α-芋螺毒素MIA和MIB特异性阻断肌肉型乙酰胆碱受体研究

Specific blockade of muscle acetylcholine receptor by α-conotoxin MIA and MIB

α-芋螺毒素是从海洋软体动物芋螺毒液中发现的多肽类毒素,能够特异作用于各种不同亚型烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)。nAChRs在调节神经递质释放、细胞兴奋性等方面发挥重要生理功能。因为nAChRs功能异常与多种疾病密切相关,所以α-芋螺毒素可以开发为研究nAChRs的分子探针或直接作为先导药物进行开发。前期,研究人员从幻芋螺中发现的4种α-3/5型芋螺毒素MI、MIA、MIB和MIC,但MIA和MIB对不同亚型的nAChRs阻断活性及选择性还没有深入研究,本研究通过9-芴甲氧羰基(Fmoc)固相法合成了α-芋螺毒素MI、MIA、MIB和MIC,并利用电生理技术对它们抑制不同亚型鼠源nAChRs的活性进行系统测定,结果表明MIA和MIB是肌肉型乙酰胆碱受体拮抗剂,半阻断剂量(IC_(50))分别是14.45和72.78 nmol·L^(-1),稍弱于MI与MIC,且对其他神经型nAChRs阻断活性微弱。分子对接研究显示, MIA和MIB与肌肉型nAChRs作用机制类似, N-端氨基酸序列差异是其活性差异的主要原因。本研究表明,芋螺毒素MIA和MIB有潜力发展成为检测肌肉型nAChRs功能以及诊断或治疗相关疾病的工具药物。

The α-conotoxins are peptide toxins that are identified from the venom of marine cone snails and they hold outstanding potency on various subtypes of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors(nAChRs). nAChRs have an important role in regulating transmitter release, cell excitability, and neuronal integration, so nAChR dysfunctions have been involved in a variety of severe pathologies. Four types of α-3/5 conotoxins MI, MIA, MIB and MIC have been found from Conus magus. Among them, the activity and selectivity of MIA and MIB have not been well studied. In this study, four α-3/5 conotoxins MI, MIA, MIB and MIC were synthesized by solid peptide synthesis method, and the bioactivities of them were screened by double electrode voltage clamp electrophysiology. The results showed that MIA and MIB selectively inhibited muscle type acetylcholine receptors with IC_(50) values of 14.45 and 72.78 nmol·L^(-1), respectively, which are slightly weaker than MI and MIC. Molecular docking results have shown MIA and MIB interact with muscle-type nAChRs with similar mechanism. The reasons for activity differences may relate to the size of the N-terminal amino acids. Together, the conotoxins MIA and MIB may have the potential to develop as a tool for detect the function of muscle type nAChRs, as well as the diagnosis or treat of related diseases.