title: Inhibition of evoked neurotransmitter release from rat hippocampus by a polypeptide toxin isolated from the marine snail Conus distans.
abstract: The active fraction, isolated and partially purified from the crude venom of the marine snail Conus distans, with a molecular mass of about 25 kDa, inhibits neurotransmitter release in rat hippocampus. This toxin (distans Toxin) inhibits the electrically evoked tritium labelled noradrenaline release from rat hippocampal slices in a dose and time dependent manner. The neurotransmitter release is mainly regulated by N-type of voltage sensitive Ca(2+)-channels. The distans toxin behaves as a partial antagonist of calcium in the buffer, possibly by competing with calcium for this type of voltage sensitive Ca(2+)-channels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Antwerp (UIA), Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: V K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Partoens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de Block
authors.forename: E P
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Coen
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vauquelin
authors.forename: W P
authors.initials: WP
authors.lastname: De Potter
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008978:Mollusk Venoms / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D012908:Snails
chemical_list: D008978:Mollusk Venoms; D009498:Neurotoxins; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine