris
serum to disrupt SRBCs was concentration, temperature, and kinetics
dependent. Hemolytic activity was detected from a very low
concentration (< 10%) of caiman serum and increased until
100%. Temperature influenced the activity of the serum by
disrupting SRBC membranes. The serum showed a peak of hemolysis
between 30 and 40°C, within which lies the optimal temperature
caimans prefer during thermoregulation for normal physiological
processes. Hemolytic activity rapidly occurred at 2 min, and
maximum activity was detected at 60 min. These observations
reflect previously reported findings in other crocodilian species (Alligator mississippiensis, Crocodylus johnstoni, and Cro. porosus), thus adding to the
knowledge of the role of the complement system in immunological
activities of crocodilians.
Key words: Crocodilians,
Ectothermics, Hemolytic assay, Immunology, Innate immunity.
*Correspondence: Tel/Fax: 54-342-4579256.
E-mail:latirostris@arnet.com.ar
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