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Lodato M, Plaisance V, Pawlowski V, Kwapich M, Barras A, Buissart E, Dalle S, Szunerits S, Vicogne J, Boukherroub R, Abderrahmani A. Venom Peptides, Polyphenols and Alkaloids: Are They the Next Antidiabetics That Will Preserve β-Cell Mass and Function in Type 2 Diabetes? Cells 2023; 12:cells12060940. [PMID: 36980281 PMCID: PMC10047094 DOI: 10.3390/cells12060940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Improvement of insulin secretion by pancreatic β-cells and preservation of their mass are the current challenges that future antidiabetic drugs should meet for achieving efficient and long-term glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). The successful development of glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) analogues, derived from the saliva of a lizard from the Helodermatidae family, has provided the proof of concept that antidiabetic drugs directly targeting pancreatic β-cells can emerge from venomous animals. The literature reporting on the antidiabetic effects of medicinal plants suggests that they contain some promising active substances such as polyphenols and alkaloids, which could be active as insulin secretagogues and β-cell protectors. In this review, we discuss the potential of several polyphenols, alkaloids and venom peptides from snake, frogs, scorpions and cone snails. These molecules could contribute to the development of new efficient antidiabetic medicines targeting β-cells, which would tackle the progression of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Lodato
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Valérie Plaisance
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Valérie Pawlowski
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Maxime Kwapich
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
- Service de Diabétologie et d’Endocrinologie, CH Dunkerque, 59385 Dunkirk, France
| | - Alexandre Barras
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Emeline Buissart
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Stéphane Dalle
- Institut de Génomique Fonctionnelle, Université de Montpellier, CNRS, INSERM, 34094 Montpellier, France
| | - Sabine Szunerits
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Jérôme Vicogne
- University Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019-UMR 9017-CIIL-Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Rabah Boukherroub
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
| | - Amar Abderrahmani
- University Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, University Polytechnique Hauts-de-France, UMR 8520, IEMN, F-59000 Lille, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-362531704
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Abstract
Ubiquitously expressed throughout the body, ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple cellular metabolism to electrical activity in multiple tissues; their unique assembly as four Kir6 pore-forming subunits and four sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) subunits has resulted in a large armory of selective channel opener and inhibitor drugs. The spectrum of monogenic pathologies that result from gain- or loss-of-function mutations in these channels, and the potential for therapeutic correction of these pathologies, is now clear. However, while available drugs can be effective treatments for specific pathologies, cross-reactivity with the other Kir6 or SUR subfamily members can result in drug-induced versions of each pathology and may limit therapeutic usefulness. This review discusses the background to KATP channel physiology, pathology, and pharmacology and considers the potential for more specific or effective therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin G Nichols
- Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases and Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri, USA;
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Driggers CM, Shyng SL. Mechanistic insights on KATP channel regulation from cryo-EM structures. J Gen Physiol 2022; 155:213723. [PMID: 36441147 PMCID: PMC9700523 DOI: 10.1085/jgp.202113046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Gated by intracellular ATP and ADP, ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels couple cell energetics with membrane excitability in many cell types, enabling them to control a wide range of physiological processes based on metabolic demands. The KATP channel is a complex of four potassium channel subunits from the Kir channel family, Kir6.1 or Kir6.2, and four sulfonylurea receptor subunits, SUR1, SUR2A, or SUR2B, from the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter family. Dysfunction of KATP channels underlies several human diseases. The importance of these channels in human health and disease has made them attractive drug targets. How the channel subunits interact with one another and how the ligands interact with the channel to regulate channel activity have been long-standing questions in the field. In the past 5 yr, a steady stream of high-resolution KATP channel structures has been published using single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM). Here, we review the advances these structures bring to our understanding of channel regulation by physiological and pharmacological ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camden M. Driggers
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR
| | - Show-Ling Shyng
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR,Correspondence to Show-Ling Shyng:
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McClenaghan C, Nichols CG. Kir6.1 and SUR2B in Cantú syndrome. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2022; 323:C920-C935. [PMID: 35876283 PMCID: PMC9467476 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00154.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Kir6.1 and SUR2 are subunits of ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels expressed in a wide range of tissues. Extensive study has implicated roles of these channel subunits in diverse physiological functions. Together they generate the predominant KATP conductance in vascular smooth muscle and are the target of vasodilatory drugs. Roles for Kir6.1/SUR2 dysfunction in disease have been suggested based on studies of animal models and human genetic discoveries. In recent years, it has become clear that gain-of-function (GoF) mutations in both genes result in Cantú syndrome (CS)-a complex, multisystem disorder. There is currently no targeted therapy for CS, but studies of mouse models of the disease reveal that pharmacological reversibility of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal pathologies can be achieved by administration of the KATP channel inhibitor, glibenclamide. Here we review the function, structure, and physiological and pathological roles of Kir6.1/SUR2B channels, with a focus on CS. Recent studies have led to much improved understanding of the underlying pathologies and the potential for treatment, but important questions remain: Can the study of genetically defined CS reveal new insights into Kir6.1/SUR2 function? Do these reveal new pathophysiological mechanisms that may be important in more common diseases? And is our pharmacological armory adequately stocked?
