title: A toxin from the spider Phoneutria nigriventer that blocks calcium channels coupled to exocytosis.
abstract: 1. The aim of the present experiments was to investigate the pharmacological action of a toxin from the spider Phoneutria nigriventer, Tx3-3, on the function of calcium channels that control exocytosis of synaptic vesicles. 2. Tx3-3, in confirmation of previous work, diminished the intracellular calcium increase induced by membrane depolarization with KCl (25 mM) in rat cerebrocortical synaptosomes. The toxin was very potent (IC50 0.9 nM) at inhibiting calcium channels that regulate calcium entry in synaptosomes. In addition, Tx3-3 blocked the exocytosis of synaptic vesicles, as measured with the fluorescent dye FM1-43. 3. Using omega-toxins that interact selectively with distinct neuronal calcium channels, we investigated whether the target of Tx3-3 overlaps with known channels that mediate exocytosis. The results indicate that the main population of voltage-sensitive calcium channels altered by Tx3-3 can also be inhibited by omega-agatoxin IVA, an antagonist of P/Q calcium channels. Omega-conotoxin GVIA, which inhibits N type calcium channels did not decrease significantly the entry of calcium or exocytosis of synaptic vesicles in depolarized synaptosomes. 4. It is concluded that Tx3-3 potently inhibits omega-agatoxin IVA-sensitive calcium channels, which are involved in controlling exocytosis in rat brain cortical synaptosomes.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guatimosim
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Romano-Silva
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Beirão
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kalapothakis
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Moraes-Santos
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Diniz
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Prado
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000166:cytology; D005089:Exocytosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D011189:Potassium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D009479:Neuropeptides; D009498:Neurotoxins; D010455:Peptides; D013111:Spider Venoms; C098736:Tx3 neurotoxin; D020867:omega-Agatoxin IVA; D011189:Potassium Chloride; D020866:omega-Conotoxin GVIA; D002118:Calcium