Uncoupling of cholinergic synaptic vesicles by the presynaptic toxin beta-bungarotoxin

Phospholipase A(2) activity of beta-bungarotoxin is essential for induction of cytotoxicity on cerebellar granule neurons

The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of the cytotoxic effect of beta-bungarotoxin (beta-BuTX), a presynaptic neurotoxin, on rat cerebellar granule neurons (CGNs). The maturation of CGNs is characterized by the prominent dense neurite networks that became fragmented after treatment with beta-BuTX, and this cytotoxic effect of beta-BuTX on CGNs was in a dose- and time-dependant manner. The cytotoxic effect of beta-BuTX was found to be more potent than other toxins, such as alpha-BuTX, cardiotoxin, melittin, and Naja naja atra venom phospholipase A(2). Meanwhile, undifferentiated neuroblastoma neuronal cell lines, IMR-32 and SK-N-MC, and astrocytes were found to be resistant to beta-BuTX. These results indicated that only the mature CGNs were sensitive to beta-BuTX insults. None of the following chemicals: antioxidants, K(+)-channel activator, K(+)-channel antagonists, intracellular Ca(2+) chelator, Ca(2+)-channel blockers, NMDA receptor antagonists, and nitric oxide synthase inhibitor tested, were able to reduce beta-BuTX-induced cytotoxicity. However, secretory type phospholipase A(2) inhibitors (glycyrrhizin and aristolochic acid) and a free radical scavenger (5,5-dimethyl pyrroline N-oxide, DMPO) could attenuate not only beta-BuTX-induced cytotoxicity but also ROS production and caspase-3 activation. These data suggest that phospholipase A(2) activity of beta-BuTX may be responsible for free radical generation and caspase-3 activation that accounts for the observed cytotoxic effect. It is proposed that the CGNs can be a useful tool for studying interactions of the molecules on neuronal plasma membrane with beta-BuTX that mediates the specific cytotoxicity.

Presynaptically acting snake venom phospholipase A2 enzymes attack unique substrates

Synaptosomes were incubated with bovine serum albumin (BSA) to examine whether the presynaptic action of snake venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) toxins is due either to the release of fatty acids resistant to extraction by BSA or to the liberation of a specific fatty acid type. In the presence of BSA (0.5% or 1.0%) two PLA2 enzymes from Naja naja atra and Naja naja kaouthia snake venoms that do not have a predominant presynaptic action at the neuromuscular junction (PS-) did not stimulate acetylcholine (ACh) release from synaptosomes. In contrast, two PLA2 enzymes (beta-bungarotoxin, scutoxin) that do have a predominant presynaptic action at the neuromuscular junction (PS+) did stimulate ACh release. BSA did not antagonize PS- enzymes by more efficiently extracting the fatty acids produced by these enzymes relative to PS+ enzymes. While absolute amounts of total and unsaturated fatty acid produced overlapped for the PS- and PS+ enzymes, the two PS+ enzymes produced a significantly greater absolute amount and relative percentage of palmitic acid (16:0) than did either of the PS- enzymes. However, the levels of free palmitic acid remaining in the synaptosomes where they would exert effects on ACh release were similar for the N. n. kaouthia PLA2 (PS-) and beta-bungarotoxin (PS+). Therefore, the total (supernatant plus synaptosomal) amount of palmitic acid produced per se did not account for stimulation of ACh release, since the greater amounts produced by the PS+ enzymes were removed from the synaptosomes by BSA. The production of higher levels of palmitic acid suggests either that PS+ enzymes gain access to sites containing phospholipid substrates unavailable to the PS- enzymes, or that they have a different substrate preference. These findings suggest new possibilities for the mechanism of PS+PLA2 action, including site-directed enzymatic activity and protein acylation.

