A Novel Inhibitor Prevents the Peripheral Neuroparalysis of Botulinum Neurotoxins

Sci Rep. 2015 Dec 16:5:17513. doi: 10.1038/srep17513.

Abstract

Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) form a large class of potent and deadly neurotoxins. Given their growing number, it is of paramount importance to discover novel inhibitors targeting common steps of their intoxication process. Recently, EGA was shown to inhibit the action of bacterial toxins and viruses exhibiting a pH-dependent translocation step in mammalian cells, by interfering with their entry route. As BoNTs act in the cytosol of nerve terminals, the entry into an appropriate compartment wherefrom they translocate the catalytic moiety is essential for toxicity. Herein we propose an optimized procedure to synthesize EGA and we show that, in vitro, it prevents the neurotoxicity of different BoNT serotypes by interfering with their trafficking. Furthermore, in mice, EGA mitigates botulism symptoms induced by BoNT/A and significantly decreases the lethality of BoNT/B and BoNT/D. This opens the possibility of using EGA as a lead compound to develop novel inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxins.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Biological Transport
  • Botulinum Toxins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Botulinum Toxins / metabolism
  • Diaphragm / drug effects
  • Diaphragm / physiopathology
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Neurotoxins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Neurotoxins / metabolism
  • Paralysis / drug therapy
  • Paralysis / etiology
  • Paralysis / physiopathology*
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / drug therapy
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / etiology
  • Peripheral Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology*
  • SNARE Proteins / metabolism
  • Semicarbazones / chemical synthesis
  • Semicarbazones / chemistry
  • Semicarbazones / pharmacology

Substances

  • Neurotoxins
  • SNARE Proteins
  • Semicarbazones
  • Botulinum Toxins