The University of Southampton
University of Southampton Institutional Repository

The characterisation of Serotonin receptors in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum

The characterisation of Serotonin receptors in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum
The characterisation of Serotonin receptors in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptors in the parasitic nematode A. suum regulate vital functions and may be novel targets for anthelmintics. The effects of 5-HT on feeding and locomotive behaviour were compared using the isolated pharyngeal muscle preparation and the dorsal muscle preparation. The second messenger pathways (cAMP, cGMP, IP3) in both pharyngeal and somatic muscle were determined. Complementary DNA library screening and PCR were used to try and identify the genes for these 5-HT receptors.

5-HT stimulated pharyngeal pumping frequency in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 = 44.4. ± 0.1 μM, n = 6; mean ± s.e. mean). The tension increase in the dorsal muscle strip in response to 30 μM ACh was significantly inhibited by 5-HT (1 mM) and was reversible.

5-HT stimulated cAMP production in the somatic muscle in a concentration-dependent manner (basal = 1721 ± 134, 5-HT 100 μM = 2851 ± 212, 5-HT 1 mM = 4518 ± 1234; pmol mg-1 protein, mean ± s.e. mean) whereas in the pharyngeal muscle 5-HT did not stimulate cAMP synthesis (basal = 1540 ± 232, 5-HT 100μM = 1526 ± 84; pmol mg-1 protein; mean ± s.e. mean). Incubation of the pharyngeal muscle with 5-HT (1 mM) resulted in a 3 fold increase in the level of IP3 above basal levels.

A 300 bp fragment was isolated from a A. suum larval cDNA library using a fragment from H. contortus and displayed homology to β-adrenoceptors.

There is therefore functional evidence for at least two 5-HT receptor subtypes in this nematode. A number of approaches were used to attempt to isolate cDNAs for these receptors from A. suum. However, these receptors are likely to be rare transcripts, and from the screening of both the larval and neuronal libraries, only one fragment showing any homology to a G protein-coupled receptor was isolated.

University of Southampton
Brooman, Julie Elizabeth
Brooman, Julie Elizabeth

Brooman, Julie Elizabeth (1998) The characterisation of Serotonin receptors in the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum. University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.

Record type: Thesis (Doctoral)

Abstract

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) receptors in the parasitic nematode A. suum regulate vital functions and may be novel targets for anthelmintics. The effects of 5-HT on feeding and locomotive behaviour were compared using the isolated pharyngeal muscle preparation and the dorsal muscle preparation. The second messenger pathways (cAMP, cGMP, IP3) in both pharyngeal and somatic muscle were determined. Complementary DNA library screening and PCR were used to try and identify the genes for these 5-HT receptors.

5-HT stimulated pharyngeal pumping frequency in a concentration-dependent manner (EC50 = 44.4. ± 0.1 μM, n = 6; mean ± s.e. mean). The tension increase in the dorsal muscle strip in response to 30 μM ACh was significantly inhibited by 5-HT (1 mM) and was reversible.

5-HT stimulated cAMP production in the somatic muscle in a concentration-dependent manner (basal = 1721 ± 134, 5-HT 100 μM = 2851 ± 212, 5-HT 1 mM = 4518 ± 1234; pmol mg-1 protein, mean ± s.e. mean) whereas in the pharyngeal muscle 5-HT did not stimulate cAMP synthesis (basal = 1540 ± 232, 5-HT 100μM = 1526 ± 84; pmol mg-1 protein; mean ± s.e. mean). Incubation of the pharyngeal muscle with 5-HT (1 mM) resulted in a 3 fold increase in the level of IP3 above basal levels.

A 300 bp fragment was isolated from a A. suum larval cDNA library using a fragment from H. contortus and displayed homology to β-adrenoceptors.

There is therefore functional evidence for at least two 5-HT receptor subtypes in this nematode. A number of approaches were used to attempt to isolate cDNAs for these receptors from A. suum. However, these receptors are likely to be rare transcripts, and from the screening of both the larval and neuronal libraries, only one fragment showing any homology to a G protein-coupled receptor was isolated.

This record has no associated files available for download.

More information

Published date: 1998

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 463173
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/463173
PURE UUID: 4ca9ea0f-91e1-4ea5-8662-9ea61c218d3d

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 20:46
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 20:46

Export record

Contributors

Author: Julie Elizabeth Brooman

Download statistics

Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.

View more statistics

Atom RSS 1.0 RSS 2.0

Contact ePrints Soton: eprints@soton.ac.uk

ePrints Soton supports OAI 2.0 with a base URL of http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2

This repository has been built using EPrints software, developed at the University of Southampton, but available to everyone to use.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue without changing your settings, we will assume that you are happy to receive cookies on the University of Southampton website.

×