Effects of Russell's viper venom on renal lysosomal functions in experimental mice.

The lysosome-enriched fraction of mice kidney was isolated by homogenization and differential centrifugation. Lysosomal functions, namely lysosomal enzyme activities and membrane integrities were investigated in (a) the renal lysosome-enriched fraction, incubated with different concentrations of Russell's viper venom (RVV) for various time intervals (in vitro test) and (b) the kidney homogenate of mice, which had been envenomed with different dosages of RVV and been sacrificed after various time intervals post-envenomation (in vivo test). Three typical marker enzymes for lysosome were used, namely N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), cathepsin D and acid phosphatase. It was found that, with increasing dosages of RVV and increasing time intervals after RVV treatment, the activities of all lysosomal enzymes generally increased and the lysosomal membrane integrities apparently reduced in in vitro and in vivo conditions, respectively. Among the three typical marker enzymes, NAG was found to be the most specific, sensitive and informative marker enzyme for the study of lysosomal functions in the kidney of mice treated with RVV.