scholarly journals Synthetic Analogues of Huwentoxin-IV Spider Peptide With Altered Human NaV1.7/NaV1.6 Selectivity Ratios

Author(s):  
Ludivine Lopez ◽  
Jérôme Montnach ◽  
Barbara Oliveira-Mendes ◽  
Kuldip Khakh ◽  
Baptiste Thomas ◽  
...  

Huwentoxin-IV (HwTx-IV), a peptide discovered in the venom of the Chinese bird spider Cyriopagopus schmidti, has been reported to be a potent antinociceptive compound due to its action on the genetically-validated NaV1.7 pain target. Using this peptide for antinociceptive applications in vivo suffers from one major drawback, namely its negative impact on the neuromuscular system. Although studied only recently, this effect appears to be due to an interaction between the peptide and the NaV1.6 channel subtype located at the presynaptic level. The aim of this work was to investigate how HwTx-IV could be modified in order to alter the original human (h) NaV1.7/NaV1.6 selectivity ratio of 23. Nineteen HwTx-IV analogues were chemically synthesized and tested for their blocking effects on the Na+ currents flowing through these two channel subtypes stably expressed in cell lines. Dose-response curves for these analogues were generated, thanks to the use of an automated patch-clamp system. Several key amino acid positions were targeted owing to the information provided by earlier structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies. Among the analogues tested, the potency of HwTx-IV E4K was significantly improved for hNaV1.6, leading to a decreased hNaV1.7/hNaV1.6 selectivity ratio (close to 1). Similar decreased selectivity ratios, but with increased potency for both subtypes, were observed for HwTx-IV analogues that combine a substitution at position 4 with a modification of amino acid 1 or 26 (HwTx-IV E1G/E4G and HwTx-IV E4K/R26Q). In contrast, increased selectivity ratios (>46) were obtained if the E4K mutation was combined to an additional double substitution (R26A/Y33W) or simply by further substituting the C-terminal amidation of the peptide by a carboxylated motif, linked to a marked loss of potency on hNaV1.6 in this latter case. These results demonstrate that it is possible to significantly modulate the selectivity ratio for these two channel subtypes in order to improve the potency of a given analogue for hNaV1.6 and/or hNaV1.7 subtypes. In addition, selective analogues for hNaV1.7, possessing better safety profiles, were produced to limit neuromuscular impairments.

1987 ◽  
Vol 65 (12) ◽  
pp. 2483-2487 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. K. Magnuson ◽  
M. J. Peet ◽  
K. Curry ◽  
H. McLennan

The responses of dorsal horn neurones to the excitatory amino acids quisqualate, kainate, N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA), and quinolinate have been examined in an in vitro preparation of the rat spinal cord. The antagonism of these responses by iontophoretically applied D-(−)-2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (DAPV), kynurenate, and acridinate was tested, and the results were compared with data obtained from the spinal cord in vivo. The pattern of antagonism was similar in both preparations, although the potencies of agonists and antagonists were found to be significantly greater in vitro. The antagonism of amino acid induced firing of neurones was also recorded during the application of DAPV and kynurenate in the bathing medium. Dose–response curves and IC50 values were determined for these antagonists against all four agonists. The responses to quinolinate were antagonized differently from those to NMDA, quisqualate, or kainate, suggesting that quinolinate does not act specifically through the NMDA receptor as it does in other regions, nor does it appear to act via two or more of the three archetypal amino acid receptors. These findings suggest that a fourth amino acid receptor responsible for quinolinate's action in the spinal cord may exist.


1969 ◽  
Vol 130 (5) ◽  
pp. 1123-1143 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. R. Frey ◽  
A. L. de Weck ◽  
H. Geleick ◽  
W. Lergier

Numerous dinitrophenyl amino acid preparations injected intradermally induced contact hypersensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene, delayed type skin reactions to DNP-amino acids, and anti-DNP antibodies in guinea pigs. Some DNP-amino adds induced precipitating anti-DNP antibodies in rabbits as well. Some of the DNP-ammo acids studied were regularly immunogenic, possible immunogenic impurities having been excluded by extensive purification procedures. Others were either constantly nonimmunogenic or irregularly immunogenic, e.g., their immunogenicity varying from one preparation lot to another. By means of extensive chemical analyses and the establishment of dose-response curves, we were able to demonstrate in most cases that the immunogenicity was not due to contamination with unreacted dinitrofluorobenzene or other DNP derivatives, to photodecomposition or other degradation products, or to DNP-protein contaminants. Nevertheless, the irregular immunogenicity of several DNP-amino acid preparations can only be explained by a highly immunogenic impurity (or impurities) which we were unable to detect analytically. The regular immunogenicity of some other DNP-amino acids (e.g. di-DNP-L-histidine) appears to be based on a "transconjugation" phenomenon, the DNP group being able to split off from its amino acid carrier and to conjugate secondarily with proteins in vivo and in vitro. Accordingly, the interpretation of some recent data concerning the immunogenicity of low molecular weight hapten-amino acids may have to be reevaluated.


