Structures and actions of Mytilus inhibitory peptides

Two congeneric peptides that inhibit contraction of the anterior byssus retractor muscle of Mytilus edulis were isolated from the pedal ganglia of the mussel. Their structures were determined to be H-Gly-Ser-Pro-Met-Phe-Val-NH2 and H-Gly-Ala-Pro-Met-Phe-Val-NH2. These hexapeptides also showed inhibitory action on contractions in several other molluscan muscles, such as the cardiac muscle of Meretrix lusoria and the penis retractor muscle of Achatina fulica.

Catch-relaxing peptide isolated from Mytilus pedal ganglia

A peptide that relaxes catch tension of the anterior byssus retractor muscle of Mytilus edulis was purified from pedal ganglion extracts of the mussel. Its primary structure was determined to be H-Ala-Met-Pro-Met-Leu-Arg-Leu-NH2. This peptide was found to have not only catch-relaxing action on the byssus retractor muscle but also modulatory actions on contractions in various molluscan muscles.

Pharmacology of FMRFamide in Mytilus catch muscle

In the anterior byssus retractor muscle (ABRM) of Mytilus, low concentrations of FMRFamide (10(-8)-10(-7) M) relax ACh-induced catch-tension, whereas high concentrations (greater than 10(-7) M) cause contraction. To study the structure-activity relations of these actions, a number of peptide analogs of FMRFamide were screened for their biological activities on the ABRM. The structure-activity relations for contraction were different from those for relaxation. Among the peptides tested, FMR-[D-Phe]-amide and gamma 1-MSH substantially antagonized FMRFamide contractions; but only gamma 1-MSH was even slightly antagonistic to FMRFamide-induced relaxation. Relaxations produced by 10(-7) M FMRFamide, or by 10(-5) M FMRFamide-relating relaxing peptides, were markedly depressed by treating the muscle first with 10(-5) M FMRFamide or with 10(-5) M FMRFamide-related contractile peptides. However, contractile agents that are structurally unrelated to FMRFamide, such as 3 X 10(-5) M SCPB and 2 X 10(-2) M caffeine, showed little or no such after-effect on the relaxation. Relaxations in response to submaximal serotonin, dopamine and repetitive electrical pulses of stimulation were not affected by a pretreatment with 10(-5) M FMRFamide. These results suggest that the ABRM of Mytilus has at least two pharmacologically distinct classes of receptors which are capable of being activated by FMRFamide.

Effects of KCl-EGTA solution on the isolated Mytilus smooth muscle: a method for denervation

The ABRM of M. edulis was immersed in KCl-EGTA solution (540 mM KCl + 5 mM EGTA) for 30 min. Then the muscle was returned to normal ASW, effects of the KCl-EGTA solution being examined on the ultrastructure of the neuromuscular junctions and also on the mechanical responses of the muscle to several kinds of stimuli. By the KCl-EGTA treatment of the muscle, synaptic vesicles in the nerve terminals at the junctions were found to be markedly deformed in shape and materially reduced in number. In most of the muscles tested, the contractile response to ACh and catch-relaxing responses to serotonin and dopamine were not depressed by the present treatment, though in some other muscles those responses were depressed a little. Contractile and catch-relaxing responses to repetitive electrical pulses of stimulation were markedly depressed or almost blocked by the treatment. All of the catch-relaxing responses to hexylamine (10(-3)M), phenylethylamine (10(-4)M), Na+-free ASW and 8-bromo-cyclic GMP (10(-3)M) were also markedly depressed or almost completely blocked. These results indicate that the function of intramuscular nerve fibres in the ABRM is markedly impaired by treating the muscle with KCl-EGTA solution while that of muscle fibres is little impaired. The treatment seems to be a useful method for denervation in the isolated ABRM.

Pharmacological evidence for the existence of presynaptic alpha-like receptors in Mytilus muscle

The effects of alpha-adrenoceptor agonists and antagonists on contractions of the ABRM of M. edulis were examined. Naphazoline (10(-11)-10(-7)M) as well as octopamine potentiated both contractions in response to ACh and to repetitive electrical stimulation with brief pulses, while clonidine (10(-12)-10(-6)M), imidazole (10(-4)-10(-3)M) and tolazoline (10(-6)-10(-4)M) potentiated only the contraction in response to repetitive electrical stimulation. Potentiating actions of octopamine and naphazoline on ACh contraction were blocked by tolazoline but were little affected by clonidine and imidazole. Potentiating after-effect of repetitive electrical stimulation on subsequent ACh-contraction was not affected by clonidine and imidazole but was blocked by tolazoline. These results suggest that in the ABRM there are probably at least two classes of alpha-like receptors for octopamine; one may be on the muscle fibres and the other may be on the excitatory nerve terminals. Activation of the latter class of receptors may result in enhancement of ACh release from the terminals.

