The Untapped Potential of Cone Snail Venom Peptides: Conopressin’s Modulation of Oxytocin and Vasopressin Hormone Receptors

Abstract

This paper provides a review of the medical and research applications of cone snail venom components. Cone snail venom contains specialized peptides called conopeptides which are estimated to number more than 800,000 in total from across all cone snail species. Depending on the needs of each cone snail species, its conopeptides can be specialized for predation or defense and can have a wide variety of effects. Despite their overall abundance and diversity of effects, however, the FDA has only approved a single conopeptide, ω-conopeptide MVIIA, which is used as a painkiller, for widespread medical use. Conopeptides, therefore, represent an underdeveloped area of research that has only just started to garner more thorough exploration in recent years. Conopressin is one such conopeptide that has received increased attention due to its capacity to bind with receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin, hormones which play critical roles in functions as diverse as social bonding, blood pressure maintenance, and kidney function. This paper will briefly outline the structure of conopressin, and highlight its ability to act as both an agonist and antagonist for specific hormone receptors throughout the body, thereby allowing for the blocking or promotion of oxytocin or vasopressin activity at desired locations to induce different desired effects. While research on conopressin is still ongoing, its versatility in modulating oxytocin and vasopressin hormonal activity positions it as a promising candidate for future therapeutic development.