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Marine Drugs
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Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021
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Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021

A special issue of Marine Drugs (ISSN 1660-3397).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 26590

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jean-Marc Sabatier

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Neurophysiopathology (INP), Aix-Marseille University, Faculté des sciences médicales et paramédicales, 27, Bd Jean Moulin, 13005 Marseille, France
Interests: antimicrobial peptides; antibacterial; antibiotics; structure-activity relationships; bacteriocins; drug design; peptide engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Animal venoms, especially of marine origin, are rich natural sources of bioactive compounds. The molecular targets of the latter are mainly ion (i.e., sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride) channels with their numerous variants/subtypes. These venom molecules are exhibiting diverse potencies and selectivities and may have some therapeutic potential based on their cellular targets. Over the past decade, marine molecules have been widely studied, as they represent potential drugs to treat a variety of (human) pathologies, from pain to autoimmune and neurological diseases. As with the first edition that closed in 2020 (https://www.mdpi.com/journal/marinedrugs/special_issues/ion_channels_targets), this new Special Issue "Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021" of Marine Drugs is devoted to different aspects of marine (or marine-derived) molecules, from the discovery and structural characterization to the pharmacology and molecular engineering to develop "novel" candidate chemotherapeutic drugs targeting the ion channel(s).

Dr. Jean-Marc Sabatier
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Marine Drugs is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ion channel
  • immunomodulator
  • pain killer
  • candidate drug
  • marine drug
  • structure-activity relationships
  • venomous marine animal
  • animal venom
  • toxin
  • sea snake
  • sea anemone
  • jellyfish
  • stingray
  • puffer fish
  • scorpion fish
  • marine cone snail

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Related Special Issue

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 1876 KiB  
Article
Interactions of Nereistoxin and Its Analogs with Vertebrate Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors and Molluscan ACh Binding Proteins
by William R. Kem, Kristin Andrud, Galen Bruno, Hong Xing, Ferenc Soti, Todd T. Talley and Palmer Taylor
Mar. Drugs 2022, 20(1), 49; https://doi.org/10.3390/md20010049 - 4 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2963
Abstract
Nereistoxin (NTX) is a marine toxin isolated from an annelid worm that lives along the coasts of Japan. Its insecticidal properties were discovered decades ago and this stimulated the development of a variety of insecticides such as Cartap that are readily transformed into [...] Read more.
Nereistoxin (NTX) is a marine toxin isolated from an annelid worm that lives along the coasts of Japan. Its insecticidal properties were discovered decades ago and this stimulated the development of a variety of insecticides such as Cartap that are readily transformed into NTX. One unusual feature of NTX is that it is a small cyclic molecule that contains a disulfide bond. In spite of its size, it acts as an antagonist at insect and mammalian nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). The functional importance of the disulfide bond was assessed by determining the effects of inserting a methylene group between the two sulfur atoms, creating dimethylaminodithiane (DMA-DT). We also assessed the effect of methylating the NTX and DMA-DT dimethylamino groups on binding to three vertebrate nAChRs. Radioligand receptor binding experiments were carried out using washed membranes from rat brain and fish (Torpedo) electric organ; [3H]-cytisine displacement was used to assess binding to the predominantly high affinity alpha4beta2 nAChRs and [125I]-alpha-bungarotoxin displacement was used to measure binding of NTX and analogs to the alpha7 and skeletal muscle type nAChRs. While the two quaternary nitrogen analogs, relative to their respective tertiary amines, displayed lower α4β2 nAChR binding affinities, both displayed much higher affinities for the Torpedo muscle nAChR and rat alpha7 brain receptors than their respective tertiary amine forms. The binding affinities of DMA-DT for the three nAChRs were lower than those of NTX and MeNTX. An AChBP mutant lacking the C loop disulfide bond that would potentially react with the NTX disulfide bond displayed an NTX affinity very similar to the parent AChBP. Inhibition of [3H]-epibatidine binding to the AChBPs was not affected by exposure to NTX or MeNTX for up to 24 hr prior to addition of the radioligand. Thus, the disulfide bond of NTX is not required to react with the vicinal disulfide in the AChBP C loop for inhibition of [3H]-epibatidine binding. However, a reversible disulfide interchange reaction of NTX with nAChRs might still occur, especially under reducing conditions. Labeled MeNTX, because it can be readily prepared with high specific radioactivity and possesses relatively high affinity for the nAChR-rich Torpedo nAChR, would be a useful probe to detect and identify any nereistoxin adducts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021)
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15 pages, 3401 KiB  
Article
Brevetoxin and Conotoxin Interactions with Single-Domain Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels from a Diatom and Coccolithophore
by Ping Yates, Julie A. Koester and Alison R. Taylor
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(3), 140; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19030140 - 2 Mar 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3169
Abstract
The recently characterized single-domain voltage-gated ion channels from eukaryotic protists (EukCats) provide an array of novel channel proteins upon which to test the pharmacology of both clinically and environmentally relevant marine toxins. Here, we examined the effects of the hydrophilic µ-CTx PIIIA and [...] Read more.
The recently characterized single-domain voltage-gated ion channels from eukaryotic protists (EukCats) provide an array of novel channel proteins upon which to test the pharmacology of both clinically and environmentally relevant marine toxins. Here, we examined the effects of the hydrophilic µ-CTx PIIIA and the lipophilic brevetoxins PbTx-2 and PbTx-3 on heterologously expressed EukCat ion channels from a marine diatom and coccolithophore. Surprisingly, none of the toxins inhibited the peak currents evoked by the two EukCats tested. The lack of homology in the outer pore elements of the channel may disrupt the binding of µ-CTx PIIIA, while major structural differences between mammalian sodium channels and the C-terminal domains of the EukCats may diminish interactions with the brevetoxins. However, all three toxins produced significant negative shifts in the voltage dependence of activation and steady state inactivation, suggesting alternative and state-dependent binding conformations that potentially lead to changes in the excitability of the phytoplankton themselves. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021)
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19 pages, 2704 KiB  
Article
α-Conotoxins and α-Cobratoxin Promote, while Lipoxygenase and Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors Suppress the Proliferation of Glioma C6 Cells
by Tatiana I. Terpinskaya, Alexey V. Osipov, Elena V. Kryukova, Denis S. Kudryavtsev, Nina V. Kopylova, Tatsiana L. Yanchanka, Alena F. Palukoshka, Elena A. Gondarenko, Maxim N. Zhmak, Victor I. Tsetlin and Yuri N. Utkin
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(2), 118; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19020118 - 21 Feb 2021
Cited by 14 | Viewed by 10316
Abstract
Among the brain tumors, glioma is the most common. In general, different biochemical mechanisms, involving nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and the arachidonic acid cascade are involved in oncogenesis. Although the engagement of the latter in survival and proliferation of rat C6 glioma has [...] Read more.
Among the brain tumors, glioma is the most common. In general, different biochemical mechanisms, involving nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) and the arachidonic acid cascade are involved in oncogenesis. Although the engagement of the latter in survival and proliferation of rat C6 glioma has been shown, there are practically no data about the presence and the role of nAChRs in C6 cells. In this work we studied the effects of nAChR antagonists, marine snail α-conotoxins and snake α-cobratoxin, on the survival and proliferation of C6 glioma cells. The effects of the lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase inhibitors either alone or together with α-conotoxins and α-cobratoxin were studied in parallel. It was found that α-conotoxins and α-cobratoxin promoted the proliferation of C6 glioma cells, while nicotine had practically no effect at concentrations below 1 µL/mL. Nordihydroguaiaretic acid, a nonspecific lipoxygenase inhibitor, and baicalein, a 12-lipoxygenase inhibitor, exerted antiproliferative and cytotoxic effects on C6 cells. nAChR inhibitors weaken this effect after 24 h cultivation but produced no effects at longer times. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that mRNA for α4, α7, β2 and β4 subunits of nAChR were expressed in C6 glioma cells. This is the first indication for involvement of nAChRs in mechanisms of glioma cell proliferation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021)
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Review