Actions of noradrenaline and some other biogenic amines on the body-wall muscles of an echiuroid, Urechis unicinctus

1. Noradrenaline inhibited contractions of the body-wall strips of U. unicinctus in response to electrical pulse of stimulation and L-proline, while serotonin enhanced them. In addition, serotonin increased the rate of relaxation of twitch contraction. Octopamine enhanced the contractions but was less potent than serotonin. 2. Acetylcholine-contraction of the isolated inner circular body-wall muscle was also inhibited by noradrenaline and enhanced by serotonin. 3. Phentolamine, an alpha-adrenoreceptor blocker, potentiated tetanic contraction of the strip, though it did not alter twitch contraction. The inhibitory action of noradrenaline was blocked by phentolamine. 4. Noradrenaline hyperpolarized the fibre membrane of the inner circular muscle, while serotonin did not alter the membrane potential. The action of noradrenaline was blocked by phentolamine. 5. Bioassay of the body-wall extract and the ventral nerve-cord extract suggests that these extracts contain serotonin-like and noradrenaline-like substances, respectively. 6. These results suggest that noradrenaline and serotonin may be neurotransmitters or neurohormones modulating muscle contraction in the body wall of U. unicinctus.

A scanning and transmission electron microscope study of the premetamorphic papillae: possible chemoreceptive organs in the oral cavity of an anuran tadpole (Rana japonica)

Premetamorphic papillae of an anuran tadpole (Rana japonica) were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Premetamorphic papillae of several shapes are seen in and around the oral cavities of tadpoles during late larval and early metamorphic stages. These papillae are composed of three parts: the apical cellular part, the underlying connective tissue core and the epithelial covering. In the apical cellular part, two populations of cells are observed: apical and basal cells. The apical cell has a slender cytoplasmic process whose apical surface is exposed in the oral cavity. The basal cell is located at the basal portion of the apical cellular part of the papilla without researching the oral cavity. A long solitary microvillus and a bunch of short microvilli are seen on the apical surface of each apical cell. The apical cells contain dense-cored vesicles of 100 nm diameter and make synaptic contacts at their basal membranes with terminals of nerve fibers. Possible chemoreceptive function of the premetamorphic papilla is discussed.

Further study on the effect of mersalyl, an organic mercurial, on relaxing response of a molluscan smooth muscle to monoamines

The effect of mersalyl on the relaxation of catch by various monoamines was studied in the anterior byssal retractor muscle of Mytilus. As has already been reported, mersalyl blocked the relaxing response to indoleamines but not block that to catecholamines. The relaxations in response to catecholamine-related compounds (dopa, octopamine, tyramine, phenylephrine, beta-phenylethylamine and phenylethanolamine) and hexylamine were, however, antagonized more or less effectively with mersalyl. It was suggested that the catecholamine-related compounds and hexylamine can act on relaxing nerve endings to increase neurotransmitter serotonin in the junctional clefts, and mersalyl antagonizes the relaxation in response to these compounds by blocking the serotonin.

Effects of heavy metal ions on the electrical properties of mucous epithelial cells in the newt stomach

Zinc ion, Cu2+ and Cd2+ at 10(-4) M or lower concentrations caused a marked decrease in the membrane potential of mucous epithelial cells in the isolated newt stomach without appreciable change in the effective membrane resistance and electrical coupling ratio. Cysteine and acetylpenicillamine antagonized the action of these ions. These ions as well as ouabain blocked the hyperpolarization of membrane due to an increase in intracellular Na+. The effect of the ions on the relationship between external K+-concentration and membrane potential was similar to that of ouabain. Discussion is made on the possibility that the ions inhibit active ion transport by combining with a SH-group of the cell membrane and, thus, bring about a decrease in membrane potential.

The relationship between membrane potential and ATP content in rat liver during ischemia

Both ischemia and ethionine decreased the membrane potential and ATP content in rat liver. In ethionine-treated rat liver, ischemia brought about a further decrease in membrane potential without significant decrease in ATP content.