TY - JOUR
T1 - Alpha neurotoxins
AU - Barber, Carmel Maree
AU - Isbister, Geoffrey K
AU - Hodgson, Wayne Clarence
PY - 2013
Y1 - 2013
N2 - alpha-Neurotoxins have been isolated from hydrophid, elapid and, more recently, colubrid snake venoms. Also referred to as postsynaptic neurotoxins or curare mimetic neurotoxins, they play an important role in the capture and/or killing of prey by binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor on the skeletal muscle disrupting neurotransmission. They are also thought to cause respiratory paralysis in envenomed humans. This review will discuss the historical background into the discovery, isolation, structure and mechanism of action of the alpha-neurotoxins, including targets and cellular outcomes, and then will examine the potential uses of alpha-neurotoxins as pharmacological tools and/or as drug leads.
AB - alpha-Neurotoxins have been isolated from hydrophid, elapid and, more recently, colubrid snake venoms. Also referred to as postsynaptic neurotoxins or curare mimetic neurotoxins, they play an important role in the capture and/or killing of prey by binding to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor on the skeletal muscle disrupting neurotransmission. They are also thought to cause respiratory paralysis in envenomed humans. This review will discuss the historical background into the discovery, isolation, structure and mechanism of action of the alpha-neurotoxins, including targets and cellular outcomes, and then will examine the potential uses of alpha-neurotoxins as pharmacological tools and/or as drug leads.
UR - http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0041010113000536
U2 - 10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.01.019
DO - 10.1016/j.toxicon.2013.01.019
M3 - Article
SN - 0041-0101
VL - 66
SP - 47
EP - 58
JO - Toxicon
JF - Toxicon
ER -