Rojas-Palomino Jessica, Gómez-Restrepo Alejandro, Salinas-Restrepo Cristian, Segura César, Giraldo Marco A, Calderón Juan C
Biophysics Group, Institute of Physics, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
Physiology and Biochemistry Research Group -PHYSIS, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia.
J Venom Anim Toxins Incl Trop Dis. 2024 Sep 2;30:e20230048. doi: 10.1590/1678-9199-JVATITD-2023-0048. eCollection 2024.
The effect of peptide toxins on voltage-gated ion channels can be reliably assessed using electrophysiological assays, such as the patch-clamp technique. However, much of the toxinological research done in Central and South America aims at purifying and characterizing biochemical properties of the toxins of vegetal or animal origin, lacking electrophysiological approaches. This may happen due to technical and infrastructure limitations or because researchers are unfamiliar with the techniques and cellular models that can be used to gain information about the effect of a molecule on ion channels. Given the potential interest of many research groups in the highly biodiverse region of Central and South America, we reviewed the most relevant conceptual and methodological developments required to implement the evaluation of the effect of peptide toxins on mammalian voltage-gated ion channels using patch-clamp. For that, we searched MEDLINE/PubMed and SciELO databases with different combinations of these descriptors: "electrophysiology", "patch-clamp techniques", "Ca channels", "K channels", "cnidarian venoms", "cone snail venoms", "scorpion venoms", "spider venoms", "snake venoms", "cardiac myocytes", "dorsal root ganglia", and summarized the literature as a scoping review. First, we present the basics and recent advances in mammalian voltage-gated ion channel's structure and function and update the most important animal sources of channel-modulating toxins (e.g. cnidarian and cone snails, scorpions, spiders, and snakes), highlighting the properties of toxins electrophysiologically characterized in Central and South America. Finally, we describe the local experience in implementing the patch-clamp technique using two models of excitable cells, as well as the participation in characterizing new modulators of ion channels derived from the venom of a local spider, a toxins' source less studied with electrophysiological techniques. Fostering the implementation of electrophysiological methods in more laboratories in the region will strengthen our capabilities in many fields, such as toxinology, toxicology, pharmacology, natural products, biophysics, biomedicine, and bioengineering.
使用电生理检测方法，如膜片钳技术，可以可靠地评估肽毒素对电压门控离子通道的作用。然而，在中美洲和南美洲进行的许多毒素学研究旨在纯化和表征植物或动物源毒素的生化特性，缺乏电生理方法。这可能是由于技术和基础设施的限制，或者是因为研究人员不熟悉可用于获取分子对离子通道作用信息的技术和细胞模型。鉴于中美洲和南美洲生物多样性高度丰富的地区有许多研究小组可能对此感兴趣，我们回顾了使用膜片钳评估肽毒素对哺乳动物电压门控离子通道作用所需的最相关的概念和方法进展。为此，我们在MEDLINE/PubMed和SciELO数据库中使用以下描述符的不同组合进行搜索：“电生理学”、“膜片钳技术”、“钙通道”、“钾通道”、“刺胞动物毒液”、“芋螺毒液”、“蝎子毒液”、“蜘蛛毒液”、“蛇毒”、“心肌细胞”、“背根神经节”，并将文献总结为一项范围综述。首先，我们介绍哺乳动物电压门控离子通道结构和功能的基础知识和最新进展，并更新调节通道毒素的最重要动物来源（如刺胞动物和芋螺、蝎子、蜘蛛和蛇），突出在中美洲和南美洲通过电生理表征的毒素特性。最后，我们描述了使用两种可兴奋细胞模型实施膜片钳技术的当地经验，以及参与表征源自当地一种蜘蛛毒液的新型离子通道调节剂，这种毒素来源较少用电生理技术进行研究。在该地区更多实验室推广电生理方法的应用将增强我们在许多领域的能力，如毒素学、毒理学、药理学、天然产物、生物物理学、生物医学和生物工程。