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15 pages, 1412 KiB  
Review
Pathophysiological Responses to Conotoxin Modulation of Voltage-Gated Ion Currents
by Elisabetta Tosti, Raffaele Boni and Alessandra Gallo
Mar. Drugs 2022, 20(5), 282; https://doi.org/10.3390/md20050282 - 23 Apr 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3954
Abstract
Voltage-gated ion channels are plasma membrane proteins that generate electrical signals following a change in the membrane voltage. Since they are involved in several physiological processes, their dysfunction may be responsible for a series of diseases and pain states particularly related to neuronal [...] Read more.
Voltage-gated ion channels are plasma membrane proteins that generate electrical signals following a change in the membrane voltage. Since they are involved in several physiological processes, their dysfunction may be responsible for a series of diseases and pain states particularly related to neuronal and muscular systems. It is well established for decades that bioactive peptides isolated from venoms of marine mollusks belonging to the Conus genus, collectively known as conotoxins, can target different types and isoforms of these channels exerting therapeutic effects and pain relief. For this reason, conotoxins are widely used for either therapeutic purposes or studies on ion channel mechanisms of action disclosure. In addition their positive property, however, conotoxins may generate pathological states through similar ion channel modulation. In this narrative review, we provide pieces of evidence on the pathophysiological impacts that different members of conotoxin families exert by targeting the three most important voltage-gated channels, such as sodium, calcium, and potassium, involved in cellular processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021)
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21 pages, 1667 KiB  
Review
Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels: A Prominent Target of Marine Toxins
by Rawan Mackieh, Rita Abou-Nader, Rim Wehbe, César Mattei, Christian Legros, Ziad Fajloun and Jean Marc Sabatier
Mar. Drugs 2021, 19(10), 562; https://doi.org/10.3390/md19100562 - 5 Oct 2021
Cited by 18 | Viewed by 4813
Abstract
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are considered to be one of the most important ion channels given their remarkable physiological role. VGSCs constitute a family of large transmembrane proteins that allow transmission, generation, and propagation of action potentials. This occurs by conducting Na+ [...] Read more.
Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) are considered to be one of the most important ion channels given their remarkable physiological role. VGSCs constitute a family of large transmembrane proteins that allow transmission, generation, and propagation of action potentials. This occurs by conducting Na+ ions through the membrane, supporting cell excitability and communication signals in various systems. As a result, a wide range of coordination and physiological functions, from locomotion to cognition, can be accomplished. Drugs that target and alter the molecular mechanism of VGSCs’ function have highly contributed to the discovery and perception of the function and the structure of this channel. Among those drugs are various marine toxins produced by harmful microorganisms or venomous animals. These toxins have played a key role in understanding the mode of action of VGSCs and in mapping their various allosteric binding sites. Furthermore, marine toxins appear to be an emerging source of therapeutic tools that can relieve pain or treat VGSC-related human channelopathies. Several studies documented the effect of marine toxins on VGSCs as well as their pharmaceutical applications, but none of them underlined the principal marine toxins and their effect on VGSCs. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the neurotoxins produced by marine animals such as pufferfish, shellfish, sea anemone, and cone snail that are active on VGSCs and discuss their pharmaceutical values. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ion Channels as Marine Drug Targets 2021)
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