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ω-Grammotoxin blocks action-potential-induced Ca2+ influx and whole-cell Ca2+ current in rat dorsal-root ganglion neurons

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Abstract

Field-potential stimulation of rat dorsal-root ganglion (DRG) neurons evoked action-potential-mediated transient increases in intracellular free calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) as measured by indo-1-based microfluorimetry. Field-potential-evoked [Ca2+]i transients were abolished by tetrodotoxin, and their dependence on stimulus intensity exhibited an abrupt threshold. ω-Conotoxin GVIA (ω-CgTx, 100 nM) inhibited action-potential-mediated Ca2+ influx by 79%, while nitrendipine (1 μM) had little effect. ω-Grammotoxin SIA (ω-GsTx, 267 nM), a peptide toxin purified from the venom of the tarantula spider, Grammostola spatulata, blocked action-potential-mediated Ca2+ influx as effectively as did ω-CgTx, suggesting that ω-GsTx blocks N-type Ca2+ channels. In contrast to block by ω-CgTx, the block produced by ω-GsTx reversed upon washout of the peptide. ω-GsTx (270 nM) blocked 80%, and ω-CgTx (1 μM) blocked 64%, of whole-cell Ca2+ current (I Ca) elicited by step depolarization to 0 mV from a holding potential of −80 mV. ω-GsTx completely occluded inhibition of I Ca by ω-CgTx. However, when applied after ω-CgTx, ω-GsTx produced an additional inhibition of 27%, indicating that ω-GsTx also blocked a non-N-type Ca2+ channel. BayK8644 (1 μM) elicited an increase in I Ca in the presence of maximally effective concentrations of ω-GsTx, suggesting that ω-GsTx does not block L-type channels. Thus, ω-GsTx displays a selectivity for Ca2+ channel subtypes which should prove useful for studying Ca2+ channels and Ca2+-channel-mediated processes.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, 3-249 Millard Hall, 435 Delaware St. S. E., 55455, Minneapolis, MN, USA

    T. M. Piser & S. A. Thayer

  2. Department of Pharmacology, Zeneca Pharmaceuticals Group, Zeneca Inc., 19897, Wilmington, DE, USA

    R. A. Lampe & R. A. Keith

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  1. T. M. Piser
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  2. R. A. Lampe
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  3. R. A. Keith
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  4. S. A. Thayer
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Piser, T.M., Lampe, R.A., Keith, R.A. et al. ω-Grammotoxin blocks action-potential-induced Ca2+ influx and whole-cell Ca2+ current in rat dorsal-root ganglion neurons. Pflügers Arch. 426, 214–220 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00374774

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