In the final part of our study and as a preliminary step in
the production of an anti-H. lunatus anti-venom with
therapeutic properties, we have attempted to study by
ELISA and immunoblotting the antigenic/immunogenic
potential and cross-reactivity of rabbit anti-H. lunatus
serum. Immune sera anti-H. lunatus and anti-T. serrulatus
(for comparative purposes), were raised in rabbits and their
reactivities against H. lunatus, T. serrulatus, C. sculpturatus
and Androctonus australis hector venoms evaluated. Fig. 5
shows the ELISA (absorbance at 490 nm) at different
serum dilutions (1:100 to 1:12,800). Each specific serum
reacted strongly against their own venom antigens.
Notably, sera against Peruvian venom (Fig. 5A) reacted
moderately with their Brazilian and North American
counterparts and poorly with the venom from A. australis
(North African). The serum produced against T. serrulatus
(Fig. 5B) recognized strongly the Peruvian and North
American venoms coated on the ELISA plates and reacted
moderately with the North African scorpion venom. The
above observations suggest the presence of antigenic
identities or common epitopes across the four scorpion
genera studied. However, the recognition of anti-H. lunatus
and anti-T. serrulatus venom antibodies against the venoms