Targeting ionotropic receptors with polyamine-containing toxins.
This review summarises current knowledge of polyamine-containing spider toxins and their interactions with ionotropic receptors of invertebrate and vertebrate excitable cells. Their diverse actions on ionotropic glutamate and acetylcholine receptors, which include potentiation, closed channel block and open channel block, are discussed in the context of toxin and target structures. Factors that complicate attempts to identify and pharmacologically characterise the binding sites for these toxins include their ability to permeate channels of some ionotropic receptors and their apparent accumulation in a cellular compartment, possibly the membrane bilayer.
Mellor
Ian R
IR
School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.
Usherwood
Peter N R
PN
D000818:Animals; D004357:Drug Synergism; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000378:metabolism; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D011073:Polyamines / Q000378:metabolism*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000378:metabolism; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate / Q000378:metabolism; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000633:toxicity*; D013112:Spiders / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D007473:Ion Channels; D011073:Polyamines; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic; D017470:Receptors, Glutamate; D013111:Spider Venoms