1
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Venom-derived pain-causing toxins: insights into sensory neuron function and pain mechanisms. Pain 2022; 163:S46-S56. [DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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2
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Jacob B, Vogelaar A, Cadenas E, Camarero JA. Using the Cyclotide Scaffold for Targeting Biomolecular Interactions in Drug Development. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196430. [PMID: 36234971 PMCID: PMC9570680 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/21/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
This review provides an overview of the properties of cyclotides and their potential for developing novel peptide-based therapeutics. The selective disruption of protein–protein interactions remains challenging, as the interacting surfaces are relatively large and flat. However, highly constrained polypeptide-based molecular frameworks with cell-permeability properties, such as the cyclotide scaffold, have shown great promise for targeting those biomolecular interactions. The use of molecular techniques, such as epitope grafting and molecular evolution employing the cyclotide scaffold, has shown to be highly effective for selecting bioactive cyclotides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binu Jacob
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
| | - Alicia Vogelaar
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
| | - Enrique Cadenas
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
| | - Julio A. Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA
- Correspondence:
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3
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Wilson DT, Bansal PS, Carter DA, Vetter I, Nicke A, Dutertre S, Daly NL. Characterisation of a Novel A-Superfamily Conotoxin. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8050128. [PMID: 32443665 PMCID: PMC7277881 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8050128] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2020] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Conopeptides belonging to the A-superfamily from the venomous molluscs, Conus, are typically α-conotoxins. The α-conotoxins are of interest as therapeutic leads and pharmacological tools due to their selectivity and potency at nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtypes. Structurally, the α-conotoxins have a consensus fold containing two conserved disulfide bonds that define the two-loop framework and brace a helical region. Here we report on a novel α-conotoxin Pl168, identified from the transcriptome of Conus planorbis, which has an unusual 4/8 loop framework. Unexpectedly, NMR determination of its three-dimensional structure reveals a new structural type of A-superfamily conotoxins with a different disulfide-stabilized fold, despite containing the conserved cysteine framework and disulfide connectivity of classical α-conotoxins. The peptide did not demonstrate activity on a range of nAChRs, or Ca2+ and Na+ channels suggesting that it might represent a new pharmacological class of conotoxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- David T. Wilson
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; (D.T.W.); (P.S.B.)
| | - Paramjit S. Bansal
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; (D.T.W.); (P.S.B.)
| | - David A. Carter
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.A.C.); (I.V.)
| | - Irina Vetter
- Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia; (D.A.C.); (I.V.)
- School of Pharmacy, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Annette Nicke
- Walther Straub Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Nußbaumstraße 26, 80336 Munich, Germany;
| | - Sébastien Dutertre
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, 34095 Montpellier, France;
| | - Norelle L. Daly
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Smithfield, QLD 4878, Australia; (D.T.W.); (P.S.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +61-7-4232-1815
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Abstract
Amino acids perform a variety of functions in cells and organisms, particularly in the synthesis of proteins, as energy metabolites, neurotransmitters, and precursors for many other molecules. Amino acid transport plays a key role in all these functions. Inhibition of amino acid transport is pursued as a therapeutic strategy in several areas, such as diabetes and related metabolic disorders, neurological disorders, cancer, and stem cell biology. The role of amino acid transporters in these disorders and processes is well established, but the implementation of amino acid transporters as drug targets is still in its infancy. This is at least in part due to the underdeveloped pharmacology of this group of membrane proteins. Recent advances in structural biology, membrane protein expression, and inhibitor screening methodology will see an increased number of improved and selective inhibitors of amino acid transporters that can serve as tool compounds for further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Bröer
- 1 Research School of Biology, College of Science, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
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5
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Camarero JA, Campbell MJ. The Potential of the Cyclotide Scaffold for Drug Development. Biomedicines 2019; 7:biomedicines7020031. [PMID: 31010257 PMCID: PMC6631875 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines7020031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2019] [Revised: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclotides are a novel class of micro-proteins (≈30-40 residues long) with a unique topology containing a head-to-tail cyclized backbone structure further stabilized by three disulfide bonds that form a cystine knot. This unique molecular framework makes them exceptionally stable to physical, chemical, and biological degradation compared to linear peptides of similar size. The cyclotides are also highly tolerant to sequence variability, aside from the conserved residues forming the cystine knot, and are orally bioavailable and able to cross cellular membranes to modulate intracellular protein-protein interactions (PPIs), both in vitro and in vivo. These unique properties make them ideal scaffolds for many biotechnological applications, including drug discovery. This review provides an overview of the properties of cyclotides and their potential for the development of novel peptide-based therapeutics. The selective disruption of PPIs still remains a very challenging task, as the interacting surfaces are relatively large and flat. The use of the cell-permeable highly constrained polypeptide molecular frameworks, such as the cyclotide scaffold, has shown great promise, as it provides unique pharmacological properties. The use of molecular techniques, such as epitope grafting, and molecular evolution have shown to be highly effective for the selection of bioactive cyclotides. However, despite successes in employing cyclotides to target PPIs, some of the challenges to move them into the clinic still remain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julio A Camarero
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA.
- Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA.
| | - Maria Jose Campbell
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 9033, USA.
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Ziegman R, Brust A, Jha P, Cardoso FC, Lewis RJ, Alewood PF. 'Messy' Processing of χ-conotoxin MrIA Generates Homologues with Reduced hNET Potency. Mar Drugs 2019; 17:md17030165. [PMID: 30875751 PMCID: PMC6470548 DOI: 10.3390/md17030165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Integrated venomics techniques have shown that variable processing of conotoxins from Conus marmoreus resulted in a dramatic expansion in the number of expressed conotoxins. One conotoxin from C. marmoreus, the χ-conotoxin MrIA, is a selective inhibitor of human norepinephrine transporters (hNET) and therefore a drug candidate for attenuating chronic neuropathic pain. It has been found that “messy” processing of the MrIA transcripts results in the expression of MrIA analogs with different truncations of the pro-peptide that contains portions of the MrIA molecule. The aim of this study was to investigate if variable processing of the expressed peptides results in modulation of the existing hNET pharmacology or creates new pharmacologies. To this end, a number of MrIA analogs found in C. marmoreus venom were synthesized and evaluated for their activity at hNET receptors. While several of the analogs exhibited norepinephrine transporter inhibitory activity comparable to that of MrIA, none significantly improved on the potency of conotoxin MrIA, and those analogs with disrupted pharmacophores produced greatly reduced NET inhibition, confirming previous structure-activity relationships seen on χ-class conopeptides. Additionally, analogs were screened for new activities on ion channels using calcium influx assays, although no major new pharmacology was revealed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah Ziegman
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Andreas Brust
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Prerna Jha
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Fernanda C Cardoso
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
| | - Paul F Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.
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Abraham N, Lewis RJ. Neuronal Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptor Modulators from Cone Snails. Mar Drugs 2018; 16:E208. [PMID: 29899286 PMCID: PMC6024932 DOI: 10.3390/md16060208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 05/25/2018] [Accepted: 06/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine cone snails are a large family of gastropods that have evolved highly potent venoms for predation and defense. The cone snail venom has exceptional molecular diversity in neuropharmacologically active compounds, targeting a range of receptors, ion channels, and transporters. These conotoxins have helped to dissect the structure and function of many of these therapeutically significant targets in the central and peripheral nervous systems, as well as unravelling the complex cellular mechanisms modulated by these receptors and ion channels. This review provides an overview of α-conotoxins targeting neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. The structure and activity of both classical and non-classical α-conotoxins are discussed, along with their contributions towards understanding nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) structure and function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikita Abraham
- IMB Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
| | - Richard J Lewis
- IMB Centre for Pain Research, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia.
