Hilda Vázquez

• PhD Science
• PostDoc Position at National Autonomous University of Mexico

Small single-chain variable fragments (scFv) are promising biomolecules to inhibit and neutralize toxins and to act as antivenoms. In this work, we aimed to produce a functional scFv-6009FV in the yeast Pichia pastoris, which inhibits the pure Cn2 neurotoxin and the whole venom of Centruroides noxius. We were able to achieve yields of up to 31.6 ±...

A key aspect during the development of antivenoms is the evaluation of the efficiency and security of the therapeutic molecules. In this work, we report the pharmacokinetic analysis of a neutralizing single chain antibody fragment named LR (scFv LR) where three sheep were used as a large animal model. The animals were injected through i.v. route wi...

Birds of prey are vulnerable to envenomation from animals in their natural environment, including scorpions and pit vipers. Severity of clinical effects varies depending on envenomating species, dose of venom injected, and anatomic site of venom inoculation. Fatality from envenomation has been reported, but use of antivenom in birds of prey is rare...

In the present work, venoms from five species of the genus Agkistrodon were evaluated in terms of their enzymatic (Phospholipase A2 and caseinolytic) and biological (edema forming, hemorrhagic, procoagulant and lethal) effects. Horses were used to produce monovalent hyperimmune sera against each of three venoms (A. bilineatus, A. contortrix and A....

This paper presents the first study of chicken IgY pharmacokinetics (PK) in rabbits. We measured IgY blood serum concentrations using a specific high sensitivity ELISA method. The fast initial component observed when studying horse Fab, F(ab')2 or IgG was absent from IgY PK. During the first 80 min of observation there was only a single slow expone...

We separated whole IgG, Fab and F(ab')2 fragments from horse plasma. We previously studied the pharmacokinetics of these immunoglobulins and fragments in rabbits and shown that Fab and F(ab')2 pharmacokinetics was well described by a three-exponential kinetics, while IgG and IgG(T) pharmacokinetics, however, deviated from the three-exponetial kinet...

We describe the sub cellular localization of horse F(ab')(2) and IgG, and ostrich IgY labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) administered IV to mice. We used wide field high sensitivity fluorescence microscopy deblurred by 3-dimensional blind deconvolution of kidney, liver, lungs and brain sections. Sections were obtained from mice sacrific...

We used high sensitivity and resolution fluorescence microscopy to study the interaction of ostrich IgY, horse F(ab')(2) and horse IgG with mice lymphocyte and erythrocyte plasma membrane. The immunoglobulins were labeled with fluorescein isotiocyanate (FITC). Our results show an interaction of IgY with lymphocyte plasma membrane which does not res...

This paper presents the first study of F(ab')(2) scorpion antivenom pharmacokinetics in humans after intramuscular (im) administration. The specific anti-Centruroides scorpion antivenom was used in 6 human healthy volunteers. The fabotherapeutic was administered as a 47.5mg im bolus. Blood samples were drawn at 0, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60 , 90, 120, and 1...

We describe the separation of whole IgG, IgG(T)-less IgG (called here merely IgG) and IgG(T) and the production of Fab and F(ab')(2) fragments. We studied the pharmacokinetics of these immunoglobulins and fragments in rabbits. Both, the isotypes and the whole IgG fragments were purified and/or produced from the same plasma lot from horses hyper imm...

Envenomation by Centruroides sculpturatus can cause systemic signs and symptoms requiring treatment. The toxicokinetics of C. sculpturatus venom has not been described. Venom components were separated for cross-reactivity testing. Serum and urine collected from three patients envenomated by C. sculpturatus had venom levels determined by sandwich en...

We report the cloning of sphingomyelinase D (SMD) cDNA from Loxosceles reclusa, Loxosceles boneti and Loxosceles laeta into bacterial expression systems, as well as optimization of expression conditions so as to obtain soluble and active recombinant enzymes. The recombinant mature SMDs, tagged with a histidine tail at the N- or C-termini, were comp...

This paper presents the first study of F(ab')2 scorpion antivenom pharmacokinetics in humans. We have studied the pharmacokinetics of an antiscorpion venom preparation (Alacramyn) in eight human healthy volunteers. The fabotherapic was administered as a 47.5 mg i.v. bolus. Blood samples were drawn at 0, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 and 360 min a...

Introducción. La enfermedad ocasionada por picaduras de arañas del género Loxosceles se conoce como Loxoscelismo. Este puede presentarse bajo dos formas clínicas: Loxoscelismo cutáneo y la más grave, el Loxoscelismo cutáneo-visceral o sistémico. En el veneno se han identificado componentes tóxicos y con actividad enzimática de esfingomielinasa D (S...