A peptide that mimics the C-terminal sequence of SNAP-25 inhibits secretory vesicle docking in chromaffin cells.
Excitation-secretion uncoupling peptides (ESUPs) are inhibitors of Ca2+-dependent exocytosis in neural and endocrine cells. Their mechanism of action, however, remains elusive. We report that ESUP-A, a 20-mer peptide patterned after the C terminus of SNAP-25 (synaptosomal associated protein of 25 kDa) and containing the cleavage sequence for botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT A), abrogates the slow, ATP-dependent component of the exocytotic pathway, without affecting the fast, ATP-independent, Ca2+-mediated fusion event. Ultrastructural analysis indicates that ESUP-A induces a drastic accumulation of dense-core vesicles near the plasma membrane, mimicking the effect of BoNT A. Together, these findings argue in favor of the notion that ESUP-A inhibits ATP-primed exocytosis by blocking vesicle docking. Identification of blocking peptides which mimic sequences that bind to complementary partner domains on interacting proteins of the exocytotic machinery provides new pharmacological tools to dissect the molecular and mechanistic details of neurosecretion. Our findings may assist in developing ESUPs as substitute drugs to BoNTs for the treatment of spasmodic disorders.
Gutierrez
L M
LM
Departamento de Neuroquímica, Instituto de Neurociencias and Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Alicante, Apdo. 374, 03080 Alicante, Spain.
Viniegra
S
S
Rueda
J
J
Ferrer-Montiel
A V
AV
Canaves
J M
JM
Montal
M
M
D000313:Adrenal Medulla / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A / Q000737:chemistry; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology; D002417:Cattle; D002463:Cell Membrane Permeability; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D019439:Chromaffin Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D002837:Chromaffin Granules / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009419:Nerve Tissue Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010455:Peptides; D050825:Synaptosomal-Associated Protein 25; D019274:Botulinum Toxins, Type A; D002118:Calcium; D009638:Norepinephrine