These tools will no longer be maintained as of December 31, 2024. Archived website can be found here. PubMed4Hh GitHub repository can be found here. Contact NLM Customer Service if you have questions.
Pubmed for Handhelds
PUBMED FOR HANDHELDS
Search MEDLINE/PubMed
Title: Black widow spider venom-induced release of neurotransmitters: mammalian synaptosomes are stimulated by a unique venom component (alpha-latrotoxin), insect synaptosomes by multiple components. Author: Knipper M, Madeddu L, Breer H, Meldolesi J. Journal: Neuroscience; 1986 Sep; 19(1):55-62. PubMed ID: 2878391. Abstract: Synaptosomes isolated from the rat brain corpus striatum and locust head and thoracic ganglia were loaded with radioactive neurotransmitter ([3H]dopamine and [3H]acetylcholine, respectively) and then treated with alpha-latrotoxin and other fractions (fractions C, D and E of Frontali et al.8) obtained by Sephadex G200 column chromatography from black widow spider venom gland homogenates. As shown by sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, alpha-latrotoxin is a high Mr protein, whereas fractions C-E are mixtures of several proteins, that include small amounts of contaminating alpha-latrotoxin (especially in fraction C). In rat synaptosomes alpha-latrotoxin induced massive neurotransmitter release, and some release was induced also by high concentrations of fractions C and D. These responses were blocked almost completely by a monospecific anti-alpha-latrotoxin serum, indicating that they were all due to alpha-latrotoxin. Release of [3H]acetylcholine from locust synaptosomes was induced by the various preparations investigated. alpha-Latrotoxin was about 10-fold less potent in locust than in rat synaptosomes. The effects of fractions C-E tended to disappear with storage. The most active batches of fractions C and E were even more potent than alpha-latrotoxin, while the D fraction was approximately 5-fold less potent. The anti-alpha-latrotoxin antiserum inhibited part of the responses elicited by fractions C and E, but left fraction D almost unaffected. Release by D and E fractions was maintained even when Ca2+ was removed from the incubation medium.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)[Abstract] [Full Text] [Related] [New Search]