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9
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Safavi-Hemami H, Brogan SE, Olivera BM. Pain therapeutics from cone snail venoms: From Ziconotide to novel non-opioid pathways. J Proteomics 2018; 190:12-20. [PMID: 29777871 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2018.05.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 05/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
There have been numerous attempts to develop non-opioid drugs for severe pain, but the vast majority of these efforts have failed. A notable exception is Ziconotide (Prialt®), approved by the FDA in 2004. In this review, we summarize the present status of Ziconotide as a therapeutic drug and introduce a wider framework: the potential of venom peptides from cone snails as a resource providing a continuous pipeline for the discovery of non-opioid pain therapeutics. An auxiliary theme that we hope to develop is that these venoms, already a validated starting point for non-opioid drug leads, should also provide an opportunity for identifying novel molecular targets for future pain drugs. This review comprises several sections: the first focuses on Ziconotide as a therapeutic (including a historical retrospective and a clinical perspective); followed by sections on other promising Conus venom peptides that are either in clinical or pre-clinical development. We conclude with a discussion on why the outlook for discovery appears exceptionally promising. The combination of new technologies in diverse fields, including the development of novel high-content assays and revolutionary advancements in transcriptomics and proteomics, puts us at the cusp of providing a continuous pipeline of non-opioid drug innovations for pain. SIGNIFICANCE: The current opioid epidemic is the deadliest drug crisis in American history. Thus, this review on the discovery of non-opioid pain therapeutics and pathways from cone snail venoms is significant and timely.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shane E Brogan
- Anesthesiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Huntsman Cancer Institute, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
| | - Baldomero M Olivera
- Departments of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, United States
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10
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Molecular Engineering of Conus Peptides as Therapeutic Leads. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2017; 1030:229-254. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-66095-0_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Yu S, Du T, Liu Z, Wu Q, Feng G, Dong M, Zhou X, Jiang L, Dai Q. Im10A, a short conopeptide isolated from Conus imperialis and possesses two highly concentrated disulfide bridges and analgesic activity. Peptides 2016; 81:15-20. [PMID: 27131596 DOI: 10.1016/j.peptides.2016.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2016] [Revised: 04/02/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
In the present study, we isolated, synthesized and NMR structurally characterized a novel conopeptide Im10A consisting of 11 amino acids (NTICCEGCMCY-NH2) from Conus imperialis. Unlike other conopeptides with four cysteine residues, Im10A had only two residues in loop 1 and one residue in loop 2 (CC-loop1-C-loop2-C), which formed a stable disulfide connectivity "I-IV, II- III" (framework X) with a type I β-turn. Interestingly, Im10A exhibited 50.7% analgesic activity on rat partial sciatic nerve ligation (PNL) at 2h after Im10A administration. However, 10μM Im10A exhibited no apparent effect on neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, and it did not target DRG voltage-dependent sodium, potassium and calcium ion channels and opioid receptor. To our knowledge, Im10A had the most concentrated disulfide bridges among conopeptides with four cysteine residues. This finding provided a new motif for the future development of biomimetic compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuo Yu
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China
| | - Tianpeng Du
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430071, PR China
| | - Zhuguo Liu
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China
| | - Qiaoling Wu
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China
| | - Guixue Feng
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China
| | - Mingxin Dong
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China
| | - Xiaowei Zhou
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China
| | - Ling Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Magnetic Resonance in Biological Systems, National Center for Magnetic Resonance in Wuhan, State Key laboratory of Magnetic Resonance and Atomic and Molecular Physics, Wuhan Institute of Physics and Mathematics, Chinese Academy of Science, Wuhan 430071, PR China.
| | - Qiuyun Dai
- Beijing Institute of Biotechnology, Beijing 10071, PR China.
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12
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Peng C, Yao G, Gao BM, Fan CX, Bian C, Wang J, Cao Y, Wen B, Zhu Y, Ruan Z, Zhao X, You X, Bai J, Li J, Lin Z, Zou S, Zhang X, Qiu Y, Chen J, Coon SL, Yang J, Chen JS, Shi Q. High-throughput identification of novel conotoxins from the Chinese tubular cone snail (Conus betulinus) by multi-transcriptome sequencing. Gigascience 2016; 5:17. [PMID: 27087938 PMCID: PMC4832519 DOI: 10.1186/s13742-016-0122-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 04/07/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The venom of predatory marine cone snails mainly contains a diverse array of unique bioactive peptides commonly referred to as conopeptides or conotoxins. These peptides have proven to be valuable pharmacological probes and potential drugs because of their high specificity and affinity to important ion channels, receptors and transporters of the nervous system. Most previous studies have focused specifically on the conopeptides from piscivorous and molluscivorous cone snails, but little attention has been devoted to the dominant vermivorous