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Affiliation(s)
- Conor McClenaghan
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases (CIMED), Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
| | - Colin G Nichols
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, Center for the Investigation of Membrane Excitability Diseases (CIMED), Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri
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Ramu Y, Yamakaze J, Zhou Y, Hoshi T, Lu Z. Blocking Kir6.2 channels with SpTx1 potentiates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from murine pancreatic β cells and lowers blood glucose in diabetic mice. eLife 2022; 11:77026. [PMID: 35212627 PMCID: PMC8880991 DOI: 10.7554/elife.77026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels in pancreatic β cells are comprised of pore-forming subunits (Kir6.2) and modulatory sulfonylurea receptor subunits (SUR1). The ATP sensitivity of these channels enables them to couple metabolic state to insulin secretion in β cells. Antidiabetic sulfonylureas such as glibenclamide target SUR1 and indirectly suppress Kir6.2 activity. Glibenclamide acts as both a primary and a secondary secretagogue to trigger insulin secretion and potentiate glucose-stimulated insulin secretion, respectively. We tested whether blocking Kir6.2 itself causes the same effects as glibenclamide, and found that the Kir6.2 pore-blocking venom toxin SpTx1 acts as a strong secondary, but not a strong primary, secretagogue. SpTx1 triggered a transient rise of plasma insulin and lowered the elevated blood glucose of diabetic mice overexpressing Kir6.2 but did not affect those of nondiabetic mice. This proof-of-concept study suggests that blocking Kir6.2 may serve as an effective treatment for diabetes and other diseases stemming from KATP hyperactivity that cannot be adequately suppressed with sulfonylureas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yajamana Ramu
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Jayden Yamakaze
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Yufeng Zhou
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Toshinori Hoshi
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
| | - Zhe Lu
- Department of Physiology, Perelman School of Medicine University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, United States
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Houtman MJC, Friesacher T, Chen X, Zangerl-Plessl EM, van der Heyden MAG, Stary-Weinzinger A. Development of I KATP Ion Channel Blockers Targeting Sulfonylurea Resistant Mutant K IR6.2 Based Channels for Treating DEND Syndrome. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:814066. [PMID: 35095528 PMCID: PMC8795863 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.814066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: DEND syndrome is a rare channelopathy characterized by a combination of developmental delay, epilepsy and severe neonatal diabetes. Gain of function mutations in the KCNJ11 gene, encoding the KIR6.2 subunit of the IKATP potassium channel, stand at the basis of most forms of DEND syndrome. In a previous search for existing drugs with the potential of targeting Cantú Syndrome, also resulting from increased IKATP, we found a set of candidate drugs that may also possess the potential to target DEND syndrome. In the current work, we combined Molecular Modelling including Molecular Dynamics simulations, with single cell patch clamp electrophysiology, in order to test the effect of selected drug candidates on the KIR6.2 WT and DEND mutant channels. Methods: Molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate potential drug binding sites. To conduct in vitro studies, KIR6.2 Q52R and L164P mutants were constructed. Inside/out patch clamp electrophysiology on transiently transfected HEK293T cells was performed for establishing drug-channel inhibition relationships. Results: Molecular Dynamics simulations provided insight in potential channel interaction and shed light on possible mechanisms of action of the tested drug candidates. Effective IKIR6.2/SUR2a inhibition was obtained with the pore-blocker betaxolol (IC50 values 27-37 μM). Levobetaxolol effectively inhibited WT and L164P (IC50 values 22 μM) and Q52R (IC50 55 μM) channels. Of the SUR binding prostaglandin series, travoprost was found to be the best blocker of WT and L164P channels (IC50 2-3 μM), while Q52R inhibition was 15-20% at 10 μM. Conclusion: Our combination of MD and inside-out electrophysiology provides the rationale for drug mediated IKATP inhibition, and will be the basis for 1) screening of additional existing drugs for repurposing to address DEND syndrome, and 2) rationalized medicinal chemistry to improve IKATP inhibitor efficacy and specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marien J C Houtman
