Abstract
Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels are transmembrane proteins primarily formed by an ion-conducting α 1 subunit that can associate with auxiliary β and α2δ subunits. Ca2+ entering the cell through these channels serves as a versatile second messenger of electrical signaling, initiating numerous different cellular processes ranging from gene expression to cell fertilization, neuronal transmission and cell death. CaV channels, as other ion channels, are targets for numerous ligands including naturally occurring peptide toxins. Some of these peptide toxins are invaluable tools for studying their structure and function and have potential therapeutic applications. Here, we present an overview of the current knowledge regarding the structure and function of CaV channels as well as their role in human disease, and highlight some of the growing applications of peptide toxins targeting CaV channels. Analysis and understanding of the molecular strategy used by these peptide toxins might allow the design of novel classes of therapeutic agents acting on specific targets with high selectivity and efficacy.
Keywords: Ca2+ channels, Cav channels, Conotoxins, Neuropathic pain, Ziconotide.
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Toxins Targeting Voltage-Activated Ca2+ Channels and their Potential Biomedical Applications
Volume: 15 Issue: 7
Author(s): Maria A. Gandini, Alejandro Sandoval and Ricardo Felix
Affiliation:
Keywords: Ca2+ channels, Cav channels, Conotoxins, Neuropathic pain, Ziconotide.
Abstract: Voltage-gated Ca2+ (CaV) channels are transmembrane proteins primarily formed by an ion-conducting α 1 subunit that can associate with auxiliary β and α2δ subunits. Ca2+ entering the cell through these channels serves as a versatile second messenger of electrical signaling, initiating numerous different cellular processes ranging from gene expression to cell fertilization, neuronal transmission and cell death. CaV channels, as other ion channels, are targets for numerous ligands including naturally occurring peptide toxins. Some of these peptide toxins are invaluable tools for studying their structure and function and have potential therapeutic applications. Here, we present an overview of the current knowledge regarding the structure and function of CaV channels as well as their role in human disease, and highlight some of the growing applications of peptide toxins targeting CaV channels. Analysis and understanding of the molecular strategy used by these peptide toxins might allow the design of novel classes of therapeutic agents acting on specific targets with high selectivity and efficacy.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Gandini A. Maria, Sandoval Alejandro and Felix Ricardo, Toxins Targeting Voltage-Activated Ca2+ Channels and their Potential Biomedical Applications, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2015; 15 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026615666150225112605
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026615666150225112605 |
Print ISSN 1568-0266 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4294 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Chemistry Based on Natural Products for Therapeutic Purposes
The development of new pharmaceuticals for a wide range of medical conditions has long relied on the identification of promising natural products (NPs). There are over sixty percent of cancer, infectious illness, and CNS disease medications that include an NP pharmacophore, according to the Food and Drug Administration. Since NP ...read more
Current Trends in Drug Discovery Based on Artificial Intelligence and Computer-Aided Drug Design
Drug development discovery has faced several challenges over the years. In fact, the evolution of classical approaches to modern methods using computational methods, or Computer-Aided Drug Design (CADD), has shown promising and essential results in any drug discovery campaign. Among these methods, molecular docking is one of the most notable ...read more
Drug Discovery in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
In the age of artificial intelligence (AI), we have witnessed a significant boom in AI techniques for drug discovery. AI techniques are increasingly integrated and accelerating the drug discovery process. These developments have not only attracted the attention of academia and industry but also raised important questions regarding the selection ...read more
From Biodiversity to Chemical Diversity: Focus of Flavonoids
Flavonoids are the largest group of polyphenols, plant secondary metabolites arising from the essential aromatic amino acid phenylalanine (or more rarely from tyrosine) via the phenylpropanoid pathway. The flavan nucleus is the basic 15-carbon skeleton of flavonoids (C6-C3-C6), which consists of two phenyl rings (A and B) and a heterocyclic ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Rethinking the Excitotoxic Ionic Milieu:The Emerging Role of Zn 2+ in Ischemic Neuronal Injury
Current Molecular Medicine Vascular and Parenchymal Mechanisms in Multiple Drug Resistance: a Lesson from Human Epilepsy
Current Drug Targets Novel Insights into V-ATPase Functioning: Distinct Roles for its Accessory Subunits ATP6AP1/Ac45 and ATP6AP2/(pro) Renin Receptor
Current Protein & Peptide Science Evaluation of Specific Antibody Responses in Patients with Selective IgA Deficiency and Ataxia Telangiectasia
Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Disorders - Drug Targets Functional Roles of Synaptic and Extrasynaptic NMDA Receptors in Physiological and Pathological Neuronal Activities
Current Drug Targets HPTLC Analysis with the Effect of <i>Bacopa monnieri, Evolvulus alsinoides</i> and <i>Tinospora cordifolia</i> against Scopolamine-Induced Amnesic Rats
Drug Delivery Letters RhoGEFs in Cell Motility: Novel Links Between Rgnef and Focal Adhesion Kinase
Current Molecular Medicine NMDA Neurotransmission Dysfunction in Behavioral and Psychological Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease
Current Neuropharmacology Nonnucleoside Inhibitors of Adenosine Kinase
Current Pharmaceutical Design Bipolar Affective Disorder, Epilepsy and Migraine – Does Possible Shared Pathogenesis Explain their Association?
Current Psychopharmacology Synthesis and Evaluation of the Anticonvulsant Activity of 5-alkylthio-4- phenyl-2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazol-3-one Derivatives
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Therapeutic Potential of Erythropoietin in Retinal and Optic Nerve Diseases
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Lifelong Endocrine Fluctuations and Related Cognitive Disorders
Current Pharmaceutical Design Dynorphin Convertases and their Functions in CNS
Current Pharmaceutical Design Gastrin-Releasing Peptide Receptor as a Molecular Target for Psychiatric and Neurological Disorders
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets New Advances in the Field of Calcium Channel Antagonists: Cardiovascular Effects and Structure-Activity Relationships
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Cardiovascular & Hematological Agents “Epileptic Encephalopathy” of Infancy and Childhood: Electro-Clinical Pictures and Recent Understandings
Current Neuropharmacology Analysis of Functional Brain Images Using Population-Based Probabilistic Atlas
Current Medical Imaging The Need to Avoid the Routine Use of Episiotomy
Current Women`s Health Reviews Wavelet Transform Based Algorithm for Automatic Detection of Patient- Specific Single Spike-and-Wave Discharges in Simulated Real-Time Conditions
Neuroscience and Biomedical Engineering (Discontinued)