species. Results The vermivorous Chinese tubular cone snail, Conus betulinus, is the dominant Conus species inhabiting the South China Sea. The transcriptomes of venom ducts and venom bulbs from a variety of specimens of this species were sequenced using both next-generation sequencing and traditional Sanger sequencing technologies, resulting in the identification of a total of 215 distinct conopeptides. Among these, 183 were novel conopeptides, including nine new superfamilies. It appeared that most of the identified conopeptides were synthesized in the venom duct, while a handful of conopeptides were identified only in the venom bulb and at very low levels. Conclusions We identified 215 unique putative conopeptide transcripts from the combination of five transcriptomes and one EST sequencing dataset. Variation in conopeptides from different specimens of C. betulinus was observed, which suggested the presence of intraspecific variability in toxin production at the genetic level. These novel conopeptides provide a potentially fertile resource for the development of new pharmaceuticals, and a pathway for the discovery of new conotoxins. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13742-016-0122-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Peng
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | - Ge Yao
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, 102205 China
| | - Bing-Miao Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan Medical University, Haikou, 571199 China
| | - Chong-Xu Fan
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, 102205 China
| | - Chao Bian
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | | | - Ying Cao
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, 102205 China
| | - Bo Wen
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | | | - Zhiqiang Ruan
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | | | - Xinxin You
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | - Jie Bai
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | - Jia Li
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | | | | | - Xinhui Zhang
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | - Ying Qiu
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | - Jieming Chen
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China
| | - Steven L Coon
- Molecular Genomics Laboratory, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892 USA
| | - Jiaan Yang
- Micro Pharmatech Ltd, Wuhan, 430075 China
| | - Ji-Sheng Chen
- Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Beijing, 102205 China
| | - Qiong Shi
- BGI-Shenzhen, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Marine Genomics, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Breeding in Marine Economic Animals, State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Genomics, Shenzhen, 518083 China ; BGI-Zhenjiang Institute of Hydrobiology, Zhenjiang, 212000 China
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Wan J, Brust A, Bhola RF, Jha P, Mobli M, Lewis RJ, Christie MJ, Alewood PF. Inhibition of the norepinephrine transporter by χ-conotoxin dendrimers. J Pept Sci 2016; 22:280-9. [DOI: 10.1002/psc.2857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2015] [Revised: 12/15/2015] [Accepted: 12/27/2015] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Wan
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Andreas Brust
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Rebecca F. Bhola
- Discipline of Pharmacology; University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Prerna Jha
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Mehdi Mobli
- Centre for Advanced Imaging; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Richard J. Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
| | - Macdonald J. Christie
- Discipline of Pharmacology; University of Sydney; Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Paul F. Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience; The University of Queensland; Brisbane Queensland 4072 Australia
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15
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Intrathecal reboxetine suppresses evoked and ongoing neuropathic pain behaviours by restoring spinal noradrenergic inhibitory tone. Pain 2015; 156:328-334. [PMID: 25599454 DOI: 10.1097/01.j.pain.0000460313.73358.31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
The descending noradrenergic (NAergic) projection to the spinal cord forms part of an endogenous analgesic system. After nerve injury, a localised failure in this compensatory system has been implicated as a permissive factor in the development of neuropathic sensitisation. We investigated whether restoring descending NAergic tone with intrathecal reboxetine can oppose the development of the neuropathic pain phenotype after tibial nerve transection (TNT). Rats had a lumbar intrathecal catheter implanted at the time of nerve injury for administration of reboxetine (10 μg) in both acute and chronic dosing experiments. In acute dosing experiments, both intrathecal and systemic (30 mg/kg) reboxetine partially reversed mechanical allodynia. This antiallodynic effect of intrathecal reboxetine was blocked by prior administration of yohimbine (α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, 30 μg) but not by prazosin (α1-adrenoceptor antagonist, 30 μg) or propranolol (β-adrenoceptor antagonist, 100 μg). Chronic intrathecal reboxetine (10 μg, intrathecally, twice daily for 2 weeks) suppressed the development of cold and mechanical allodynia. Nerve-injured animals demonstrated a place preference for intrathecal reboxetine, suggesting that it also reduced spontaneous pain. In contrast, an equivalent antiallodynic dose of systemic reboxetine (30 mg/kg) was aversive in both naive and TNT rats. On cessation of chronic intrathecal reboxetine, there was a gradual development of allodynic sensitisation that was indistinguishable from control TNT animals by 7 days after the end of dosing. Our results suggest that pharmacological restoration of spinal NAergic tone with intrathecal reboxetine can suppress both allodynia and spontaneous pain in the TNT model.