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Theres Friesacher
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Xingyu Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Eva-Maria Zangerl-Plessl
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marcel A G van der Heyden
- Department of Medical Physiology, Division of Heart and Lungs, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Anna Stary-Weinzinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Tang D, Xu J, Li Y, Zhao P, Kong X, Hu H, Liang S, Tang C, Liu Z. Molecular mechanisms of centipede toxin SsTx-4 inhibition of inwardly rectifying potassium channels. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101076. [PMID: 34391777 PMCID: PMC8413892 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kirs) are important drug targets, with antagonists for the Kir1.1, Kir4.1, and pancreatic Kir6.2/SUR1 channels being potential drug candidates for treating hypertension, depression, and diabetes, respectively. However, few peptide toxins acting on Kirs are identified and their interacting mechanisms remain largely elusive yet. Herein, we showed that the centipede toxin SsTx-4 potently inhibited the Kir1.1, Kir4.1, and Kir6.2/SUR1 channels with nanomolar to submicromolar affinities and intensively studied the molecular bases for toxin–channel interactions using patch-clamp analysis and site-directed mutations. Other Kirs including Kir2.1 to 2.4, Kir4.2, and Kir7.1 were resistant to SsTx-4 treatment. Moreover, SsTx-4 inhibited the inward and outward currents of Kirs with different potencies, possibly caused by a K+ “knock-off” effect, suggesting the toxin functions as an out pore blocker physically occluding the K+-conducting pathway. This conclusion was further supported by a mutation analysis showing that M137 located in the outer vestibule of the Kir6.2/ΔC26 channel was the key residue mediating interaction with SsTx-4. On the other hand, the molecular determinants within SsTx-4 for binding these Kir channels only partially overlapped, with K13 and F44 being the common key residues. Most importantly, K11A, P15A, and Y16A mutant toxins showed improved affinity and/or selectivity toward Kir6.2, while R12A mutant toxin had increased affinity for Kir4.1. To our knowledge, SsTx-4 is the first characterized peptide toxin with Kir4.1 inhibitory activity. This study provides useful insights for engineering a Kir6.2/SUR1 channel–specific antagonist based on the SsTx-4 template molecule and may be useful in developing new antidiabetic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongfang Tang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China; College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Hunan University of Science and Engineering, Yongzhou, Hunan, China
| | - Jiahui Xu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Yinping Li
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Piao Zhao
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Xiangjin Kong
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Haoliang Hu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Songping Liang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China
| | - Cheng Tang
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
| | - Zhonghua Liu
- The National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Peptide Drug Development, College of Life Sciences, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, China.
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Kir Channel Molecular Physiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutic Implications. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 267:277-356. [PMID: 34345939 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
For the past two decades several scholarly reviews have appeared on the inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels. We would like to highlight two efforts in particular, which have provided comprehensive reviews of the literature up to 2010 (Hibino et al., Physiol Rev 90(1):291-366, 2010; Stanfield et al., Rev Physiol Biochem Pharmacol 145:47-179, 2002). In the past decade, great insights into the 3-D atomic resolution structures of Kir channels have begun to provide the molecular basis for their functional properties. More recently, computational studies are beginning to close the time domain gap between in silico dynamic and patch-clamp functional studies. The pharmacology of these channels has also been expanding and the dynamic structural studies provide hope that we are heading toward successful structure-based drug design for this family of K+ channels. In the present review we focus on placing the physiology and pharmacology of this K+ channel family in the context of atomic resolution structures and in providing a glimpse of the promising future of therapeutic opportunities.
