Presynaptic effects of spider toxins: increase of high affinity uptake in the arthropod peripheral glutamatergic system.

In contrast to the reported effects of polyamines on the high affinity neurotransmitter uptake, two polyamine-like spider toxins significantly increase the high affinity uptake of glutamate as demonstrated with high resolution autoradiography. The effects of both spider toxins were compared to those of a polyamine toxin from the wasp Philanthus triangulum, which is known to inhibit the high affinity glutamate uptake.