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16
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Himaya SWA, Jin AH, Dutertre S, Giacomotto J, Mohialdeen H, Vetter I, Alewood PF, Lewis RJ. Comparative Venomics Reveals the Complex Prey Capture Strategy of the Piscivorous Cone Snail Conus catus. J Proteome Res 2015; 14:4372-81. [PMID: 26322961 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.5b00630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Venomous marine cone snails produce a unique and remarkably diverse range of venom peptides (conotoxins and conopeptides) that have proven to be invaluable as pharmacological probes and leads to new therapies. Conus catus is a hook-and-line fish hunter from clade I, with ∼20 conotoxins identified, including the analgesic ω-conotoxin CVID (AM336). The current study unravels the venom composition of C. catus with tandem mass spectrometry and 454 sequencing data. From the venom gland transcriptome, 104 precursors were recovered from 11 superfamilies, with superfamily A (especially κA-) conotoxins dominating (77%) their venom. Proteomic analysis confirmed that κA-conotoxins dominated the predation-evoked milked venom of each of six C. catus analyzed and revealed remarkable intraspecific variation in both the intensity and type of conotoxins. High-throughput FLIPR assays revealed that the predation-evoked venom contained a range of conotoxins targeting the nAChR, Cav, and Nav ion channels, consistent with α- and ω-conotoxins being used for predation by C. catus. However, the κA-conotoxins did not act at these targets but induced potent and rapid immobilization followed by bursts of activity and finally paralysis when injected intramuscularly in zebrafish. Our venomics approach revealed the complexity of the envenomation strategy used by C. catus, which contains a mix of both excitatory and inhibitory venom peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- S W A Himaya
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Ai-Hua Jin
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Sébastien Dutertre
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia.,Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron, UMR 5247, Université Montpellier-CNRS , Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier Cedex 5 34095, France
| | - Jean Giacomotto
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Hoshyar Mohialdeen
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Irina Vetter
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Paul F Alewood
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
| | - Richard J Lewis
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane, 4072 Queensland, Australia
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Abstract
Peptide neurotoxins from cone snails called conotoxins are renowned for their therapeutic potential to treat pain and several neurodegenerative diseases. Inefficient assay-guided discovery methods have been replaced by high-throughput bioassays integrated with advanced MS and next-generation sequencing, ushering in the era of 'venomics'. In this review, we focus on the impact of venomics on the understanding of cone snail biology as well as the application of venomics to accelerate the discovery of new conotoxins. We also discuss the continued importance of medicinal chemistry approaches to optimize conotoxins for clinical use, with a descriptive case study of MrIA featured.
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Optimized deep-targeted proteotranscriptomic profiling reveals unexplored Conus toxin diversity and novel cysteine frameworks. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2015; 112:E3782-91. [PMID: 26150494 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1501334112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cone snails are predatory marine gastropods characterized by a sophisticated venom apparatus responsible for the biosynthesis and delivery of complex mixtures of cysteine-rich toxin peptides. These conotoxins fold into small highly structured frameworks, allowing them to potently and selectively interact with heterologous ion channels and receptors. Approximately 2,000 toxins from an estimated number of >70,000 bioactive peptides have been identified in the genus Conus to date. Here, we describe a high-resolution interrogation of the transcriptomes (available at www.ddbj.nig.ac.jp) and proteomes of the diverse compartments of the Conus episcopatus venom apparatus. Using biochemical and bioinformatic tools, we found the highest number of conopeptides yet discovered in a single Conus specimen, with 3,305 novel precursor toxin sequences classified into 9 known superfamilies (A, I1, I2, M, O1, O2, S, T, Z), and identified 16 new superfamilies showing unique signal peptide signatures. We were also able to depict the largest population of venom peptides containing the pharmacologically active C-C-CC-C-C inhibitor cystine knot and CC-C-C motifs (168 and 44 toxins, respectively), as well as 208 new conotoxins displaying odd numbers of cysteine residues derived from known conotoxin motifs. Importantly, six novel cysteine-rich frameworks were revealed which may have novel pharmacology. Finally, analyses of codon usage bias and RNA-editing processes of the conotoxin transcripts demonstrate a specific conservation of the cysteine skeleton at the nucleic acid level and provide new insights about the origin of sequence hypervariablity in mature toxin regions.