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Matsumura K, Yokogawa M, Osawa M. Peptide Toxins Targeting KV Channels. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 267:481-505. [PMID: 34117930 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_500] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
A number of peptide toxins isolated from animals target potassium ion (K+) channels. Many of them are particularly known to inhibit voltage-gated K+ (KV) channels and are mainly classified into pore-blocking toxins or gating-modifier toxins. Pore-blocking toxins directly bind to the ion permeation pores of KV channels, thereby physically occluding them. In contrast, gating-modifier toxins bind to the voltage-sensor domains of KV channels, modulating their voltage-dependent conformational changes. These peptide toxins are useful molecular tools in revealing the structure-function relationship of KV channels and have potential for novel treatments for diseases related to KV channels. This review focuses on the inhibition mechanism of pore-blocking and gating-modifier toxins that target KV channels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kazuki Matsumura
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mariko Yokogawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masanori Osawa
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.
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A family of orthologous proteins from centipede venoms inhibit the hKir6.2 channel. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14088. [PMID: 31575961 PMCID: PMC6773964 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50688-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 09/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibitors targeting ion channels are useful tools for studying their functions. Given the selectivity of any inhibitor for a channel is relative, more than one inhibitor of different affinities may be used to help identify the channel in a biological preparation. Here, we describe a family of small proteins in centipede venoms that inhibit the pore (hKir6.2) of a human ATP-sensitive K+ channel (hKATP). While the traditional peptide-sequencing service gradually vanishes from academic institutions, we tried to identify the sequences of inhibitory proteins purified from venoms by searching the sequences of the corresponding transcriptomes, a search guided by the key features of a known hKir6.2 inhibitor (SpTx1). The candidate sequences were cross-checked against the masses of purified proteins, and validated by testing the activity of recombinant proteins against hKir6.2. The four identified proteins (SsdTx1-3 and SsTx) inhibit hKATP channels with a Kd of <300 nM, compared to 15 nM for SpTx1. SsTx has previously been discovered to block human voltage-gated KCNQ K+ channels with a 2.5 μM Kd. Given that SsTx inhibits hKir6.2 with >10-fold lower Kd than it inhibits hKCNQ, SsTx may not be suitable for probing KCNQ channels in a biological preparation that also contains more-SsTx-sensitive KATP channels.
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Sarmiento BE, Santos Menezes LF, Schwartz EF. Insulin Release Mechanism Modulated by Toxins Isolated from Animal Venoms: From Basic Research to Drug Development Prospects. Molecules 2019; 24:E1846. [PMID: 31091684 PMCID: PMC6571724 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24101846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 04/23/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Venom from mammals, amphibians, snakes, arachnids, sea anemones and insects provides diverse sources of peptides with different potential medical applications. Several of these peptides have already been converted into drugs and some are still in the clinical phase. Diabetes type 2 is one of the diseases with the highest mortality rate worldwide, requiring specific attention. Diverse drugs are available (e.g., Sulfonylureas) for effective treatment, but with several adverse secondary effects, most of them related to the low specificity of these compounds to the target. In this context, the search for specific and high-affinity compounds for the management of this metabolic disease is growing. Toxins isolated from animal venom have high specificity and affinity for different molecular targets, of which the most important are ion channels. This review will present an overview about the electrical activity of the ion channels present in pancreatic β cells that are involved in the insulin secretion process, in addition to the diversity of peptides that can interact and modulate the electrical activity of pancreatic β cells. The importance of prospecting bioactive peptides for therapeutic use is also reinforced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beatriz Elena Sarmiento
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Luis Felipe Santos Menezes
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
| | - Elisabeth F Schwartz
- Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília, DF 70910-900, Brazil.
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