Wiley, Chemical Biology & Drug Design, 2(86), p. 156-162, 2014
DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.12479
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N-type voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channels (CaV 2.2) are located at nerve endings in the central and peripheral nervous systems and are strongly associated with the pathological processes of cerebral ischemia and neuropathic pain. CaV 2.2 blockers such as the ω-conotoxin MVIIA (Prialt) are analgesic and have opioid-sparing effects. With the aim to develop new multi-target analgesic compounds, we designed the first ω-conotoxin/opioid peptidomimetics based on the enkephalin-like sequence Tyr-D-Ala-Gly-Phe (for the opioid portion) and two fragments derived from the loop-2 pharmacophore of ω-conotoxin MVIIA. Antinociceptive activity evaluated in vitro and in vivo revealed differential affinity for CaV 2.2 and opioid receptors and no significant synergistic activity. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.