ω-Conotoxin GVIA Alters Gating Charge Movement of N-Type (CaV2.2) Calcium Channels

Abstract

ω-conotoxin GVIA (ωCTX) is a specific blocker of N-type calcium (CaV2.2) channels that inhibits neuropathic pain. While the toxin appears to be an open channel blocker, we show that N-channel gating charge movement is modulated. Gating currents were recorded from N-channels expressed along with ß2a and α2δ subunits in HEK293 cells in external solutions containing either lanthanum and magnesium (La-Mg) or 5 mM Ca2+ plus ωCTX (ωCTX-Ca). A comparison showed that ωCTX induced a 10-mV right shift in the gating charge versus voltage ( Q- V) relationship, smaller off-gating current time constant (τ QOff), a lower τ QOff voltage dependence, and smaller on-gating current ( QOn) τ. We also examined gating current in La-Mg plus ωCTX and found no significant difference from that in ωCTX-Ca; this demonstrates that the modulation was induced by the toxin. A model with strongly reduced open-state occupancy reproduced the ωCTX effect on gating current and showed that the gating modulation alone would inhibit N-current by 50%. This mechanism of N-channel inhibition could be exploited to develop novel analgesics that induce only a partial block of N-current, which may limit some of the side effects associated with the toxin analgesic currently approved for human use (i.e., Prialt).