Meroterpenoid Chrodrimanins Are Selective and Potent Blockers of Insect GABA-Gated Chloride Channels

PLoS One. 2015 Apr 22;10(4):e0122629. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0122629. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Meroterpenoid chrodrimanins, produced from Talaromyces sp. YO-2, are known to paralyze silkworm (Bombyx mori) larvae, but their target is unknown. We have investigated the actions of chrodrimanin B on ligand-gated ion channels of silkworm larval neurons using patch-clamp electrophysiology. Chrodrimanin B had no effect on membrane currents when tested alone at 1 μM. However, it completely blocked the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-induced current and showed less pronounced actions on acetylcholine- and L-glutamate-induced currents, when delivered at 1 μM for 1 min prior to co-application with transmitter GABA. Thus, chrodrimanins were also tested on a wild-type isoform of the B. mori GABA receptor (GABAR) RDL using two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology. Chrodrimanin B attenuated the peak current amplitude of the GABA response of RDL with an IC50 of 1.66 nM. The order of the GABAR-blocking potency of chrodrimanins B > D > A was in accordance with their reported insecticidal potency. Chrodrimanin B had no open channel blocking action when tested at 3 nM on the GABA response of RDL. Co-application with 3 nM chrodrimanin B shifted the GABA concentration response curve to a higher concentration and further increase of chrodrimanin B concentration to 10 nM; it reduced maximum current amplitude of the GABA response, pointing to a high-affinity competitive action and a lower affinity non-competitive action. The A282S;T286V double mutation of RDL, which impairs the actions of fipronil, hardly affected the blocking action of chrodrimanin B, indicating a binding site of chrodrimanin B distinct from that of fipronil. Chrodrimanin B showed approximately 1,000-fold lower blocking action on human α1β2γ2 GABAR compared to RDL and thus is a selective blocker of insect GABARs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Bombyx*
  • Chloride Channels / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Chloride Channels / metabolism*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • GABA Antagonists / toxicity*
  • Humans
  • Insect Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Insecticides / toxicity
  • Ion Channel Gating / drug effects*
  • Larva / cytology
  • Larva / drug effects
  • Mutation
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Oocytes / metabolism
  • Polyketides / toxicity*
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology
  • Receptors, GABA / genetics
  • Receptors, GABA / metabolism
  • Safety
  • Sesquiterpenes / toxicity*
  • Terpenes / toxicity*
  • Xenopus / genetics
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / metabolism*

Substances

  • Chloride Channels
  • GABA Antagonists
  • Insect Proteins
  • Insecticides
  • Polyketides
  • Pyrazoles
  • Receptors, GABA
  • Sesquiterpenes
  • Terpenes
  • chrodrimanin B
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
  • fipronil

Grants and funding

KM was supported in part by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers 21310147, 26292031 and MEXT Strategic Project to Support the Formation of Research Bases at Private Universities: Matching Fund Subsidy Grant Number S1101035. YX was supported by the China Scholarship Council File Number 201206350101. YL was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China Grant Number 21272266.