Abstract
α-Conotoxins are small peptides present in the venom of different species of marine snails of the Conus genus that target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), with a marked specificity for muscle-type nAChRs. α-Conotoxin Imperialis I (α-Ctx-ImI), from Conus imperialis, has been recently described as a potent antagonist of mammalian neuronal α-bungarotoxin (α-Bgtx)-sensitive nAChRs. Human small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) is a very aggressive tumor composed of neuroendocrine secretory cells. We demonstrated that human SCLC cells express neuronal-type α-Bgtx-sensitive nAChRs, and that their activation causes secretion of mitogenic hormones and stimulates cell proliferation. α-Ctx ImI inhibits both these nicotinic effects, and could therefore be considered a new important tool for investigating human neuronal-type α-Bgtx-sensitive nAChRs.
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