The venom of the spider Selenocosmia jiafu contains various neurotoxins acting on voltage-gated ion channels in rat dorsal root ganglion neurons

Toxins (Basel). 2014 Mar 5;6(3):988-1001. doi: 10.3390/toxins6030988.

Abstract

Selenocosmia jiafu is a medium-sized theraphosid spider and an attractive source of venom, because it can be bred in captivity and it produces large amounts of venom. We performed reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) and matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS) analyses and showed that S. jiafu venom contains hundreds of peptides with a predominant mass of 3000-4500 Da. Patch clamp analyses indicated that the venom could inhibit voltage-gated Na+, K+ and Ca2+ channels in rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The venom exhibited inhibitory effects on tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) Na+ currents and T-type Ca2+ currents, suggesting the presence of antagonists to both channel types and providing a valuable tool for the investigation of these channels and for drug development. Intra-abdominal injection of the venom had severe toxic effects on cockroaches and caused death at higher concentrations. The LD50 was 84.24 μg/g of body weight in the cockroach. However, no visible symptoms or behavioral changes were detected after intraperitoneal injection of the venom into mice even at doses up to 10 mg/kg body weight. Our results provide a basis for further case-by-case investigations of peptide toxins from this venom.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / chemistry
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology*
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / toxicity
  • Calcium Channels / physiology
  • Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
  • Cockroaches / drug effects
  • Female
  • Ganglia, Spinal / cytology
  • Ganglia, Spinal / physiology
  • Lethal Dose 50
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neurons / drug effects*
  • Neurons / physiology
  • Neurotoxins / chemistry
  • Neurotoxins / pharmacology*
  • Neurotoxins / toxicity
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / isolation & purification
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated / physiology
  • Rats
  • Rats, Sprague-Dawley
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / chemistry
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / pharmacology*
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / toxicity
  • Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization
  • Spider Venoms / chemistry
  • Spider Venoms / pharmacology*
  • Spider Venoms / toxicity
  • Spiders
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels / physiology

Substances

  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Calcium Channels
  • Neurotoxins
  • Peptides
  • Potassium Channels, Voltage-Gated
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Spider Venoms
  • Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels