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Antunes FTT, De Souza AH, Figueira J, Binda NS, Carvalho VPR, Vieira LB, Gomez MV. Targeting N-type calcium channels in young-onset of some neurological diseases. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:1090765. [PMID: 36601540 PMCID: PMC9806183 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.1090765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Calcium (Ca 2+) is an important second messenger in charge of many critical processes in the central nervous system (CNS), including membrane excitability, neurotransmission, learning, memory, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. In this way, the voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) act as a key supply for Ca2+ entry into the cytoplasm and organelles. Importantly, the dysregulation of these channels has been reported in many neurological diseases of young-onset, with associated genetic factors, such as migraine, multiple sclerosis, and Huntington's disease. Notably, the literature has pointed to the role of N-type Ca2+ channels (NTCCs) in controlling a variety of processes, including pain, inflammation, and excitotoxicity. Moreover, several Ca2+ channel blockers that are used for therapeutic purposes have been shown to act on the N-type channels. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the NTCCs in neurological disorders focusing mainly on Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and migraine. It will discuss possible strategies to generate novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Tasmin Techera Antunes
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada,Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Alessandra Hubner De Souza
- Post-Graduate Program of Health Sciences, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas de, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil,*Correspondence: Alessandra Hubner De Souza, ; Marcus Vinícius Gomez,
| | - Juliana Figueira
- Pharmacology Department, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Nancy Scardua Binda
- Pharmacology Department, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | - Luciene Bruno Vieira
- Pharmacology Departament, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinícius Gomez
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Faculty Santa Casa BH, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil,*Correspondence: Alessandra Hubner De Souza, ; Marcus Vinícius Gomez,
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Joviano-Santos JV, Valadão PAC, Magalhães-Gomes MPS, Fernandes LF, Diniz DM, Machado TCG, Soares KB, Ladeira MS, Massensini AR, Gomez MV, Miranda AS, Tápia JC, Guatimosim C. Neuroprotective effect of CTK 01512-2 recombinant toxin at the spinal cord in a model of Huntington's disease. Exp Physiol 2022; 107:933-945. [PMID: 35478205 DOI: 10.1113/ep090327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
NEW FINDINGS What is the central question of this study? We investigated the action of intrathecal administration of a novel toxin (CTK01512-2) in a mouse model for Huntington´s disease (HD). We asked if spinal cord neurons can represent a therapeutic target, as the spinal cord seems to be involved in HD motor-symptoms. Pharmacological approaches focusing on the spinal cord and skeletal muscles might represent a more feasible strategy. What is the main finding and its importance? We provided evidence of a novel, local, neuroprotector effect of CTK01512-2, paving a path for the development of approaches to treat HD-motor symptoms beyond the brain. ABSTRACT Phα1β is a neurotoxin from the venom of the Phoneutria nigriventer spider, available as CTK01512-2, a recombinant peptide. Due to its antinociceptive and analgesic properties, CTK01512-2 has been described to alleviate neuroinflammatory responses. Despite the diverse CTK01512-2 actions on the nervous system, little is known regarding its neuroprotective effect, especially in neurodegenerative conditions such as Huntington's disease (HD), a genetic movement disorder without cure. Here, we investigated whether CTK01512-2 has a neuroprotector effect in a mouse model of HD. We hypothesized that spinal cord neurons might represent a therapeutic target, as the spinal cord seems to be involved in the motor-symptoms of HD mice (BACHD). Then, we treated BACHD mice with CTK01512-2 by intrathecal injection, and performed in vivo motor behavior and morphological analyses in the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and muscles. Our data showed that intrathecal injection of CTK01512-2 significantly improves motor-performance in the Open-field task. CTK01512-2 protects neurons in the spinal cord (but not in the brain) from death, suggesting a local effect. CTK01512-2 exerts its neuroprotective effect by inhibiting BACHD-neuronal apoptosis, as revealed by a reduction in caspase-3 in the spinal cord. CTK01512-2 was also able to revert BACHD muscle atrophy. In conclusion, our data provide a novel role for CTK01512-2 acting directly in the spinal cord, ameliorating morphofunctional aspects of spinal cord neurons, and muscles, and improving BACHD mice performance in motor-behavioral tests. Since HD shares similar symptoms to many neurodegenerative conditions, the findings presented herein may also be applicable to other disorders. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Lorena F Fernandes
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | | | | | - Kivia B Soares
- Laboratório de Biologia da Neurotransmissão, Departamento de Morfologia
| | - Marina S Ladeira
- Laboratório de Biologia da Neurotransmissão, Departamento de Morfologia
| | - Andre R Massensini
- Núcleo de Neurociências, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Aline S Miranda
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Juan C Tápia
- Escuela de Medicina, Universidad de Talca, Talca, Chile.,Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
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Phα1β is a Promising Neuroprotective Peptide from the Phoneutria nigriventer ‘Armed’ Spider. Int J Pept Res Ther 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-022-10381-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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