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Research ArticleArticle

Interactions of Key Charged Residues Contributing to Selective Block of Neuronal Sodium Channels by μ-Conotoxin KIIIA

J. R. McArthur, G. Singh, D. McMaster, R. Winkfein, D. P. Tieleman and R. J. French
Molecular Pharmacology October 2011, 80 (4) 573-584; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.111.073460
J. R. McArthur
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G. Singh
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D. McMaster
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R. Winkfein
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D. P. Tieleman
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R. J. French
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Abstract

Voltage-gated sodium channels are important in initiating and propagating nerve impulses in various tissues, including cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, the brain, and the peripheral nerves. Hyperexcitability of these channels leads to such disorders as cardiac arrhythmias (Nav1.5), myotonias (Nav1.4), epilepsies (Nav1.2), and pain (Nav1.7). Thus, there is strong motivation to identify isoform-specific blockers and the molecular determinants underlying their selectivity among these channels. μ-Conotoxin KIIIA blocks rNav1.2 (IC50, 5 nM), rNav1.4 (37 nM), and hNav1.7 (97 nM), expressed in mammalian cells, with high affinity and a maximal block at saturating concentrations of 90 to 95%. Mutations of charged residues on both the toxin and channel modulate the maximal block and/or affinity of KIIIA. Two toxin substitutions, K7A and R10A, modulate the maximal block (52–70%). KIIIA-H12A and R14A were the only derivatives tested that altered Nav isoform specificity. KIIIA-R14A showed the highest affinity for Nav1.7, a channel involved in pain signaling. Wild-type KIIIA has a 2-fold higher affinity for Nav1.4 than for Nav1.7, which can be attributed to a missing outer vestibule charge in domain III of Nav1.7. Reciprocal mutations Nav1.4 D1241I and Nav1.7 I1410D remove the affinity differences between these two channels for wild-type KIIIA without affecting their affinities for KIIIA-R14A. KIIIA is the first μ-conotoxin to show enhanced activity as pH is lowered, apparently resulting from titration of the free N terminus. Removal of this free amino group reduced the pH sensitivity by 10-fold. Recognition of these molecular determinants of KIIIA block may facilitate further development of subtype-specific, sodium channel blockers to treat hyperexcitability disorders.

Footnotes

  • ↵Embedded Image The online version of this article (available at http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org) contains supplemental material.

  • This work was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research [Grants MOP-10053, MOP-62690]; and the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta, NWT, and Nunavut.

  • Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at http://molpharm.aspetjournals.org.

    doi:10.1124/mol.111.073460.

  • ABBREVIATIONS:

    Nav
    voltage-gated sodium channel
    μCTX
    μ-conotoxin
    GIIIA
    μ-conotoxin GIIIA
    PIIIA
    μ-conotoxin PIIIA
    HPLC
    high-performance liquid chromatography
    HEK
    human embryonic kidney
    PCR
    polymerase chain reaction
    MD
    molecular dynamics.

  • Received May 16, 2011.
  • Accepted June 27, 2011.
  • Copyright © 2011 The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics
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Molecular Pharmacology: 80 (4)
Molecular Pharmacology
Vol. 80, Issue 4
1 Oct 2011
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Research ArticleArticle

Targeting of Neuronal Sodium Channels by μ-Conotoxin KIIIA

J. R. McArthur, G. Singh, D. McMaster, R. Winkfein, D. P. Tieleman and R. J. French
Molecular Pharmacology October 1, 2011, 80 (4) 573-584; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.111.073460

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Research ArticleArticle

Targeting of Neuronal Sodium Channels by μ-Conotoxin KIIIA

J. R. McArthur, G. Singh, D. McMaster, R. Winkfein, D. P. Tieleman and R. J. French
Molecular Pharmacology October 1, 2011, 80 (4) 573-584; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1124/mol.111.073460
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