title: Cnidarian Neurotoxic Peptides Affecting Central Nervous System Targets.
abstract: Natural products from animal venoms have been used widely in the discovery of novel molecules with particular biological activities that enable their use as potential drug candidates. The phylum Cnidaria (jellyfish, sea anemones, corals zoanthids, hydrozoans, etc.) is the most ancient venomous phylum on earth. Its venoms are composed of a complex mixture of peptidic compounds with neurotoxic and cytolitic properties that have shown activity on mammalian systems despite the fact that they are naturally targeted against fish and invertebrate preys, mainly crustaceans. For this reason, cnidarian venoms are an interesting and vast source of molecules with a remarkable activity on central nervous system, targeting mainly voltage-gated ion channels, ASIC channels, and TRPV1 receptors. In this brief review, we list the amino acid sequences of most cnidarian neurotoxic peptides reported to date. Additionally, we propose the inclusion of a new type of voltage-gated sea anemone sodium channel toxins based on the most recent reports.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química de Biomacromoléculas, Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Universidad 3000, Ciudad Universitaria, C.P. 04510. Apdo. Postal 70-213, Mexico, D.F., Mexico.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lazcano-Pérez
authors.forename: Ulises
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Hernández-Guzmán
authors.forename: Judith
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sánchez-Rodríguez
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Arreguín-Espinosa
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D003064:Cnidarian Venoms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D010455:Peptides / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D012615:Sea Anemones
chemical_list: D003064:Cnidarian Venoms; D010455:Peptides