Characterization of serotonin as a potential neurotransmitter in Echinococcus spp

CAMICIA F; SIMONETTA S; BIANCHI J; PRADA L; KAMENETZKY L; MACCHIAROLI N; CUCHER M; ROSENZVIT M C

Mendoza

Congreso; XLVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Bioquímica y Biología Molecular,; 2012

SAIB

Characterization of serotonin as a potential neurotransmitter in Echinococcus spp. Camicia F*;Simonetta S§;Bianchi J§;Prada L*;Kamenetzky L*;Macchiaroli N*;Cucher M*;Stella C±;Rosenzvit M* *IMPaM, ±Departamento de Bioquímica, Medicina, UBA. §Fundación Leloir. mrosenzvit@fmed.uba.ar Objetives: 1) To search for genes related to serotonin (5-HT) metabolism and function in the cestode parasites of sanitary importance E. multilocularis (Em) and E. granulosus (Eg). 2) To analyse the serotoninergic nervous system ontology in Eg. 3) To analyse the effect of 5-HT in Eg protoscoleces motility. Methodology and Results: By bioinformatic analyses, we found that the 5-HT pathway is almost complete in Echinococcus spp. genomes with some interesting divergences. The serotoninergic immunoreactivity showed a well developed serotoninergic system in protoscoleces and adult forms and a tendence towards atrophy during the development to cystic stage. The role of 5-HT as a neurotransmitter was evaluated by measuring the motility of protoscoleces in presence of 5-HT alone or in combination with 5-HT transporter and 5-HT receptor antagonists, using the worm tracker (Simonetta and Golombeck, 2007). We found that 5-HT has a specific and dose-dependent effect in the motility of protoscoleces. Conclusions: The 5-HT pathway could be functional in Eg and Em. Eg shows a high plasticity of development of the serotoninergic system. The effects of 5-HT on protoscolex motility suggests a role as a neurotransmitter and indicates that the nervous system could be considered as a target of drugs. Molecular studies will reveal the exact role of 5-HT in these parasites.