title: Tetanus toxin inhibits spontaneous quantal release and cleaves VAMP/synaptobrevin.
abstract: Tetanus toxin decreased the frequency of spontaneous events at the electric organ of Torpedo marmorata. This reduction was up to 70% in poisoned electric organ. According to distribution analysis of miniature end plate currents, only a subpopulation of events which have small amplitudes were recorded after poisoning. Furthermore, isolated cholinergic nerve terminals showed a decrease in VAMP/synaptobrevin when poisoned with tetanus toxin under similar conditions. The relationship between the two effects of the toxin, i.e. inhibition of vesicle exocytosis and peptidase activity on synaptobrevin, is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Biologia Cel.lular i Anatomia Patològica, Facultat de Medicina, Hospital de Bellvitge, Universitat de Barcelona, C/Casanova, Spain.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Herreros
authors.forename: F X
authors.initials: FX
authors.lastname: Miralles
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Solsona
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bizzini
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Blasi
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marsal
mesh_terms: D000109:Acetylcholine / Q000378:metabolism*; D000818:Animals; D004557:Electric Organ / Q000187:drug effects*; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000378:metabolism; D013744:Tetanus Toxin / Q000633:toxicity*; D014101:Torpedo
chemical_list: D008565:Membrane Proteins; D050683:R-SNARE Proteins; D013744:Tetanus Toxin; D000109:Acetylcholine