Helothermine, a lizard venom toxin, inhibits calcium current in cerebellar granules

Abstract

Helothermine (HLTx), a 25.5-kDa peptide toxin isolated from the venom of the Mexican beaded lizard (Heloderma horridum horridum), was found to be an inhibitor of Ca²⁺ channels in cerebellar granule cells of newborn rats. Macroscopic currents, carried by 10 mM Ba²⁺, were measured in whole-cell configuration. The toxin at the saturating dose of 2.5 μM reversibly produced an ≈67% block of the voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ current by a fast mechanism of action. The current inhibition and recovery were reached in less than 1 min. Inhibition was concentration-dependent, with a half-effective dose of 0.25 μM. The current block was practically voltage-independent, whereas the steady-state inactivation h _∞ was significantly affected by HLTx (≈10 mV). The toxin did not affect the activation and inactivation kinetics of the Ca²⁺ current. Experiments with other Ca²⁺ channel blockers showed that HLTx abolished ω-conotoxin GVIA-sensitive Ca²⁺ currents, as well as ω-AgaIVA- and dihydropyridine-sensitive Ca²⁺ currents. These drugs had virtually no effect when HLTx was applied first. The present results indicate that HLTx produce a high-potency blockage of the three pharmacologically distinct Ca²⁺ current components.