Progress in toxicology and pharmacology of conotoxins / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

ABSTRACT

Conotoxins are secreted by Conus snail,which are mainly composed of 12-40 amino acid residues and several disulfide bridges. Their diversities in sequences,disulfide bond connections and modified amino acids are different from those of peptide toxins and proteins secreted by terrestrial animals,and their targets include sodium,potassium,calcium ion channels and membrane receptors. Conotoxins have been categorized into more than 20 superfamilies,such as A,M,O,P,S,T,I,V, Y,J,D,C and L,which are characterized by consensus signal sequences and cysteine framework. According to pharmacological functions,these superfamilies are further classified into several pharma?cological families,such as α,μ,ω,κ,δ,ψ,σ,ρ,γ,conopressin and conantokins. This review briefly introduced the classifications and diversities of conotoxins,and summarized the progresses in the toxi?cology and pharmacology of conotoxins targeting calcium,sodium ion channel,nicotinic acetylcholine receptor and N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor. Some of the above conotoxins are highly poisonous,some have been developed as drugs or drug candidates,or have become powerful research tools for neuro?pharmacology. We hope this review will contribute to researches of toxins and related neuropharmacology.