Pore-forming spider venom peptides show cytotoxicity to hyperpolarized cancer cells expressing K+ channels: A lentiviral vector approach

PLoS One. 2019 Apr 12;14(4):e0215391. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0215391. eCollection 2019.

Abstract

Recent studies demonstrated the upregulation of K+ channels in cancer cells. We have previously found that a pore-forming peptide LaFr26, purified from the venom of the Lachesana sp spider, was selectively incorporated into K+ channel expressing hyperpolarized cells. Therefore, it is expected that this peptide would have selective cytotoxicity to hyperpolarized cancer cells. Here we have tested whether LaFr26 and its related peptide, oxyopinin-2b, are selectively cytotoxic to K+ channel expressing cancer cells. These peptides were cytotoxic to the cells, of which resting membrane potential was hyperpolarized. The vulnerabilities of K+ channel-expressing cell lines correlated with their resting membrane potential. They were cytotoxic to lung cancer cell lines LX22 and BEN, which endogenously expressed K+ current. Contrastingly, these peptides were ineffective to glioblastoma cell lines, U87 and T98G, of which membrane potentials were depolarized. Peptides have a drawback, i.e. poor drug-delivery, that hinders their potential use as medicine. To overcome this drawback, we prepared lentiviral vectors that can express these pore-forming peptides and tested the cytotoxicity to K+ channel expressing cells. The transduction with these lentiviral vectors showed autotoxic activity to the channel expressing cells. Our study provides the basis for a new oncolytic viral therapy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Animals
  • Arthropod Proteins / chemistry
  • Arthropod Proteins / genetics
  • Arthropod Proteins / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Genetic Vectors
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Lentivirus / genetics
  • Lung Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy
  • Neoplasms / metabolism*
  • Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Oncolytic Virotherapy / methods*
  • Peptides / chemistry
  • Peptides / genetics
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Potassium Channels / metabolism*
  • Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying / metabolism
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / metabolism
  • Small Cell Lung Carcinoma / therapy
  • Spider Venoms / chemistry
  • Spider Venoms / genetics
  • Spider Venoms / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Arthropod Proteins
  • KCNJ2 protein, human
  • Peptides
  • Potassium Channels
  • Potassium Channels, Inwardly Rectifying
  • Spider Venoms

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Strategic International Research Cooperative Program between JST and CONACyT, SICP. M.O. was supported the KAKENHI (18K06830, 25460323) form JSPS, Ryobi Memorial Foundation, Wesco Scientific Promotion Foundation. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.