Acetylcholine transport, storage, and release

ACh is released from cholinergic nerve terminals under both resting and stimulated conditions. Stimulated release is mediated by exocytosis of synaptic vesicle contents. The structure and function of cholinergic vesicles are becoming known. The concentration of ACh in vesicles is about 100-fold greater than the concentration in the cytoplasm. The AChT exhibits the lowest binding specificity among known ACh-binding proteins. It is driven by efflux of protons pumped into the vesicle by the V-type ATPase. A potent pharmacology of the AChT based on the allosteric VR has been developed. It has promise for clinical applications that include in vivo evaluation of the density of cholinergic innervation in organs based on PET and SPECT. The microscopic kinetics model that has been developed and the very low transport specificity of the vesicular AChT-VR suggest that the transporter has a channel-like or multidrug resistance protein-like structure. The AChT-VR has been shown to be tightly associated with proteoglycan, which is an unexpected macromolecular relationship. Vesamicol and its analogs block evoked release of ACh from cholinergic nerve terminals after a lag period that depends on the rate of release. Recycling quanta of ACh that are sensitive to vesamicol have been identified electrophysiologically, and they constitute a functional correlate of the biochemically identified VP2 synaptic vesicles. The concept of transmitter mobilization, including the observation that the most recently synthesized ACh is the first to be released, has been greatly clarified because of the availability of vesamicol. Differences among different cholinergic nerve terminal types in the sensitivity to vesamicol, the relative amounts of readily and less releasable ACh, and other aspects of the intracellular metabolism of ACh probably are more apparent than real. They easily could arise from differences in the relative rates of competing or sequential steps in the complicated intraterminal metabolism of ACh rather than from fundamental differences among the terminals. Nonquantal release of ACh from motor nerve terminals arises at least in part from the movement of cytoplasmic ACh through the AChT located in the cytoplasmic membrane, and it is blocked by vesamicol. Possibly, the proteoglycan component of the AChT-VR produces long-term residence of the macromolecular complex in the cytoplasmic membrane through interaction with the synaptic matrix. The preponderance of evidence suggests that a significant fraction of what previously, heretofore, had been considered to be nonquantal release from the motor neuron actually is quantal release from the neuron at sites not detected electrophysiologically.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Potassium channel toxins

Many venom toxins interfere with ion channel function. Toxins, as specific, high affinity ligands, have played an important part in purifying and characterizing many ion channel proteins. Our knowledge of potassium ion channel structure is meager because until recently, no specific potassium channel toxins were known, or identified as such. This review summarizes the sudden explosion of research on potassium channel toxins that has occurred in recent years. Toxins are discussed in terms of their structure, physiological and pharmacological properties, and the characterization of toxin binding sites on different subtypes of potassium ion channels.

The action of notexin from tiger snake venom (Notechis scutatus scutatus) on acetylcholine release and compartmentation in synaptosomes from electric organ of Torpedo marmorata

At rest, in the presence of calcium, notexin induced a rapid and concentration-dependent leakage of acetylcholine from nerve endings. In the presence of 20 nM notexin (5 min), synaptosomes were well-preserved structurally and they responded to addition of A23187 ionophore by a normal calcium-dependent acetylcholine release. When stimulated by high-K+ depolarization, evoked acetylcholine release was increased when notexin was present. These findings demonstrate that notexin (up to 100 nM) does not inhibit the acetylcholine release process itself. Further studies on intracellular acetylcholine compartmentation showed that, in the presence of calcium, nm concentrations of notexin were able to mobilize vesicular acetylcholine, the amount of which strongly decreased and fed the cytoplasmic compartment leading to an important redistribution of the neurotransmitter. Other metabolic studies under notexin confirmed the inhibition of the synaptosomal membrane choline transport, but failed to elicit changes in the choline acetyltransferase activity. In order to distinguish between the phospholipase A2 activity of notexin and its neurotoxic effects, we compared effects of notexin to those obtained with a non-neurotoxic pancreatic phospholipase A2. The latter exhibits similar effects but at a higher range of concentration than notexin.

Selectivity and regulation in the phospholipase A2-mediated attack on cholinergic synaptic vesicles by beta-bungarotoxin

The total fatty acid composition of purified Torpedo californica electric organ synaptic vesicles was determined by GLC analysis of methyl esters. Limit amounts of fatty acids released by high concentrations of either beta-bungarotoxin (beta-BuTx) or Naja naja venom phospholipase A2 (PLA2) acting in deoxycholate are reported. The time and enzyme concentration dependence for beta-BuTx- and PLA2-induced release of fatty acids from intact synaptic vesicles indicate that PLA2 is 100- to 1,000-fold more active. The Ca2+ dependence for beta-BuTx-induced release of fatty acids also was determined. ATP inhibits beta-BuTx- but not PLA2-induced release of fatty acids from vesicles in a manner that can not be ascribed only to chelation of the required Ca2+. ATP, other nucleotides, and adenosine have complex effects on beta-BuTx-induced release of fatty acids from egg yolk phosphatidylcholine dispersed in deoxycholate. The results suggest that beta-BuTx-mediated hydrolysis of the cholinergic synaptic vesicle membrane is approximately 10- to 100-fold more effective at causing uncoupling of vesicles than is PLA2 and that the enzymatic activity of beta-BuTx is subject to regulation by nucleotide-like factors.