Toxin from black mamba venom inhibits growth of glioma cells selectively expressing ASIC1a channels
The researchers from the IBCh RAS together with the collaborators from the Institute of Cytology RAS demonstrated for the first time the expression of functionally active ASIC1a channels in U251 MG and A172 gliomas cells, but not in normal astrocytes. A recombinant analogue of mambalgin-2 from black mamba venom was used to suppress the cation influx through ASIC1a channels in glioma cells. As it turned out, mambalgin-2 inhibits the growth of gliomas with EC 50 in the nanomolar range, while not affecting the proliferation of normal astrocytes. Mutant variants of mambalgin-2 with impaired affinity for ASIC1a did not affect the proliferation of glioma cells. It was shown that the decrease in the growth of gliomas cells using mambalgin-2 is associated with the cell cycle arrest, inhibition of phosphorylation of cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinases, and apoptosis induction. The study was published in the Cancers journal under support of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research. Learn more
july 20, 2020