BIOCHEMICAL-ANALYSIS OF DEGENERATION AND REGENERATION IN RAT SOLEUS MUSCLE INDUCED BY VENOM FROM 3 SUBSPECIES OF DABOIA-RUSSELLI

To develop a clearer understanding of the biochemical mechanism of mus cle degeneration and regeneration induced by a single dose of D. r. pu lchella, D. r. russelli or D. r. siamensis venoms, we have correlated changes in the levels of a series of muscle structural proteins and pr oteolytic enzymes; the sequence of changes were broadly similar, altho ugh some differences were notes in relative myotoxicity and regenerati on efficiency. The data suggest that activation of cathepsins B, L and D, and leucyl aminopeptidase may be of particular importance in the e arly stages of structural protein degradation, and are thus potential therapeutic targets to prevent myonecrosis following envenomation.