2000 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne K. Kowal ◽  
Caroline Kohrer ◽  
Uttam L. RajBhandary

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 54-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bogdan Bumbăcilă ◽  
Mihai V. Putz

Pesticides are used today on a planetary-wide scale. The rising need for substances with this biological activity due to an increasing consumption of agricultural and animal products and to the development of urban areas makes the chemical industry to constantly investigate new molecules or to improve the physicochemical characteristics, increase the biological activities and improve the toxicity profiles of the already known ones. Molecular databases are increasingly accessible for in vitro and in vivo bioavailability studies. In this context, structure-activity studies, by their in silico - in cerebro methods, are used to precede in vitro and in vivo studies in plants and experimental animals because they can indicate trends by statistical methods or biological activity models expressed as mathematical equations or graphical correlations, so a direction of study can be developed or another can be abandoned, saving financial resources, time and laboratory animals. Following this line of research the present paper reviews the Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) studies and proposes a correlation between a topological connectivity index and the biological activity or toxicity made as a result of a study performed on 11 molecules of organophosphate compounds, randomly chosen, with a basic structure including a Phosphorus atom double bounded to an Oxygen atom or to a Sulfur one and having three other simple covalent bonds with two alkoxy (-methoxy or -ethoxy) groups and to another functional group different from the alkoxy groups. The molecules were packed on a cubic structure consisting of three adjacent cubes, respecting a principle of topological efficiency, that of occupying a minimal space in that cubic structure, a method that was called the Clef Method. The central topological index selected for correlation was the Wiener index, since it was possible this way to discuss different adjacencies between the nodes in the graphs corresponding to the organophosphate compounds molecules packed on the cubic structure; accordingly, "three dimensional" variants of these connectivity indices could be considered and further used for studying the qualitative-quantitative relationships for the specific molecule-enzyme interaction complexes, including correlation between the Wiener weights (nodal specific contributions to the total Wiener index of the molecular graph) and the biochemical reactivity of some of the atoms. Finally, when passing from SAR to Q(uantitative)-SAR studies, especially by the present advanced method of the cubic molecule (Clef Method) and its good assessment of the (neuro)toxicity of the studied molecules and of their inhibitory effect on the target enzyme - acetylcholinesterase, it can be seen that a predictability of the toxicity and activity of different analogue compounds can be ensured, facilitating the in vivo experiments or improving the usage of pesticides.


1987 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 2317-2325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Hlaváček ◽  
Jan Pospíšek ◽  
Jiřina Slaninová ◽  
Walter Y. Chan ◽  
Victor J. Hruby

[8-Neopentylglycine]oxytocin (II) and [8-cycloleucine]oxytocin (III) were prepared by a combination of solid-phase synthesis and fragment condensation. Both analogues exhibited decreased uterotonic potency in vitro, each being about 15-30% that of oxytocin. Analogue II also displayed similarly decreased uterotonic potency in vivo and galactogogic potency. On the other hand, analogue III exhibited almost the same potency as oxytocin in the uterotonic assay in vivo and in the galactogogic assay.


1995 ◽  
Vol 60 (7) ◽  
pp. 1229-1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ivana Zoulíková ◽  
Ivan Svoboda ◽  
Jiří Velek ◽  
Václav Kašička ◽  
Jiřina Slaninová ◽  
...  

The vasoactive intestinal (poly)peptide (VIP) is a linear peptide containing 28 amino acid residues, whose primary structure indicates a low metabolic stability. The following VIP fragments, as potential metabolites, and their analogues were prepared by synthesis on a solid: [His(Dnp)1]VIP(1-10), VIP(11-14), [D-Arg12]VIP(11-14), [Lys(Pac)15,21,Arg20]VIP(15-22), and VIP(23-28). After purification, the peptides were characterized by amino acid analysis, mass spectrometry, RP HPLC, and capillary zone electrophoresis. In some tests, detailed examination of the biological activity of the substances in vivo and in vitro gave evidence of a low, residual activity of some fragments, viz. a depressoric activity in vivo for [His(Dnp)1]VIP(1-10) and a stimulating activity for the release of α-amylase in vitro and in vivo for [Lys(Pac)15,21,Arg20]VIP(15-22) and VIP(23-28).


2002 ◽  
Vol 283 (2) ◽  
pp. C569-C578 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander A. Mongin ◽  
Harold K. Kimelberg

Volume-dependent ATP release and subsequent activation of purinergic P2Y receptors have been implicated as an autocrine mechanism triggering activation of volume-regulated anion channels (VRACs) in hepatoma cells. In the brain ATP is released by both neurons and astrocytes and participates in intercellular communication. We explored whether ATP triggers or modulates the release of excitatory amino acid (EAAs) via VRACs in astrocytes in primary culture. Under basal conditions exogenous ATP (10 μM) activated a small EAA release in 70–80% of the cultures tested. In both moderately (5% reduction of medium osmolarity) and substantially (35% reduction of medium osmolarity) swollen astrocytes, exogenous ATP greatly potentiated EAA release. The effects of ATP were mimicked by P2Y agonists and eliminated by P2Y antagonists or the ATP scavenger apyrase. In contrast, the same pharmacological maneuvers did not inhibit volume-dependent EAA release in the absence of exogenous ATP, ruling out a requirement of autocrine ATP release for VRAC activation. The ATP effect in nonswollen and moderately swollen cells was eliminated by a 5–10% increase in medium osmolarity or by anion channel blockers but was insensitive to tetanus toxin pretreatment, further supporting VRAC involvement. Our data suggest that in astrocytes ATP does not trigger EAA release itself but acts synergistically with cell swelling. Moderate cell swelling and ATP may serve as two cooperative signals in bidirectional neuron-astrocyte communication in vivo.


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