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Upert G, Mourier G, Pastor A, Verdenaud M, Alili D, Servent D, Gilles N. High-throughput production of two disulphide-bridge toxins. Chem Commun (Camb) 2015; 50:8408-11. [PMID: 24947561 DOI: 10.1039/c4cc02679a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
A quick and efficient production method compatible with high-throughput screening was developed using 36 toxins belonging to four different families of two disulphide-bridge toxins. Final toxins were characterized using HPLC co-elution, CD and pharmacological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grégory Upert
- CEA, DSV, iBiTec-S, Service d'Ingénierie Moléculaire des Protéines (SIMOPRO), CEA Saclay, Gif sur Yvette F-91191, France.
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20
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Abstract
Components from venoms have stimulated many drug discovery projects, with some notable successes. These are briefly reviewed, from captopril to ziconotide. However, there have been many more disappointments on the road from toxin discovery to approval of a new medicine. Drug discovery and development is an inherently risky business, and the main causes of failure during development programmes are outlined in order to highlight steps that might be taken to increase the chances of success with toxin-based drug discovery. These include having a clear focus on unmet therapeutic needs, concentrating on targets that are well-validated in terms of their relevance to the disease in question, making use of phenotypic screening rather than molecular-based assays, and working with development partners with the resources required for the long and expensive development process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alan L Harvey
- Research and Innovation Support, Dublin City University, Dublin 9, Ireland; Strathclyde Institute for Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G4 0RE, UK.
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Northfield SE, Wang CK, Schroeder CI, Durek T, Kan MW, Swedberg JE, Craik DJ. Disulfide-rich macrocyclic peptides as templates in drug design. Eur J Med Chem 2014; 77:248-57. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2014] [Revised: 02/25/2014] [Accepted: 03/05/2014] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Brust A, Wang CIA, Daly NL, Kennerly J, Sadeghi M, Christie MJ, Lewis RJ, Mobli M, Alewood PF. Vicinal Disulfide Constrained Cyclic Peptidomimetics: a Turn Mimetic Scaffold Targeting the Norepinephrine Transporter. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013; 52:12020-3. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201304660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2013] [Revised: 08/02/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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23
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Brust A, Wang CIA, Daly NL, Kennerly J, Sadeghi M, Christie MJ, Lewis RJ, Mobli M, Alewood PF. Vicinal Disulfide Constrained Cyclic Peptidomimetics: a Turn Mimetic Scaffold Targeting the Norepinephrine Transporter. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2013. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201304660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
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Dutertre S, Jin AH, Kaas Q, Jones A, Alewood PF, Lewis RJ. Deep venomics reveals the mechanism for expanded peptide diversity in cone snail venom. Mol Cell Proteomics 2012; 12:312-29. [PMID: 23152539 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m112.021469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 158] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Cone snails produce highly complex venom comprising mostly small biologically active peptides known as conotoxins or conopeptides. Early estimates that suggested 50-200 venom peptides are produced per species have been recently increased at least 10-fold using advanced mass spectrometry. To uncover the mechanism(s) responsible for generating this impressive diversity, we used an integrated approach combining second-generation transcriptome sequencing with high sensitivity proteomics. From the venom gland transcriptome of Conus marmoreus, a total of 105 conopeptide precursor sequences from 13 gene superfamilies were identified. Over 60% of these precursors belonged to the three gene superfamilies O1, T, and M, consistent with their high levels of expression, which suggests these conotoxins play an important role in prey capture and/or defense. Seven gene superfamilies not previously identified in C. marmoreus, including five novel superfamilies, were also discovered. To confirm the expression of toxins identified at the transcript level, the injected venom of C. marmoreus was comprehensively analyzed by mass spectrometry, revealing 2710 and 3172 peptides using MALDI and ESI-MS, respectively, and 6254 peptides using an ESI-MS TripleTOF 5600 instrument. All conopeptides derived from transcriptomic sequences could be matched to masses obtained on the TripleTOF within 100 ppm accuracy, with 66 (63%) providing MS/MS coverage that unambiguously confirmed these matches. Comprehensive integration of transcriptomic and proteomic data revealed for the first time that the vast majority of the conopeptide diversity arises from a more limited set of genes through a process of variable peptide processing, which generates conopeptides with alternative cleavage sites, heterogeneous post-translational modifications, and highly variable N- and C-terminal truncations. Variable peptide processing is expected to contribute to the evolution of venoms, and explains how a limited set of ∼ 100 gene transcripts can generate thousands of conopeptides in a single species of cone snail.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sébastien Dutertre
- The Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia
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25
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Abstract
Conopeptides from the venoms of marine snails have attracted much interest as leads in drug design. Currently, one drug, Prialt(®), is on the market as a treatment for chronic neuropathic pain. Conopeptides target a range of ion channels, receptors and transporters, and are typically small, relatively stable peptides that are generally amenable to production using solid-phase peptide synthesis. With only a small fraction of the predicted diversity of conopeptides examined so far, these peptides represent an exciting and largely untapped resource for drug discovery. Recent efforts at chemically re-engineering conopeptides to improve their biopharmaceutical properties promise to accelerate the translation of these fascinating marine peptides to the clinic.
