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Platyhelminth FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs) contract Schistosoma mansoni (Trematoda: Digenea) muscle fibres in vitro

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 April 2009

T. A. Day ,
A. G. Maule ,
C. Shaw ,
D. W. Halton ,
S. Moore ,
J. L. Bennett  and
R. A. Pax
T. A. Day
Affiliation:
Departments of Zoology and Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
A. G. Maule
Affiliation:
Departments of Comparative Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Schools of Clinical Medicine and Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast B T7 INN, UK
C. Shaw
Affiliation:
Departments of Comparative Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Schools of Clinical Medicine and Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast B T7 INN, UK
D. W. Halton
Affiliation:
Departments of Comparative Neuroendocrinology Research Group, Schools of Clinical Medicine and Biology and Biochemistry, The Queen's University of Belfast, Belfast B T7 INN, UK
S. Moore
Affiliation:
Departments of Peninsula Laboratories (Europe) Ltd, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 3AJ, UK
J. L. Bennett
Affiliation:
Departments of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
R. A. Pax
Affiliation:
Departments of Zoology and Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Summary

Molluscan FMRFamide and two recently discovered platyhelminth FMRFamide-related peptides (FaRPs), GNFFRFamide from the cestode Moniezia expansa and RYIRFamide from the terrestrial turbellarian Artioposthia triangulata, cause dose-dependent contractions of individual muscle fibres from Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. The most potent FaRP tested was the turbellarian peptide RYIRFamide, which produced a concentration-dependent effect between 10−9 and 10−7 M. FMRFamide and GNFFRFamide were less potent, inducing contractions between 10−8–10−6 M and 10−7–10−5 M respectively. The contractile effect of each of these peptides was blocked by the presence of 1 µM FMR-DFamide. FMRF free acid did not elicit contraction of the muscle fibres. The FaRP-induced contractions did not occur if the Ca2+ was omitted and 0·5 µM EGTA was added to the extracellular medium. The FaRP-induced contractions were not blocked by the Ca2+ channel blockers nicardipine, verapamil or diltiazem, although high K+-induced contractions of these fibres were blocked by nicardipine. These data indicate the presence of FaRP receptors on schistosome muscle fibres and demonstrate their ability to mediate muscle contraction. The action of these endogenous flatworm peptides on schistosome muscle is the first demonstration of a direct excitatory effect of any putative neurotransmitter on the muscle of a flatworm, and establishes a role for FaRPs in neuromuscular transmission in trematodes. In addition, it provides the first evidence that the peptidergic nervous system is a rational target for chemotherapeutic attack in parasitic platyhelmiths.

Keywords

Schistosoma mansoniplatyhelminthtrematodemuscleFMRFamide-related peptideFMRFamideGNFFRFamideRYIRFamide
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 109 , Issue 4 , November 1994 , pp. 455 - 459
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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