title: Neuroprotective and cardioprotective conopeptides: an emerging class of drug leads.
abstract: The peptides in the venoms of predatory marine snails belonging to the genus Conus ('cone snails') have well-established therapeutic applications for the treatment of pain and epilepsy. This review discusses the neuroprotective and cardioprotective potential of four families of Conus peptides (conopeptides), including omega-conotoxins that target voltage-gated Ca2+ channels, conantokins that target NMDA receptors, mu-conotoxins that target voltage-gated Na+ channels, and kappa- and kappaM-conotoxins that target K+ channels. The diversity of Conus peptides that have already been shown to exhibit neuroprotective/cardioprotective activity suggests that marine snail venoms are a potentially rich source of drug leads with diverse mechanisms.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA.
authors.forename: Vernon D
authors.initials: VD
authors.lastname: Twede
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Miljanich
authors.forename: Baldomero M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Olivera
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bulaj