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Pharmacological effects of nematode FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs) on muscle contractility of the trematode, Fasciola hepatica

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 1997

N. J. MARKS ,
A. G. MAULE ,
D. W. HALTON ,
T. G. GEARY ,
C. SHAW  and
D. P. THOMPSON
N. J. MARKS
Affiliation:
Animal Health Discovery Research, Pharmacia & Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, Michigan, MI 49001, USA
A. G. MAULE
Affiliation:
Comparative Neuroendocrinology Research Group, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
D. W. HALTON
Affiliation:
Comparative Neuroendocrinology Research Group, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
T. G. GEARY
Affiliation:
Animal Health Discovery Research, Pharmacia & Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, Michigan, MI 49001, USA
C. SHAW
Affiliation:
Comparative Neuroendocrinology Research Group, The Queen's University of Belfast, BT7 1NN, Northern Ireland, UK
D. P. THOMPSON
Affiliation:
Animal Health Discovery Research, Pharmacia & Upjohn Co., Kalamazoo, Michigan, MI 49001, USA
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Abstract

The physiological effects of synthetic replicates of the nematode FaRPs, AF1 (KNEFIRFamide), AF2 (KHEYLRFamide), PF1 (SDPNFLRFamide), PF2 (SADPNFLRFamide), AF8/PF3 (KSAYMRFamide) and PF4 (KPNFIRFamide) were examined on muscle preparations of the liver fluke, Fasciola hepatica. Changes in contractility following the addition of the test compound were recorded using a photo-optic transducer system. Unlike the varied effects these peptides have on nematode somatic musculature, all were found to induce excitatory responses in the muscle activity of F. hepatica. While qualitative effects of the nematode peptides were similar in that they induced increases in both the amplitude and frequency of F. hepatica muscle contractions, they varied considerably in the potency of their excitatory effects. The threshold activity for each peptide was as follows: 10 μM, PF1 and PF2; 3 μM, AF1 and PF3; 1 μM, AF2; and 30 nM, PF4. The results demonstrate, for the first time, the cross-phyla activity of nematode neuropeptides on the neuromuscular activity of a trematode.

Keywords

Fasciola hepaticaneuromuscular activityphysiologyFMRFamide-related peptidesFaRPsnematode peptides
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 114 , Issue 6 , June 1997 , pp. 531 - 539
Copyright
1997 Cambridge University Press

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