Gene/Protein Disease Symptom Drug Enzyme Compound
Pivot Concepts:   Target Concepts:
Query: EC:3.4.24.69 (botulinum neurotoxin)
 1,901 document(s) hit in 31,850,051 MEDLINE articles (0.00 seconds)

Botulinum neurotoxin type B blocks transmitter release via a selective endoproteolysis of the small clear vesicle membrane protein synaptobrevin that is essential for neuro-exocytosis. In view of the distinct characteristics of exocytosis of adrenochromaffin granules and considering the controversy over the presence of synaptobrevin on the latter, this study aimed to determine the molecular basis of the inhibition by this toxin of secretion from chromaffin cells. Thus, affinity-purified antibodies against a synaptobrevin synthetic peptide were used to quantify its concentrations in subcellular fractions of bovine adrenal medulla. The latter, as well as density gradient centrifugation and size-exclusion chromatography, showed that > 70% of the protein copurifies with the granules and their marker, dopamine beta-hydroxylase. Notably, much lower concentrations of synaptobrevin and synaptophysin were found in chromaffin granules than in synaptic small clear vesicles (approximately 9% and approximately 2%, respectively); however, isolated granule membranes exhibited greater enrichments (approximately 35% and approximately 9%). A second immunoreactive protein was colocalized with synaptobrevin on chromaffin granules; in view of its susceptibility to the toxin and lower M(r), it is assumed to be cellubrevin and, also, because of its high homology. Involvement of synaptobrevin and cellubrevin in Ca(2+)-triggered granule exocytosis was established by the demonstrated correlation between the extent of botulinum neurotoxin B-induced inhibition of secretion and their selective proteolysis following introduction of the toxin into intact chromaffin cells. On the basis of these collective findings, it is concluded that these proteins occur on chromaffin granules and one or both are essential for exocytosis.
 ...
PMID:Blockade by botulinum neurotoxin B of catecholamine release from adrenochromaffin cells correlates with its cleavage of synaptobrevin and a homologue present on the granules. 772 8

Clostridial neurotoxins are zinc endopeptidases that block neurotransmission and have been shown to cleave, in vitro, specific proteins involved in synaptic vesicle docking and/or fusion. We have used immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting to demonstrate alterations in toxin substrates in intact neurons under conditions of toxin-induced blockade of neurotransmitter release. Vesicle-associated membrane protein, which colocalizes with synaptophysin, is not detectable in tetanus toxin-blocked cultures. Syntaxin, also concentrated in synaptic sites, is cleaved by botulinum neurotoxin C. Similarly, the carboxyl terminus of the synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) is not detectable in botulinum neurotoxin A-treated cultures. Unexpectedly, tetanus toxin exposure causes an increase in SNAP-25 immunofluorescence, reflecting increased accessibility of antibodies to antigenic sites rather than increased expression of the protein. Furthermore, botulinum neurotoxin C causes a marked loss of the carboxyl terminus of SNAP-25 when the toxin is added to living cultures, whereas it has no action on SNAP-25 in vitro preparations. This study is the first to demonstrate in functioning neurons that the physiologic response to these toxins is correlated with the proteolysis of their respective substrates. Furthermore, the data demonstrate that botulinum neurotoxin C, in addition to cleaving syntaxin, exerts a secondary effect on SNAP-25.
 ...
PMID:Clostridial neurotoxins and substrate proteolysis in intact neurons: botulinum neurotoxin C acts on synaptosomal-associated protein of 25 kDa. 863 8

