Toxins 2016, 8(4), 106; doi:10.3390/toxins8040106
δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a, a Peptide from Phoneutria nigriventer Spider Venom, Shows Antinociceptive Effect Involving Opioid and Cannabinoid Systems, in Rats
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Departmento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
2
Departmento de Farmacologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270-901, Brazil
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Fundação Ezequiel Dias, Rua Conde Pereira Carneiro, 80, Belo Horizonte, MG 30510010, Brazil
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Departamento de Ciências Fisiológicas, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Marechal Campos, 1468, Vitória, ES 29040-900, Brazil
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Academic Editor: Greta Binford
Received: 29 January 2016 / Revised: 17 March 2016 / Accepted: 5 April 2016 / Published: 12 April 2016
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Arthropod Venoms)
Abstract
PnTx4(6-1), henceforth renamed δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a (δ-CNTX-Pn1a), a peptide from Phoneutria nigriventer spider venom, initially described as an insect toxin, binds to site 3 of sodium channels in nerve cord synaptosomes and slows down sodium current inactivation in isolated axons in cockroaches (Periplaneta americana). δ-CNTX-Pn1a does not cause any apparent toxicity to mice, when intracerebroventricularly injected (30 μg). In this study, we evaluated the antinociceptive effect of δ-CNTX-Pn1a in three animal pain models and investigated its mechanism of action in acute pain. In the inflammatory pain model, induced by carrageenan, δ-CNTX-Pn1a restored the nociceptive threshold of rats, when intraplantarly injected, 2 h and 30 min after carrageenan administration. Concerning the neuropathic pain model, δ-CNTX-Pn1a, when intrathecally administered, reversed the hyperalgesia evoked by sciatic nerve constriction. In the acute pain model, induced by prostaglandin E2, intrathecal administration of δ-CNTX-Pn1a caused a dose-dependent antinociceptive effect. Using antagonists of the receptors, we showed that the antinociceptive effect of δ-CNTX-Pn1a involves both the cannabinoid system, through CB1 receptors, and the opioid system, through μ and δ receptors. Our data show, for the first time, that δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a is able to induce antinociception in inflammatory, neuropathic and acute pain models. View Full-TextKeywords:
spider toxin; δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a; PnTx4(6-1); Phoneutria nigriventer; spider venom; antinociception
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MDPI and ACS Style
Emerich, B.L.; Ferreira, R.C.M.; Cordeiro, M.N.; Borges, M.H.; Pimenta, A.M.C.; Figueiredo, S.G.; Duarte, I.D.G.; de Lima, M.E. δ-Ctenitoxin-Pn1a, a Peptide from Phoneutria nigriventer Spider Venom, Shows Antinociceptive Effect Involving Opioid and Cannabinoid Systems, in Rats. Toxins 2016, 8, 106.
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