Targeting ionotropic receptors with polyamine-containing toxins

Ian R Mellor; Peter N R Usherwood

doi:10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.02.003

Targeting ionotropic receptors with polyamine-containing toxins

Toxicon. 2004 Apr;43(5):493-508. doi: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.02.003.

Authors

Ian R Mellor¹, Peter N R Usherwood

Affiliation

¹ School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK.

PMID: 15066409
DOI: 10.1016/j.toxicon.2004.02.003

Abstract

This review summarises current knowledge of polyamine-containing spider toxins and their interactions with ionotropic receptors of invertebrate and vertebrate excitable cells. Their diverse actions on ionotropic glutamate and acetylcholine receptors, which include potentiation, closed channel block and open channel block, are discussed in the context of toxin and target structures. Factors that complicate attempts to identify and pharmacologically characterise the binding sites for these toxins include their ability to permeate channels of some ionotropic receptors and their apparent accumulation in a cellular compartment, possibly the membrane bilayer.

Publication types

Comparative Study
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Drug Synergism
Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / metabolism
Ion Channels / metabolism*
Models, Biological*
Polyamines / metabolism*
Receptors, Cholinergic / metabolism
Receptors, Glutamate / metabolism
Spider Venoms / metabolism*
Spider Venoms / toxicity*
Spiders / chemistry*
Spiders / metabolism

Substances

Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists
Ion Channels
Polyamines
Receptors, Cholinergic
Receptors, Glutamate
Spider Venoms