title: Differential blockade of voltage-sensitive calcium channels at the mouse neuromuscular junction by novel omega-conopeptides and omega-agatoxin-IVA.
abstract: This investigation assessed the ability of a variety of calcium channel blocking peptides to block synaptic transmission in the isolated mouse phrenic nerve-hemidiaphragm. The synthetic version of the naturally occurring N-type voltage-sensitive calcium channel (VSCC) blocker omega-conopeptide MVIIA (SNX-111) had no effect on nerve-evoked muscle contractions. The non-N-, non-L-type VSCC blocker, omega-conopeptide MVIIC (SNX-230), blocked neuromuscular transmission completely, as did the selective P-type VSCC blocker, omega-Aga-IVA. Subsequent evaluation of other synthetic omega-conopeptides and analogs disclosed a significant positive correlation between the test compounds' affinities for high-affinity SNX-230 brain binding sites and their neuromuscular blocking potencies. Quantal analysis of transmitter release showed that SNX-230 abolished evoked endplate potentials completely, but had little effect on the amplitude and frequency of spontaneous miniature endplate potentials. Perineural focal recordings of presynaptic currents showed that SNX-230 did not block the neuronal action potential. These and other findings indicated that SNX-230 prevents transmitter release at the mouse neuromuscular junction by blocking calcium channels at presynaptic nerve endings. These calcium channels correspond pharmacologically to VSCCs associated with high-affinity binding sites in rat brain and are most probably either of the P- or Q-type.
authors.affiliation: Neurex Corporation, Menlo Park, California, USA.
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Bowersox
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Miljanich
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sugiura
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nadasdi
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramachandran
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020960:omega-Conotoxins
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D010455:Peptides; D013111:Spider Venoms; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020960:omega-Conotoxins; C075851:omega-conotoxin-MVIIC; C078452:ziconotide