Voltage-gated sodium (Na(V)) channels play a central role in the propagation of action potentials in excitable cells in both humans and insects. Many venomous animals have therefore evolved toxins that modulate the activity of Na(V) channels in order to subdue their prey and deter predators. Spider venoms in particular are rich in Na(V) channel modulators, with one-third of all known ion channel toxins from spider venoms acting on Na(V) channels. Here we review the landscape of spider-venom peptides that have so far been described to target vertebrate or invertebrate Na(V) channels. These peptides fall into 12 distinct families based on their primary structure and cysteine scaffold. Some of these peptides have become useful pharmacological tools, while others have potential as therapeutic leads because they target specific Na(V) channel subtypes that are considered to be important analgesic targets. Spider venoms are conservatively predicted to contain more than 10 million bioactive peptides and so far only 0.01% of this diversity been characterised. Thus, it is likely that future research will reveal additional structural classes of spider-venom peptides that target Na(V) channels.

Disulfide-rich peptides are the dominant component of most animal venoms. These peptides have received much attention as leads for the development of novel therapeutic agents and bioinsecticides because they target a wide range of neuronal receptors and ion channels with a high degree of potency and selectivity. In addition, their rigid disulfide framework makes them particularly well suited for addressing the crucial issue of in vivo stability. Structural and functional characterization of these peptides necessitates the development of a robust, reliable expression system that maintains their native disulfide framework. The bacterium Escherichia coli has long been used for economical production of recombinant proteins. However, the expression of functional disulfide-rich proteins in the reducing environment of the E. coli cytoplasm presents a significant challenge. Thus, we present here an optimised protocol for the expression of disulfide-rich venom peptides in the periplasm of E. coli, which is where the endogenous machinery for production of disulfide-bonds is located. The parameters that have been investigated include choice of media, induction conditions, lysis methods, methods of fusion protein and peptide purification, and sample preparation for NMR studies. After each section a recommendation is made for conditions to use. We demonstrate the use of this method for the production of venom peptides ranging in size from 2 to 8 kDa and containing 2–6 disulfide bonds.

Loss-of-function mutations in the human voltage-gated sodium channel Na V 1.7 result in a congenital indifference to pain. Selective inhibitors of Na V 1.7 are therefore likely to be powerful analgesics for treating a broad range of pain conditions. Herein we describe the identification of μ-SLPTX-Ssm6a, a unique 46-residue peptide from centipede venom that potently inhibits Na V 1.7 with an IC 50 of ∼25 nM. μ-SLPTX-Ssm6a has more than 150-fold selectivity for Na V 1.7 over all other human Na V subtypes, with the exception of Na V 1.2, for which the selectivity is 32-fold. μ-SLPTX-Ssm6a contains three disulfide bonds with a unique connectivity pattern, and it has no significant sequence homology with any previously characterized peptide or protein. μ-SLPTX-Ssm6a proved to be a more potent analgesic than morphine in a rodent model of chemicalinduced pain, and it was equipotent with morphine in rodent models of thermal and acid-induced pain. This study establishes μ-SPTX-Ssm6a as a promising lead molecule for the development of novel analgesics targeting Na V 1.7, which might be suitable for treating a wide range of human pain pathologies.chronic pain | drug discovery | peptide therapeutic

