title: Leftward shift in the voltage-dependence for Ca2+ currents activation induced by a new toxin from Phoneutria reidyi (Aranae, Ctenidae) venom.
abstract: Various neurotoxins have been described from the venom of the Brazilian spider Phoneutria nigriventer, but little is known about the venoms of the other species of this genus. In the present work, we describe the purification and some structural and pharmacological features of a new toxin (PRTx3-7) from Phoneutria reidyi that causes flaccid paralysis in mice. The observed molecular mass (4627.26 Da) was in accordance with the calculated mass for the amidated form of the amino acid sequence (4627.08 Da). The presence of an alpha-amidated C-terminus was confirmed by MS/MS analysis of the C-terminal peptide, isolated after enzymatic digestion of the native protein with Glu-C endoproteinase. The purified protein was injected (intracerebro-ventricular) into mice at dose levels of 5 microg/mouse causing immediate agitation and clockwise gyration, followed by the gradual development of general flaccid paralysis. PRTx3-7 at 1 microM inhibited by 20% the KCl-induced increase on [Ca2+]i in rat brain synaptosomes. The HEK cells permanently expressing L, N, P/Q and R HVA Ca2+ channels were also used to better characterize the pharmacological features of PRTx3-7. To our surprise, PRTx3-7 shifted the voltage-dependence for activation towards hyperpolarized membrane potentials for L (-4 mV), P/Q (-8 mV) and R (-5 mV) type Ca2+ currents. In addition, the new toxin also affected the steady state of inactivation of L-, N- and P/Q-type Ca2+ currents.
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Neurofarmacologia, Departamento de Farmacologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Vieira
authors.forename: A M C
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Pimenta
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Richardson
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bemquerer
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Reis
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Cruz
authors.forename: M V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Santoro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ferreira-de-Oliveira
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Figueiredo
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Snutch
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015640:Ion Channel Gating / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013111:Spider Venoms / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013112:Spiders; D013574:Synaptosomes / Q000187:drug effects; D014162:Transfection
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; C519679:PRTx3-7 toxin; D013111:Spider Venoms