A novel depolarizing activity of scorpion venom fraction M1 due to activation of skeletal muscle nicotinic receptors.

Amani Cheikh (1) , Rym Benkhalifa (1) , Daniel Potreau (2) , Guy Raymond (2) , Mohamed El Ayeb (1) , Christian Cognard (2)

1 Laboratoire des Venins et Toxines, Institut Pasteur de Tunis
2 IPBC - Institut de physiologie et biologie cellulaires

A depolarizing activity following interaction with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAchRs) in skeletal muscle cells, was observed for the first time in the non-toxic venom fraction (M1) of the yellow scorpion Buthus occitanus tunetanus (Bot). The effects of M1 fraction were tested on cultured rat myotubes by recording changes in [Ca2+]i. When applied, M1 (10 microg/mL) induced a transient increase of [Ca2+]i which could be blocked by a prior application of alpha-Bungarotoxin (alpha-Bg-Tx).

Amani Cheikh, Rym Benkhalifa, Daniel Potreau, Guy Raymond, Mohamed El Ayeb, et al.. A novel depolarizing activity of scorpion venom fraction M1 due to activation of skeletal muscle nicotinic receptors.. Toxicon, 2007, 49 (1), pp.117-22. ⟨10.1016/j.toxicon.2006.09.011⟩. ⟨pasteur-00614376⟩