title: Calciseptine, a peptide isolated from black mamba venom, is a specific blocker of the L-type calcium channel.
abstract: The venom of the black mamba contains a 60-amino acid peptide called calciseptine. The peptide has been fully sequenced. It is a smooth muscle relaxant and an inhibitor of cardiac contractions. Its physiological action resembles that of drugs, such as the 1,4-dihydropyridines, which are important in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Calciseptine, like the 1,4-dihydropyridines, selectively blocks L-type Ca2+ channels and is totally inactive on other voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels such as N-type and T-type channels. To our knowledge, it is the only natural polypeptide that has been shown to be a specific inhibitor of L-type Ca2+ channels.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Valbonne, France.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: de Weille
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schweitz
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maes
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tartar
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lazdunski
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002460:Cell Line; D004546:Elapid Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004553:Electric Conductivity; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D014590:Uterine Contraction / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D004546:Elapid Venoms; C067971:calciseptine