Ion channels are vital contributors to cellular communication in a wide range of organisms, a distinct feature that renders this ubiquitous family of membrane-spanning proteins a prime target for toxins found in animal venom. For many years, the unique properties of these naturally-occurring molecules have enabled researchers to probe the structural and functional features of ion channels and to define their physiological roles in normal and diseased tissues. To illustrate their considerable impact on the ion channel field, this review will highlight fundamental insights into toxin-channel interactions as well as recently developed toxin screening methods and practical applications of engineered toxins.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSEChronic pain is a serious worldwide health issue, with current analgesics having limited efficacy and dose-limiting side effects. Humans with loss-of-function mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 (hNaV1.7) are indifferent to pain, making hNaV1.7 a promising target for analgesic development. Since spider venoms are replete with NaV channel modulators, we examined their potential as a source of hNaV1.7 inhibitors. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACHWe developed a high-throughput fluorescent-based assay to screen spider venoms against hNaV1.7 and isolate 'hit' peptides. To examine the binding site of these peptides, we constructed a panel of chimeric channels in which the S3b-S4 paddle motif from each voltage sensor domain of hNaV1.7 was transplanted into the homotetrameric KV2.1 channel. KEY RESULTSWe screened 205 spider venoms and found that 40% contain at least one inhibitor of hNaV1.7. By deconvoluting 'hit' venoms, we discovered seven novel members of the NaSpTx family 1. One of these peptides, Hd1a (peptide μ-TRTX-Hd1a from venom of the spider Haplopelma doriae), inhibited hNaV1.7 with a high level of selectivity over all other subtypes, except hNaV1.1. We showed that Hd1a is a gating modifier that inhibits hNaV1.7 by interacting with the S3b-S4 paddle motif in channel domain II. The structure of Hd1a, determined using heteronuclear NMR, contains an inhibitor cystine knot motif that is likely to confer high levels of chemical, thermal and biological stability. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONSOur data indicate that spider venoms are a rich natural source of hNaV1.7 inhibitors that might be useful leads for the development of novel analgesics. BJP

Many spider-venom peptides are known to modulate the activity of the voltage-gated sodium (Na V ) subtype 1.7 (Na V 1.7) channel, which has emerged as a promising analgesic target. In particular, a class of spider-venom peptides (NaSpTx1) has been found to potently inhibit Na V 1.7 (nanomolar IC 50 ), and has been shown to produce analgesic effects in animals. However, one member of this family [m-TRTX-Hhn2b (Hhn2b)] does not inhibit mammalian Na V channels expressed in dorsal root ganglia at concentrations up to 100 mM. This peptide is classified as a NaSpTx1 member by virtue of its cysteine spacing and sequence conservation over functionally important residues. Here, we have performed detailed structural and functional analyses of Hhn2b, leading us to identify two nonpharmacophore residues that contribute to human Na V 1.7 (hNa V 1.7) inhibition by nonoverlapping mechanisms.These findings allowed us to produce a double mutant of Hhn2b that shows nanomolar inhibition of hNa V 1.7. Traditional structure/function analysis did not provide sufficient resolution to identify the mechanism underlying the observed gain of function. However, by solving the high-resolution structure of both the wild-type and mutant peptides using advanced multidimensional NMR experiments, we were able to uncover a previously unknown network of interactions that stabilize the pharmacophore region of this class of venom peptides. We further monitored the lipid binding properties of the peptides and identified that one of the key amino acid substitutions also selectively modulates the binding of the peptide to anionic lipids. These results will further aid the development of peptide-based analgesics for the treatment of chronic pain.

The P2X4 receptor is a ligand-gated ion channel that is expressed on a variety of cell types, especially those involved in inflammatory and immune processes. High-throughput screening led to a new class of P2X4 inhibitors with substantial CYP 3A4 induction in human hepatocytes. A structure-guided optimization with respect to decreased pregnane X receptor (PXR) binding was started. It was found that the introduction of larger and more polar substituents on the ether linker led to less PXR binding while maintaining the P2X4 inhibitory potency. This translated into significantly reduced CYP 3A4 induction for compounds 71 and 73. Unfortunately, the in vivo pharmacokinetic (PK) profiles of these compounds were insufficient for the desired profile in humans. However, BAY-1797 (10) was identified and characterized as a potent and selective P2X4 antagonist. This compound is suitable for in vivo studies in rodents, and the antiinflammatory and anti-nociceptive effects of BAY-1797 were demonstrated in a mouse complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) inflammatory pain model.

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