《生命科学》 2017, 29(1): 77-89
摘 要:摘 要:α- 神经毒素(α-neurotoxin, α-NTX) 是眼镜蛇科和海蛇科蛇毒的主要毒性成分之一,属一种非酶类多肽,能以特异的、几乎不可逆的状态与烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, nAChR) 结合。nAChR 在生物学、病理学、生理学等方面发挥着重要作用,与感觉、认知、疼痛、保护神经元和递质释放等关系密切。神经型nAChR 参与多种脑功能,与多种神经退行性疾病的发生密切相关,如阿尔茨海默病(AD)、帕金森病(PD) 和精神分裂症(Sz) 等。因此,研究α-NTX 与nAChR 的相互作用关系及其作用机制,对深入研究神经活动机制及相关疾病的治疗机理和寻找新型药物等具有重要意义。对α-NTX、nAChR 的结构以及它们之间相互作用的研究进展进行了归纳和评述,对其相互作用位点作了较为详细的介绍。
Abstract: Abstract: α-neurotoxin (α-NTX) is the main constituents of Elapidae and Hydrophiidae snake venoms, which is one of the well characterized non-enzymatic proteins. α-NTX shows an antagonistic role for acetylcholine by forming a stable complex after combining with nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). The nAChR shows a variety of biological, pathological, and physiological activities, and it participates in sensory, cognitive, pain, and protective effects of neurons and neurohumoral transmission. Neural nAChR participates in many functions of brain. It is closely related to the occurrence of many kinds of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), and Schizophrenia (Sz), etc. Hence, it is essential to study the interaction of α-NTX with nAChR, for exploring the mechanism biological functions related to nAChR, the treatment of related diseases and new drugs. In this review, the structure of α-NTX and nAChR, and the interaction of α-NTX and nAChR were summarized.