Chlorotoxin (Cltx) is a neurotoxin that was originally isolated from the venom of Leiurus quinquestriatus. Chlorotoxin is a specific ligand of glioma cells. Chlorotoxin binds to Cl-channels (small conductance epithelial chloride channels) in the brain and spinal cord and inhibits Cl- influx. Chlorotoxin most probably acts as a specific blocker, although residues both inside and outside of the pore region of the Cl- channels participate in chlorotoxin binding. It was demonstrated that chlorotoxin inhibits specifically the activity of matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) without affecting MMP-1, MMP-3 and MMP-9. MMP-2 are upregulated in glioma cells and related cells making chlorotoxin a promising antitumoral drug and diagnosis tool.
Chlorotoxin technical information
AA sequence: Met-Cys2-Met-Pro-Cys5-Phe-Thr-Thr-Asp-His-Gln-Met-Ala-Arg-Lys-Cys16-Asp-Asp-Cys19-Cys20-Gly-Gly-Lys-Gly-Arg-Gly-Lys-Cys28-Tyr-Gly-Pro-Gln-Cys33-Leu-Cys35-Arg-NH2 Disulfide bonds: Cys2-Cys19, Cys5-Cys28, Cys16-Cys33 and Cys20-Cys35 Length (aa): 36 Formula: C158H249N53O47S11 Molecular Weight: 3995.8 Da Appearance: White lyophilized solid Solubility: water and saline buffer CAS number: [163515-35-3] Source: Synthetic Purity rate: > 95 %