Hi,
I am measuring single cell evoked EPSPs in neurons from acute slices. However, sometimes the network activity can disturb my measurements. I am looking to presynaptically suppress this activity through a vesicle release inhibitor, either Tetanus Toxin or Botulinum Toxin. I would like to add these to my ACSF to suppress the network activity while keeping my target cell physiology mostly intact (so TTX or low Calcium is not an option for me).
I am wondering if these toxins are taken up freely by the neurons when added extracellularly and whether they have specificity for a type of neurons. I know they cleave VSNARE proteins so they should uniformly suppress vesicle release, but most papers I find about tetanus toxins are about GABAergic neurons. Does anyone have any experience with this?
Thanks for your insights,
Tom
I cannot speak for Tetanus but I think it is the same as Botulinum!
BoTN uses the natural cellular scavenging process to recycle neuropeptides. When the neuropeptide-containing vesicle combines with the cell wall and opens to release it's payload, it then is reabsorbed to become a vesicle again. The BoTN enters as the vesicle then reforms, and then passes into the cytoplasm where it acts by well understood methods to block future vesicle activity
BoTN isdoes not pass through the cell wall, and (with the exception of the Liver and cells lining the gut which have the that have their own vesicle process) BoTN does not enter any other cells in the body
This process is independent of the neuropeptide
Thank you for your answer. I think I will pilot this in my next experiment.
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