Synthesis and analgesic effects of μ-TRTX-Hhn1b on models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain

Toxins (Basel). 2014 Aug 13;6(8):2363-78. doi: 10.3390/toxins6082363.

Abstract

μ-TRTX-Hhn1b (HNTX-IV) is a 35-amino acid peptide isolated from the venom of the spider, Ornithoctonus hainana. It inhibits voltage-gated sodium channel Nav1.7, which has been considered as a therapeutic target for pain. The goal of the present study is to elucidate the analgesic effects of synthetic μ-TRTX-Hhn1b on animal models of pain. The peptide was first synthesized and then successfully refolded/oxidized. The synthetic peptide had the same inhibitory effect on human Nav1.7 current transiently expressed in HEK 293 cells as the native toxin. Furthermore, the analgesic potentials of the synthetic peptide were examined on models of inflammatory pain and neuropathic pain. μ-TRTX-Hhn1b produced an efficient reversal of acute nociceptive pain in the abdominal constriction model, and significantly reduced the pain scores over the 40-min period in the formalin model. The efficiency of μ-TRTX-Hhn1b on both models was equivalent to that of morphine. In the spinal nerve model, the reversal effect of μ-TRTX-Hhn1b on allodynia was longer and higher than mexiletine. These results demonstrated that μ-TRTX-Hhn1b efficiently alleviated acute inflammatory pain and chronic neuropathic pain in animals and provided an attractive template for further clinical analgesic drug design.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetic Acid
  • Analgesics / chemical synthesis
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use*
  • Animals
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Formaldehyde
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Inflammation / drug therapy
  • Male
  • Mice, Inbred ICR
  • Motor Activity / drug effects
  • NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / physiology
  • Neuralgia / chemically induced
  • Neuralgia / drug therapy*
  • Peptides / chemical synthesis
  • Peptides / therapeutic use*
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Spider Venoms / chemical synthesis
  • Spider Venoms / therapeutic use*
  • Spinal Nerves / injuries
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / chemical synthesis
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Peptides
  • SCN9A protein, human
  • Spider Venoms
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Blockers
  • hainantoxin-IV, Seleconosmia hainana
  • Formaldehyde
  • Acetic Acid