INVESTIGADORES
CAMICIA Federico
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Characterization of serotonin as a potential neurotransmitter in Echinococcus spp.
Autor/es:
CAMICIA, F.; SIMONETTA, S.; BIANCHI, J.; PRADA, L.; KAMENETZKY, L.; MACCHIAROLI, N.; CUCHER, M.; ROSENZVIT, M.C.
Lugar:
Mendoza
Reunión:
Congreso; XLVIII Reunión Anual de la Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Bioquímica y Biología Molecular; 2012
Institución organizadora:
Sociedad Argentina de Investigación Bioquímica y Biología Molecular
Resumen:
Objetives:1, to search for the presence of genes related to serotonin (5-HT) metabolism and function using E. multilocularis (Em) and E. granulosus(Eg) genomes; 2, to analyse the serotoninergic nervous system ontology in Eg and 3, the analysis of the effect of 5-HT in Eg based on protoscoleces motility (p).Methodology: Genes of the 5-HT pathway were searched by BLASTp against Em and Eg genomes. Immature adult worms (ia), vesicularised protoscoleces (vp), pre-microcysts (pm), brood capsules (bc) and microcysts (m) were obtained by in vitro culture and used for confocal microscopy studies (cm). The role of 5-HT as a neurotransmitter was evaluated by measuring the motility of p in the presence of 5-HT. Results: The 5-HT genes found in Em and Eg are almost conserved. The cm shows a developed serotoninergic system in p, vp and ia but it seems to be scarce in the pm and absent in the m and the germinal layer of bc. 5-HT has a specific and dose-dependent effect in the motility of p.Conclusions: The 5-HT pathway could be functional in Eg and Em. The cm shows a high plasticity of development of the serotoninergic system. The effects of 5-HT on p motility suggests a rol as a neurotransmitter in coincidence with the cm results and indicate 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.