title: Entering neurons: botulinum toxins and synaptic vesicle recycling.
abstract: Botulinum toxins are metalloproteases that act inside nerve terminals and block neurotransmitter release through their cleavage of components of the exocytosis machinery. These toxins are used to treat human diseases that are characterized by hyperfunction of cholinergic terminals. Recently, evidence has accumulated that gangliosides and synaptic vesicle proteins cooperate to mediate toxin binding to the presynaptic terminal. The differential distribution of synaptic vesicle protein receptors, gangliosides and toxin substrates in distinct neuronal populations opens up the possibility of using different serotypes of botulinum toxins for the treatment of central nervous system diseases caused by altered activity of selected neuronal populations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and CNR Institute of Neuroscience, University of Milano, Via Vanvitelli 32, 20129 Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Verderio
authors.forename: Ornella
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Rossetto
authors.forename: Carlotta
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Grumelli
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Frassoni
authors.forename: Cesare
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Montecucco
authors.forename: Michela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matteoli
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001370:Axonal Transport / Q000502:physiology*; D001905:Botulinum Toxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D017729:Presynaptic Terminals / Q000378:metabolism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*; D013572:Synaptic Vesicles / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001905:Botulinum Toxins