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  • Title: Effects of ApC, a sea anemone toxin, on sodium currents of mammalian neurons.
    Author: Salceda E, Garateix A, Aneiros A, Salazar H, López O, Soto E.
    Journal: Brain Res; 2006 Sep 19; 1110(1):136-43. PubMed ID: 16914123.
    Abstract:
    We have characterized the actions of ApC, a sea anemone polypeptide toxin isolated from Anthopleura elegantissima, on neuronal sodium currents (I(Na)) using current and voltage-clamp techniques. Neurons of the dorsal root ganglia of Wistar rats (P5-9) in primary culture were used for this study. These cells express tetrodotoxin-sensitive (TTX-S) and tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) I(Na). In current-clamp experiments, application of ApC increased the average duration of the action potential. Under voltage-clamp conditions, the main effect of ApC was a concentration-dependent increase in the TTX-S I(Na) inactivation time course. No significant effects were observed on the activation time course or on the current peak-amplitude. ApC also produced a hyperpolarizing shift in the voltage at which 50% of the channels are inactivated and caused a significant decrease in the voltage dependence of Na+ channel inactivation. No effects were observed on TTX-R I(Na). Our results suggest that ApC slows the conformational changes required for fast inactivation of the mammalian Na+ channels in a form similar to other site-3 toxins, although with a greater potency than ATX-II, a highly homologous anemone toxin.
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