Characterization of serotonin receptors in fish brain: Polyamines inhibit the binding process

Acute Inflammation Induces Neuroendocrine and Opioid Receptor Genes Responses in the Seabass Dicentrarchus labrax Brain

Simple Summary

It is generally accepted (in mammals and in teleost fish, too) that stressful conditions affect the performance of an immune response. What is still far from being known is at what extend does an immune process affects the neuroendocrine system. Vaccination for instance, is nowadays a common practice in aquaculture and little is known about its physiological implications other than immunization. Here is a first approach to the study of the European seabass’ brain gene expression patterns in response to a peripheral inflammatory process. Genes related to the stress response were focused, along with those related to the opioid system. Increased expression of certain genes suggests the activation of a stress response triggered by inflammatory signals. Additionally, contrasting expression patterns of the same gene (increased vs decreased) in the different brain regions (as well as the time needed for changes to happen) point at different functions. These results clearly show the reactivity of different brain responses to an immune response, highlighting the importance of further studies on downstream implications (behavior, feeding, welfare, reproduction).

Abstract

In fish, as observed in mammals, any stressful event affects the immune system to a larger or shorter extent. The neuroendocrine-immune axis is a bi-directional network of mobile compounds and their receptors that are shared between both systems (neuroendocrine and immune) and that regulate their respective responses. However, how and to what extent immunity modulates the neuroendocrine system is not yet fully elucidated. This study was carried out to understand better central gene expression response patterns in a high-valued farmed fish species to an acute peripheral inflammation, focusing on genes related to the hypothalamus-pituitary-interrenal axis and the opioid system. European seabass, Dicentrarchus labrax, were intra-peritoneally injected with either Freund’s Incomplete Adjuvant to induce a local inflammatory response or Hanks Balances Salt Solution to serve as the control. An undisturbed group was also included to take into account the effects due to handling procedures. To evaluate the outcomes of an acute immune response, fish were sampled at 4, 24, 48, and 72 h post-injection. The brain was sampled and dissected for isolation of different regions: telencephalon, optic tectum, hypothalamus, and pituitary gland. The expression of several genes related to the neuroendocrine response was measured by real-time PCR. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and discriminant analyses to obtain these genes’ responsiveness for the different brain regions. Serotonergic receptors were upregulated in the telencephalon, whereas the optic tectum inhibited these transcription genes. The hypothalamus showed a somewhat delayed response in which serotonin and glucocorticoid receptors were concerned. Still, the hypothalamic corticotropin-releasing hormone played an important role in differentiating fish undergoing an inflammatory response from those not under such conditions. Opioid receptors gene expression increased in both the hypothalamus and the telencephalon, while in the optic tectum, most were downregulated. However, no changes in the pituitary gland were observed. The different brain regions under immune stimulation demonstrated clear, distinct responses regarding gene transcription rates as well as the time period needed for the effect to occur. Further, more integrative studies are required to associate functions to the evaluated genes more safely and better understand the triggering mechanisms.

Identification, characterization, and expression analysis of a serotonin receptor involved in the reproductive process of the Pacific abalone, Haliotis discus hannai

Serotonin receptor (5-HT) is a biogenic amine acting as a neurotransmitter and neuromodulator that mediates various aspects of reproduction and gametogenesis. The full-length nucleotide sequence of Haliotis discus hannai encodes a protein of 417 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 46.54 kDa and isoelectric point of 8.94. The structural profile of 5-HT_Hdh displayed key features of G protein-coupled receptors, including seven hydrophobic transmembrane domains, putative N-linked glycosylation sites, and several phosphorylation consensus motifs. It shares the highest homology of its amino acid sequence with the 5-HT receptor from Haliotis asinina, and to lesser extent of human 5-HT receptor. The cloned sequence possesses two cysteine residues (Cys-115 and Cys-193), which are likely to form a disulfide bond. Phylogenetic comparison with other known 5-HT receptor genes revealed that the 5-HT_Hdh is most closely related to the 5-HT_Ha receptor. The three-dimensional structure of the 5-HT_Hdh showed multiple alpha helices which is separated by a helix-loop-helix (HLH) structure. Quantitative PCR demonstrated that the receptor mRNA was predominantly expressed in the pleuropedal ganglion. Significant differences in the transcriptional activity of the 5-HT_Hdh gene were observed in the ovary at the ripening stage. An exclusive expression was detected in pleuropedal ganglion, testis, and ovary at higher effective accumulative temperature (1000 °C). In situ hybridization showed that the 5-HT_Hdh expressing neurosecretory cells were distributed in the cortex of the pleuropedal ganglion. Our results suggest that 5-HT_Hdh synthesized in the neural ganglia may be involved in oocyte maturation and spawning of H. discus hannai.