Rat pinealocytes accumulate glutamate in microvesicles and secrete it through exocytosis so as to transmit signals intercellularly. Glutamate is involved in the negative regulation of norepinephrine-stimulated melatonin production. In this study, we found that aspartate is also released from cultured rat pinealocytes during the exocytosis of glutamate. The release of aspartate was triggered by addition of KCI or A23187 (a Ca2+ ionophore) in the presence of Ca2+ and was proportional to the amount of L-glutamate released. Furthermore, the release of aspartate was inhibited by both botulinum neurotoxin type E and L- or N-type voltage-gated Ca2+ channel blockers. Bay K 8644, an agonist for the L-type Ca2+ channel, stimulated the release of aspartate 2.1-fold. Immunohistochemical analyses with antibodies against aspartate and synaptophysin revealed that aspartate is colocalized with synaptophysin in a cultured pinealocyte. HPLC with fluorometric detection indicated that the released aspartate is of the L form, although pinealocytes also contain the D form in their cytoplasm, corresponding to approximately 30% of the total free aspartate. Radiolabeled L-aspartate was taken up by the microsomal fraction from bovine pineal glands in a Na+-dependent manner. The Na+-dependent uptake of L-aspartate was strongly inhibited by L-cysteine sulfinate, beta-hydroxyaspartate, and L-serine-O-sulfate, inhibitors for the Na+-dependent glutamate/aspartate transporter on the plasma membrane. Na+-dependent sequestration of L-aspartate was also observed in cultured rat pinealocytes, which was inhibited similarly by these transporter inhibitors. These results strongly suggest that L-aspartate is released through microvesicle-mediated exocytosis from pinealocytes and is taken up again through the Na+-dependent transporter at the plasma membrane. The possible role of L-aspartate as an intercellular chemical transmitter in the pineal gland is discussed.
 ...
PMID:L-aspartate but not the D form is secreted through microvesicle-mediated exocytosis and is sequestered through Na+-dependent transporter in rat pinealocytes. 920 28

Enterochromaffin-like (ECL) cells are neuroendocrine cells in the gastric epithelium characterized by numerous electron-empty, histamine-containing secretory vesicles. The antral hormone gastrin is the key stimulus of histamine secretion from this cell type, thereby controling acid secretion. Following receptor binding, gastrin activates a biphasic calcium signal in ECL cells that involves activation of inositol triphosphate receptors and calcium entry across the plasma membrane. Dihydropyridines block gastrin-induced histamine secretion. However, no depolarization was observed following stimulation with gastrin. Elevation of intracellular calcium by gastrin is an important prerequisite for exocytosis. In permeabilized ECL cells, addition of calcium results in histamine release, which can be inhibited by tetanus toxin and botulinum neurotoxin A, underlining the functional importance of the synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25) and synaptobrevin. Immunocytochemistry also confirmed the presence of these SNAP receptor (SNARE) proteins, as well as synaptophysin, synaptotagmin, and syntaxin. Following 3-6 h of incubation in isolated cells, several transcription factors are induced by gastrin, such as ERK1/2, Sp1, and CRE. Gastrin thereby directly stimulates transcription of the vesicular monoamine transporter subtype 2 (VMAT-2) and chromogranins. Gene expression of histidine decarboxylase (HDC) appears to be stimulated by a putative "gastrin-responsive" element adjacent to the HDC exon 1 gene. ECL cells thereby share several similarities with adrenal chromaffin cells and neurons, but have their own functional properties. Gastrin coordinates secretion, synthesis, and storage by activating diverging signal transducers, leading to a functional synergy in this cell type.
 ...
PMID:Circle of life of secretory vesicles in gastric enterochromaffin-like cells. 1243 57

Neurons in prevertebral sympathetic ganglia receive convergent synaptic inputs from peripheral enteric neurons in addition to inputs from spinal preganglionic neurons. Although all inputs are functionally cholinergic, inputs from these two sources have distinctive neurochemical and functional profiles. We used multiple-labeling immunofluorescence, quantitative confocal microscopy, ultrastructural immunocytochemistry, and intracellular electrophysiologic recordings to examine whether populations of inputs to the guinea pig coeliac ganglion express different levels of synaptic proteins that could influence synaptic strength. Boutons of enteric intestinofugal inputs, identified by immunoreactivity to vasoactive intestinal peptide, showed considerable heterogeneity in their immunoreactivity to synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa (SNAP-25), synapsin, synaptophysin, choline acetyltransferase, and vesicular acetylcholine transporter. Mean levels of immunoreactivity to these proteins were significantly lower in terminals of intestinofugal inputs compared with terminals of spinal preganglionic inputs. Nevertheless, many boutons with undetectable levels of SNAP-25 immunoreactivity formed morphologically normal synapses with target neurons. Treatment with botulinum neurotoxin type A (20-50 nM for 2 hours in vitro) generated significant cleavage of SNAP-25 and produced similar dose- and time-dependent inhibitions of synaptic transmission from all classes of inputs, regardless of their mean level of SNAP-25 expression. The simplest interpretation of these results is that only synaptic boutons with detectable levels of SNAP-25 immunoreactivity contribute significantly to fast cholinergic transmission. Consequently, the low synaptic strength of intestinofugal inputs to final motor neurons in sympathetic pathways may be due in part to the low proportion of their boutons that express SNAP-25 and other synaptic proteins.
 ...
PMID:Heterogeneous expression of SNAP-25 and synaptic vesicle proteins by central and peripheral inputs to sympathetic neurons. 1262 65

