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Researchers from Medizinische Hochschule Hannover publish findings in neurotoxins
2009 JUL 7 - (NewsRx.com) -- New investigation results, 'Cell entry strategy of clostridial neurotoxins,' are detailed in a study published in Journal of Neurochemistry. According to recent research from Hannover, Germany, "Tetanus neurotoxin and botulinum neurotoxins are the causative agents of tetanus and botulism. They block the release of neurotransmitters from synaptic vesicles in susceptible animals and man and act in nanogram quantities because of their ability to specifically attack motoneurons." "They developed an ingenious strategy to enter neurons. This involves a concentration step via complex polysialo gangliosides at the plasma membrane and the uptake and ride in recycling synaptic vesicles initiated by binding to a specific protein receptor. Finally, the neurotoxins shut down the synaptic vesicle cycle, which they had misused before to enter their target cells, via specific cleavage of protein core components of the cellular membrane fusion machinery. The uptake of four out of seven known botulinum neurotoxins into synaptic vesicles has been demonstrated to rely on binding to intravesicular segments of the synaptic vesicle proteins synaptotagmin or synaptic vesicle protein 2," wrote T. Binz and colleagues, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover. The researchers concluded: "This review summarizes the present knowledge about the cell receptor molecules and the mode of toxin-receptor interaction that enables the toxins' sophisticated access to their site of action." Binz and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Neurochemistry (Cell entry strategy of clostridial neurotoxins. Journal of Neurochemistry, 2009;109(6):1584-95). For additional information, contact T. Binz, Institut fur Biochemie, Medizinische Hochschule Hannover, Hannover, Germany. Publisher contact information for the Journal of Neurochemistry is: Blackwell Publishing Inc., 350 Main St., Malden, MA 02148, USA. Keywords: Germany, Hannover, Neurochemistry, Neurotoxins, Tetanus. This article was prepared by Life Science Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Life Science Weekly via NewsRx.com.
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