title: Effects of Ca2+ channel blocker neurotoxins on transmitter release and presynaptic currents at the mouse neuromuscular junction.
abstract: 1. The effects of the voltage-dependent calcium channel (VDCC) blockers omega-agatoxin IVA (omega-AgaIVA), omega-conotoxin GVIA (omega-CgTx), omega-conotoxin MVIIC (omega-MVIIC) and omega-conotoxin MVIID (omega-MVIID) were evaluated on transmitter release in the mouse diaphragm preparation. The effects of omega-AgaIVA and omega-MVIIC were also evaluated on the perineurial calcium and calcium-dependent potassium currents, ICa and IK(Ca), respectively, in the mouse levator auris preparation. 2. The P- and Q-type VDCC blocker omega-AgaIVA (100 nM) and P- Q- and N-type channel blockers omega-MVIIC (1 microM) and omega-MVIID (3 microM) strongly reduced transmitter release (> 80-90% blockade) whereas the selective N-type channel blocker omega-CgTx (5 microM) was ineffective. 3. The process of release was much more sensitive to omega-MVIIC (IC50 = 39 nM) than to omega-MVIID (IC50 = 1.4 microM). After almost completely blocking transmitter release (quantal content approximately 0.3% of its control value) with 3 microM omega-MVIIC, elevating the external [Ca2+] from 2 to 10 mM induced an increase of approximately 20 fold on the quantal content of the endplate potential (e.p.p.) (from 0.2 +/- 0.04 to 4.8 +/- 1.4). 4. Nerve-evoked transmitter release in a low Ca(2+)-high Mg2+ medium (low release probability, quantal content = 2 +/- 0.1) had the same sensitivity to omega-AgaIVA (IC50 = 16.8 nM) as that in normal saline solutions. In addition, K(+)-evoked transmitter release was also highly sensitive to the action of this toxin (IC50 = 11.5 nM; 100 nM > 95% blockade). The action of omega-AgaIVA on transmitter release could be reversed by toxin washout if the experiments were carried out at 31-33 degrees C. Conversely, the effect of omega-AgaIVA persisted even after two hours of toxin washout at room temperature. 5. Both the calcium and calcium-dependent potassium presynaptic currents, ICa and IK(Ca), respectively, were highly sensitive to low concentrations (10-30 nM) of omega-AgaIVA. The ICa and the IK(Ca) were also strongly reduced by 1 microM omega-MVIIC. The most marked difference between the action of these two toxins was the long incubation times required to achieve maximal effects with omega-MVIIC. 6. In summary these results provide more evidence that synaptic transmission at the mammalian neuromuscular junction is mediated by Ca2+ entry through P- and/or Q-type calcium channels.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Biología Celular, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Paraguay, Argentina.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Katz
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Protti
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ferro
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Rosato Siri
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Uchitel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D009469:Neuromuscular Junction / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D015221:Potassium Channels / Q000187:drug effects; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D015220:Calcium Channels; D009498:Neurotoxins; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D010455:Peptides; D015221:Potassium Channels; D013111:Spider Venoms; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA; D011188:Potassium