Conservation of the chromatophore pigment response

Toxicant sensing technology has evolved to include biological sensors, such as cell-based biosensors, which rely on viable cells to convey a measurable physiological signal. Chromatophores are a class of pigment cells that have been investigated as cell-based biosensors. We report the characterization of Oncorhynchus tshawytscha melanophores and describe the melanophore pigment response to neurotransmitters in terms of pigment area occupied. Compared with the previously described model, Betta splendens erythrophores, O. tshawytscha melanophores responded similarly, indicating that pigment responses are biologically conserved between these two species. Additionally, melanophores responded to mercuric chloride and sodium arsenite, similar to B. splendens erythrophores, suggesting that melanophores can be used as detectors for environmental toxicants. This report highlights the potential of O. tshawytscha melanophores to be used as cell-based biosensors to address environmental toxicity, and warrants a continued investigation to strengthen this technology and its applications.

Serotonergic activation of 5HT1A and 5HT2 receptors modulates sexually dimorphic communication signals in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus

Serotonin modulates agonistic and reproductive behavior across vertebrate species. 5HT(1A) and 5HT(1B) receptors mediate many serotonergic effects on social behavior, but other receptors, including 5HT(2) receptors, may also contribute. We investigated serotonergic regulation of electrocommunication signals in the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus. During social interactions, these fish modulate their electric organ discharges (EODs) to produce signals known as chirps. Males chirp more than females and produce two chirp types. Males produce high-frequency chirps as courtship signals; whereas both sexes produce low-frequency chirps during same-sex interactions. Serotonergic innervation of the prepacemaker nucleus, which controls chirping, is more robust in females than males. Serotonin inhibits chirping and may contribute to sexual dimorphism and individual variation in chirping. We elicited chirps with EOD playbacks and pharmacologically manipulated serotonin receptors to determine which receptors regulated chirping. We also asked whether serotonin receptor activation generally modulated chirping or more specifically targeted particular chirp types. Agonists and antagonists of 5HT(1B/1D) receptors (CP-94253 and GR-125743) did not affect chirping. The 5HT(1A) receptor agonist 8OH-DPAT specifically increased production of high-frequency chirps. The 5HT(2) receptor agonist DOI decreased chirping. Receptor antagonists (WAY-100635 and MDL-11939) opposed the effects of their corresponding agonists. These results suggest that serotonergic inhibition of chirping may be mediated by 5HT(2) receptors, but that serotonergic activation of 5HT(1A) receptors specifically increases the production of high-frequency chirps. The enhancement of chirping by 5HT(1A) receptors may result from interactions with cortisol and/or arginine vasotocin, which similarly enhance chirping and are influenced by 5HT(1A) activity in other systems.

Putrescine modulation of depolarization-induced [3H]serotonin release from fish brain synaptosomes

In this study, we investigated the effects of putrescine, a precursor of polyamine metabolism, on depolarization (potassium chloride, KCl)-induced [3H]serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) release from brain synaptosomes of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). An irreversible inhibitor of polyamine metabolism, difluoromethyl-ornithine (DFMO), inhibited the KCl-induced [3H]serotonin efflux, and addition of putrescine (PUT) reversed the inhibitory effects of the former in synaptosomal preparations. In Fura-2/AM loaded synaptosomes, KCl stimulated Ca2+ influx. Hence, prior addition of EGTA abolished the KCl-induced Ca2+ responses, indicating that KCl-induced depolarization recruited Ca2+ from extracellular medium. The DFMO curtailed the KCl-evoked Ca2+ influx, and addition of PUT reversed the inhibitory effects of DFMO. Furthermore, fish brain was found to contain polyamines in high amounts (e.g. putrescine from 600 +/- 20 to 850 +/- 30 nmol/g protein). These results suggest that polyamine putrescine, present in fish brain, might be involved in [3H]serotonin efflux via Ca2+ influx mechanisms.