Effects of toxic environmental contaminants on voltage-gated calcium channel function: from past to present

Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are targets of the number of naturally occurring toxins, therapeutic agents as well as environmental toxicants. Because of similarities of their chemical structure to Ca2+ in terms of hydrated ionic radius, electron orbital configuration, or other chemical properties, pol...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of bioenergetics and biomembranes 2003-12, Vol.35 (6), p.507-532
Main Author: Atchison, William D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aluminum
Animals
Bioenergetics
Calcium
Calcium - metabolism
Calcium Channel Blockers - toxicity
Calcium channels
Calcium Channels - drug effects
Calcium Channels - physiology
Cations
Cell Membrane Permeability - drug effects
Cell Membrane Permeability - physiology
Chemical properties
Contaminants
Environmental Pollutants - toxicity
Homeostasis - drug effects
Homeostasis - physiology
Humans
Ion Channel Gating - drug effects
Ion Channel Gating - physiology
Lead
Lead - toxicity
Membrane Potentials - drug effects
Membrane Potentials - physiology
Mercury
Mercury - toxicity
Metals
Metals - toxicity
Porosity - drug effects
Synaptic Transmission - drug effects
Synaptic Transmission - physiology
Synaptosomes - drug effects
Synaptosomes - metabolism
Toxicants
Toxicology
Toxins
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Summary:Voltage-gated Ca2+ channels are targets of the number of naturally occurring toxins, therapeutic agents as well as environmental toxicants. Because of similarities of their chemical structure to Ca2+ in terms of hydrated ionic radius, electron orbital configuration, or other chemical properties, polyvalent cations from aluminum to zinc variously interact with multiple types of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels. These nonphysiological metals have been used to study the structure and function of the Ca2+ channel, especially its permeability characteristics. Two nonphysiological cations, Pb2+ and Hg2+, as well as their organic derivatives, are environmental neurotoxicants which are highly potent Ca2+ channel blockers. These metals also apparently gain intracellular access in part by permeating through Ca2+ channels. In this review the history of Ca2+ channel block produced by Pb2+ and Hg2+ as well as other nonphysiological cations is traced. In particular the characteristics of Ca2+ channel block induced by these environmental neurotoxic metals and the consequences of this action for neuronal function are discussed.
ISSN:0145-479X
1573-6881
DOI:10.1023/B:JOBB.0000008023.11211.13