Naunyn-Schmiedeberg's archives of pharmacology
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Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch. Pharmacol. · Mar 2011
ReviewTherapeutic effects of Clostridium botulinum C3 exoenzyme.
C3 exoenzyme from Clostridium botulinum, specifically ADP-ribosylates small GTP-binding proteins RhoA, B, and C. ADP-ribosylation causes functional inactivation of Rho proteins resulting in cessation of the complete downstream signaling. Rho proteins are general regulators of a lot of essential cellular functions, among others, the neuronal growth cone. ⋯ Whereas full-length C3 also acts on astrocytes and microglia to induce-at least in an in vitro model-inflammation and glial scar formation, C3(154-182) peptide is inert and seems only to act on neurons. In addition to its axono- and dendritotrophic effects on cultured primary hippocampal neurons, C3(154-182) peptide enhanced functional recovery and regeneration in a mouse model of spinal cord injury. Thus, in a proof-of-principle experiment, C3 peptide was shown to be efficacious in post-traumatic neuro-regeneration.