Presynaptic synthesis of acetylcholine (ACh) requires a steady supply of choline, acquired by a plasma membrane, hemicholinium-3-sensitive (HC-3) choline transporter (CHT). A significant fraction of synaptic choline is recovered from ACh hydrolyzed by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) after vesicular release. Although antecedent neuronal activity is known to dictate presynaptic CHT activity, the mechanisms supporting this regulation are unknown. We observe an exclusive localization of CHT to cholinergic neurons and demonstrate that the majority of CHTs reside on small vesicles within cholinergic presynaptic terminals in the rat and mouse brain. Furthermore, immunoisolation of presynaptic vesicles with multiple antibodies reveals that CHT-positive vesicles carry the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) and synaptic vesicle markers such as synaptophysin and Rab3A and also contain acetylcholine. Depolarization of synaptosomes evokes a Ca2+-dependent botulinum neurotoxin C-sensitive increase in the Vmax for HC-3-sensitive choline uptake that is accompanied by an increase in the density of CHTs in the synaptic plasma membrane. Our study leads to the novel hypothesis that CHTs reside on a subpopulation of synaptic vesicles in cholinergic terminals that can transit to the plasma membrane in response to neuronal activity to couple levels of choline re-uptake to the rate of ACh release.
 ...
PMID:Vesicular localization and activity-dependent trafficking of presynaptic choline transporters. 1458 97

Synaptophysin and synaptobrevin are abundant membrane proteins of neuronal small synaptic vesicles. In mature, differentiated neurons they form the synaptophysin/synaptobrevin (Syp/Syb) complex. Synaptobrevin also interacts with the plasma membrane-associated proteins syntaxin and SNAP25, thereby forming the SNARE complex necessary for exocytotic membrane fusion. The two complexes are mutually exclusive. Synaptobrevin is a C-terminally membrane-anchored protein with one transmembrane domain. While its interaction with its SNARE partners is mediated exclusively by its N-terminal cytosolic region it has been unclear so far how binding to synaptophysin is accomplished. Here, we show that synaptobrevin can be cleaved in its synaptophysin-bound form by tetanus toxin and botulinum neurotoxin B, or by botulinum neurotoxin D, leaving shorter or longer C-terminal peptide chains bound to synaptophysin, respectively. A recombinant, C-terminally His-tagged synaptobrevin fragment bound to nickel beads specifically bound synaptophysin, syntaxin and SNAP25 from vesicular detergent extracts. After cleavage by tetanus toxin or botulinum toxin D light chain, the remaining C-terminal fragment no longer interacted with syntaxin or SNAP 25. In contrast, synaptophysin was still able to bind to the residual C-terminal synaptobrevin cleavage product. In addition, the His-tagged C-terminal synaptobrevin peptide 68-116 was also able to bind synaptophysin in detergent extracts from adult brain membranes. These data suggest that synaptophysin interacts with the C-terminal transmembrane part of synaptobrevin, thereby allowing the N-terminal cytosolic chain to interact freely with the plasma membrane-associated SNARE proteins. Thus, by binding synaptobrevin, synaptophysin may positively modulate neurotransmission.
 ...
PMID:The C-terminal transmembrane region of synaptobrevin binds synaptophysin from adult synaptic vesicles. 1590 Jul 6