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors can be effective analgesics, finding application in a wide variety of clinical pain settings. Due to a shift toward noradrenergic-mediated pain pathways following nerve injury, they are particularly well suited to the treatment of neuropathic pain. This phenotypic shift makes neuropathic pain difficult to control with opioids alone; some noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors have demonstrated synergy with opioids. Agents currently in early clinical trials are discussed and include both novel delivery of old drugs and the development of new drugs. AREAS COVERED This review was limited to noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors and analgesia. Literature search included the terms adrenergic, noradrenergic, reuptake, inhibitors, analgesia, NET, norepinephrine transporter, and pain using Medline, Google scholar, Web of Knowledge, www.clinicaltrials.gov, and Pharmaprojects (Informa UK Ltd. 2012). EXPERT OPINION Topical drug delivery and the use of combinations of agents both topically and systemically are under active investigation. The intrathecal delivery of noradrenergic reuptake inhibitors, allowing delivery directly to the central nervous system thus limiting systemic exposure, represents an exciting avenue of investigation. Gaps in current knowledge have complicated the development of prophylactic therapies for susceptible individuals or preemptive intervention. Disease-modifying agents and selective inhibitors would facilitate these treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig T Hartrick
- Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine, 525 O'Dowd Hall, Rochester, MI 48309, USA.
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Large-scale discovery of conopeptides and conoproteins in the injectable venom of a fish-hunting cone snail using a combined proteomic and transcriptomic approach. J Proteomics 2012; 75:5215-25. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2012.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2012] [Revised: 05/31/2012] [Accepted: 06/04/2012] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
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28
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Molecular phylogeny, classification and evolution of conopeptides. J Mol Evol 2012; 74:297-309. [PMID: 22760645 DOI: 10.1007/s00239-012-9507-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2012] [Accepted: 06/12/2012] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Conopeptides are toxins expressed in the venom duct of cone snails (Conoidea, Conus). These are mostly well-structured peptides and mini-proteins with high potency and selectivity for a broad range of cellular targets. In view of these properties, they are widely used as pharmacological tools and many are candidates for innovative drugs. The conopeptides are primarily classified into superfamilies according to their peptide signal sequence, a classification that is thought to reflect the evolution of the multigenic system. However, this hypothesis has never been thoroughly tested. Here we present a phylogenetic analysis of 1,364 conopeptide signal sequences extracted from GenBank. The results validate the current conopeptide superfamily classification, but also reveal several important new features. The so-called "cysteine-poor" conopeptides are revealed to be closely related to "cysteine-rich" conopeptides; with some of them sharing very similar signal sequences, suggesting that a distinction based on cysteine content and configuration is not phylogenetically relevant and does not reflect the evolutionary history of conopeptides. A given cysteine pattern or pharmacological activity can be found across different superfamilies. Furthermore, a few conopeptides from GenBank do not cluster in any of the known superfamilies, and could represent yet-undefined superfamilies. A clear phylogenetically based classification should help to disentangle the diversity of conopeptides, and could also serve as a rationale to understand the evolution of the toxins in the numerous other species of conoideans and venomous animals at large.
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Lewis RJ, Dutertre S, Vetter I, Christie MJ. Conus Venom Peptide Pharmacology. Pharmacol Rev 2012; 64:259-98. [DOI: 10.1124/pr.111.005322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 323] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
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