Neural modulation of stress response in C. elegans

DE ROSA, M.J.; VEUTHEY, T.; AGUIRRE, N.; BLANCO, M.G.; LEMUS, C.; RAYES, D.

Mar Del Plata

Congreso; LI Reunión Anual Sociedad ARgentina de Investigación en Bioquímica (SAIB); 2015

SAIB

In response to environmentalchallenges isolated cultured cells can autonomously trigger widely conservedmolecular mechanisms to minimize cellular damages. However, this intrinsiccapacity should be finely regulated in multicellular organisms. The neuralcoordination of the systemic stress response was first demonstrated in C. elegans.  However, the identity of the signal that integratesstress perception with the response in non-neuronal cells is unknown. Ouranalysis of the C.elegans neuronalwiring diagram reveals that the circuits activated upon exposure to stressorsconverge in the tyraminergic neuron, RIM. Tyramine is the invertebratecounterpart for adrenaline. By using genetics, pharmacology, behavioralanalysis and microscopic techniques, we found that tyramine-deficient animalsare resistant to thermal and oxidative stress as well as to starvation and pathogeninfection. Besides, these mutants exhibit autophagy and lypolisis induction,even under favorable growth conditions. We also determined that TYRA-3 is thereceptor involved in the tyraminergic control of stress response. Our resultssuggest that, independently of the etiology of the stress, inhibition of tyraminerelease is a neuroendocrine signal required for a coordinated triggering of theresponse in C. elegans. Thisstudy contributes to the understanding of the neurohormonal signaling in multicellularorganisms.