title: Effect of omega-agatoxin-IVA on autonomic neurotransmission.
abstract: omega-Agatoxin-IVA, a peptide from the venom of the funnel-web spider Agelenopsis aperta and a P type Ca2+ channel inhibitor, was examined for effects on responses to nerve stimulation in isolated autonomic neuroeffector preparations from the rabbit, guinea-pig and rat. Ca(2+)-dependent, tetrodotoxin sensitive, noradrenergic excitatory responses of rabbit pulmonary artery, rat vas deferens, and anococcygeus muscles, and cholinergic guinea-pig myenteric plexus preparations (all highly sensitive to the N type Ca2+ channel inhibitor omega-conotoxin-GVIA) were unaffected by omega-agatoxin-IVA (100 nM). Similarly, the neurogenic response of rat bladder, which has cholinergic, and non-adrenergic non-cholinergic (NANC) excitatory components, and the NANC inhibitory response of rat jejunum (atropine 0.5 microM- and guanethidine 5.0 microM-treated), which are partially sensitive and insensitive to omega-conotoxin-GVIA, respectively, were unaffected by omega-agatoxin-IVA (100 nM). Neurogenic NANC inhibitory responses of the guinea-pig taenia caecum, and rat anococcygeus muscles (atropine- and guanethidine-treated, and tone raised with prostaglandin F2 alpha), were also insensitive to omega-agatoxin-IVA. These results suggest that P type Ca2+ channels, if present, play an insignificant role in supplying the Ca2+ necessary for neurotransmitter release in the peripheral autonomic nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Defence Research Establishment Suffield, Alberta, Canada.
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Lundy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Frew
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects*; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015237:Dinoprost / Q000494:pharmacology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects; D009197:Myenteric Plexus / Q000187:drug effects; D009451:Neuroeffector Junction / Q000187:drug effects; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000502:physiology; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; 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; C053423:Conus magus toxin; D015237:Dinoprost; D009638:Norepinephrine