Novel analgesic ω-conotoxins from the vermivorous cone snail Conus moncuri provide new insights into the evolution of conopeptides

Sci Rep. 2018 Sep 7;8(1):13397. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-31245-4.

Abstract

Cone snails are a diverse group of predatory marine invertebrates that deploy remarkably complex venoms to rapidly paralyse worm, mollusc or fish prey. ω-Conotoxins are neurotoxic peptides from cone snail venoms that inhibit Cav2.2 voltage-gated calcium channel, demonstrating potential for pain management via intrathecal (IT) administration. Here, we isolated and characterized two novel ω-conotoxins, MoVIA and MoVIB from Conus moncuri, the first to be identified in vermivorous (worm-hunting) cone snails. MoVIA and MoVIB potently inhibited human Cav2.2 in fluorimetric assays and rat Cav2.2 in patch clamp studies, and both potently displaced radiolabeled ω-conotoxin GVIA (125I-GVIA) from human SH-SY5Y cells and fish brain membranes (IC50 2-9 pM). Intriguingly, an arginine at position 13 in MoVIA and MoVIB replaced the functionally critical tyrosine found in piscivorous ω-conotoxins. To investigate its role, we synthesized MoVIB-[R13Y] and MVIIA-[Y13R]. Interestingly, MVIIA-[Y13R] completely lost Cav2.2 activity and MoVIB-[R13Y] had reduced activity, indicating that Arg at position 13 was preferred in these vermivorous ω-conotoxins whereas tyrosine 13 is preferred in piscivorous ω-conotoxins. MoVIB reversed pain behavior in a rat neuropathic pain model, confirming that vermivorous cone snails are a new source of analgesic ω-conotoxins. Given vermivorous cone snails are ancestral to piscivorous species, our findings support the repurposing of defensive venom peptides in the evolution of piscivorous Conidae.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Analgesics / chemistry*
  • Analgesics / pharmacology
  • Analgesics / therapeutic use
  • Animals
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / chemistry*
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use
  • Calcium Channels, N-Type / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Evolution, Molecular*
  • Ganglia, Spinal / cytology
  • Humans
  • Neuralgia / drug therapy
  • Neurons, Afferent / drug effects
  • Rats
  • Rats, Wistar
  • Snails
  • omega-Conotoxins / chemistry*
  • omega-Conotoxins / genetics
  • omega-Conotoxins / pharmacology
  • omega-Conotoxins / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Analgesics
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Calcium Channels, N-Type
  • omega-Conotoxins