Electrophysiological Characterization of the Venom and Toxins from the Scorpion Tityus championi Targeting Voltage-Gated Sodium Channels and Molecular Modeling of Tch3, a Toxin with Therapeutic Potential for Pain Relief

Scorpion neurotoxins are small peptides that target ion channels and offer opportunities for novel therapeutic discovery. This study analyzed the functional effects of the venom and toxins from the Costa Rican endemic scorpion, Tityus championi. Initially, crude venom was tested on different isoforms of voltage-gated sodium channels. Our findings revealed that the venom contains toxins that affect mammalian NaV1.6 and NaV1.7, as well as the cockroach BgNaV1 channel. Increased currents through NaV1.6 and BgNaV1 channels were associated with bigger window currents and inhibition of inactivation. Decreased NaV1.7 currents were associated with smaller conductance. Crude venom and TCh3 toxin inhibited action potential generation in invertebrate neurons expressing NaV1.7-like channels. In these neurons, Tch2 and Tch4 toxins shifted voltage sensitivity to more negative potentials, ultimately widening the window current but decreasing channel availability. Conversely, Tch3 behaved as an inhibitory toxin, closing window currents and decreasing channel availability. Structural modeling showed that Tch3 adopts an αββ fold and binds the S3–S4 loop of Domain II in human NaV1.7. These data show the diverse effects of scorpion venoms on channels and neurons, characterize its principal toxins, and show that Tch3 has therapeutic potential for pain relief.