title: Present of a toxin in the salivary glands of the marine snail Cymatium intermedius that targets nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.
abstract: Presence of a toxin in the salivary glands of the marine snail Cymatium intermedius that targets nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Toxicon 36, 25-29, 1998.-We present evidence of a neurotoxin from the salivary glands of Cymatium intermedius that displays acetylcholine-like effects on vertebrate (mouse ileum) and invertebrate (molluscan smooth muscle; molluscan heart; leech body wall) tissues. These effects were completely blocked by (+)-tubocurarine (10-100 muM) but not by atropine (up to 200 muM) suggesting that the toxin targets nicotinic-like acetylcholine receptors. This affirms the proposal that this genus may overcome their prey with a paralytic secretion.
authors.affiliation: School of Biological Sciences, Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham, Surrey, U.K.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: E B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Andrews
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: McVean
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Thorndyke
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Taylor
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001681:Biological Assay; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000187:drug effects; D007865:Leeches / Q000187:drug effects; D008387:Marine Toxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D009132:Muscles / Q000187:drug effects*; D009498:Neurotoxins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic / Q000187:drug effects*; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry*; D012908:Snails / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008387:Marine Toxins; D009498:Neurotoxins; D011978:Receptors, Nicotinic