title: Behavioural and anticonvulsant effects of Ca2+ channel toxins in DBA/2 mice.
abstract: This study investigated the behavioural and anticonvulsant effects of voltage-sensitive calcium channel blockers in DBA/2 mice. Omega-Conotoxin MVIIC (0.1, 0.3 micrograms ICV/mouse) and omega-agatoxin IVA (0.1, 0.3, 1 micrograms ICV), which act predominantly at P- and/or Q-type calcium channels, prevented clonic and tonic sound-induced seizures in this animal model of reflex epilepsy (ED50 values with 95% confidence limits for protection against clonic sound-induced seizures were 0.09 (0.04-0.36) micrograms ICV and 0.09 (0.05-0.15) micrograms ICV respectively and against tonic seizures 0.07 (0.03-0.16) micrograms ICV and 0.08 (0.04-0.13) micrograms ICV, respectively). The N-type calcium channel antagonists omega-conotoxin GVIA and omega-conotoxin MVIIA were also tested in this model. Omega-Conotoxin GVIA was anticonvulsant in DBA/2 mice, but only at high doses (3 micrograms ICV prevented tonic seizures in 60% of the animals; 10 micrograms ICV prevented clonic seizures in 60% and tonic seizures in 90% of the animals), whereas omega-conotoxin MVIIA did not inhibit sound-induced seizures in doses up to 10 micrograms ICV. Both omega-conotoxin GVIA and omega-conotoxin MVIIA induced an intense shaking syndrome in doses as low as 0.1 microgram ICV, whereas omega-conotoxin MVIIC and omega-agatoxin IVA did not produce shaking at any of the doses examined. Finally, omega-conotoxin GI (0.01-1 microgram ICV) and alpha-conotoxin SI (0.3-30 micrograms ICV), which both act at acetylcholine nicotinic receptors, were not anticonvulsant and did not induce shaking in DBA/2 mice. These results confirm that blockers of N- and P-/Q-type calcium channels produce different behavioural responses in animals. The anticonvulsant effects of omega-conotoxin MVIIC and omega-agatoxin IVA in DBA/2 mice are consistent with reports that P- and/or Q-type calcium channel blockers inhibit the release of excitatory amino acids and are worthy of further exploration.
authors.affiliation: Health Care Discovery, Novo Nordisk A/S, Måløv, Denmark.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Scheideler
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008811:Mice, Inbred DBA; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012640:Seizures / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA; 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; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA