Characterization of three “Birtoxin-like” toxins from the Androctonus amoreuxi scorpion venom

The venom of the North African scorpion Androctonus amoreuxi (Aam) was analyzed using a combination of gel filtration, C18 reverse phase HPLC together with mass spectrometry analysis and bioassays. Three novel Birtoxin-like (BTX-L) peptides of 58 amino acid residues comprising three disulfide bridges were isolated and chemically characterized. One peptide, AamBTX-L3, induced serious toxic symptoms in mice and was lethal at nanogram quantities using intracerebroventricular injection. The three BTX-L peptides were tested in competition experiments on rat brain synaptosomes against the 125I-labeled “classical” α- and β-toxins of reference, as well as with the 125I-KTX, a voltage-gated potassium channel blocker. Only AamBTX-L3 was able to prevent the equilibrium binding of the β-toxin 125I-Css IV to its receptor site 4 with a IC50 value of 189 nM. Even if previous electrophysiological data allowed the classification of other BTX-L peptides among the β-type toxins, this report clearly shows that AamBTX-L3 is pharmacologically a β-toxin, which recognizes the voltage-gated Na+ (Nav) channels from central mammalian neurons. In order to uncover the residues functionally essential for interaction between the AamBTX-L3 with the putative receptor site of 125I-Css IV on Nav1.2, molecular models of the three novel Aam BTX-L molecules were made and their surfaces were compared to the already described Css IV biologically interactive surfaces. A hypothesis is given that in BTX-L3, three residues found in the α-helix play a key role during target binding.

Research highlights
► Three Birtoxin-like (BTX-L) were isolated from the Androctonus amoreuxi (Aam) venom.
► Only one of the peptides, AamBTX-L3, was lethal at nanogram quantities in mouse.
► AamBTX-L3 prevented the binding of the classical β-toxin 125I-Css IV on site 4.
► Site 4 is found on voltage-gated Na+ channels of central mammalian neurons.