Effects of the muscarinic agonist, 5-methylfurmethiodide, on contraction and electrophysiology of Ascaris suum muscle

Pharmacological effects of monoterpene carveol on the neuromuscular system of nematodes and mammals

The control of parasitic nematode infections relies mostly on anthelmintics. The potential pharmacotherapeutic application of phytochemicals, in order to overcome parasite resistance and enhance the effect of existing drugs, is becoming increasingly important. The antinematodal effects of carveol was tested on the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans and the neuromuscular preparation of the parasitic nematode Ascaris suum. Carveol caused spastic paralysis in C. elegans. In A. suum carveol potentiated contractions induced by acetylcholine (ACh) and this effect was confirmed with two-electrode voltage-clamp electrophysiology on the A. suum nicotinic ACh receptor expressed in Xenopus oocytes. However, potentiating effect of carveol on ACh-induced contractions was partially sensitive to atropine, indicates a dominant nicotine effect but also the involvement of some muscarinic structures. The effects of carveol on the neuromuscular system of mammals are also specific. In micromolar concentrations, carveol acts as a non-competitive ACh antagonist on ileum contractions. Unlike atropine, it does not change the EC50 of ACh, but reduces the amplitude of contractions. Carveol caused an increase in Electrical Field Stimulation-evoked contractions of the isolated rat diaphragm, but at higher concentrations it caused an inhibition. Also, carveol neutralized the mecamylamine-induced tetanic fade, indicating a possibly different pre- and post-synaptic action at the neuromuscular junction.

Anthelmintic resistance and homeostatic plasticity (Brugia malayi)

Homeostatic plasticity refers to the capacity of excitable cells to regulate their activity to make compensatory adjustments to long-lasting stimulation. It is found across the spectrum of vertebrate and invertebrate species and is driven by changes in cytosolic calcium; it has not been explored in parasitic nematodes when treated with therapeutic drugs. Here we have studied the adaptation of Brugia malayi to exposure to the anthelmintic, levamisole that activates muscle AChR ion-channels. We found three phases of the Brugia malayi motility responses as they adapted to levamisole: an initial spastic paralysis; a flaccid paralysis that follows; and finally, a recovery of motility with loss of sensitivity to levamisole at 4 h. Motility, calcium-imaging, patch-clamp and molecular experiments showed the muscle AChRs are dynamic with mechanisms that adjust their subtype composition and sensitivity to levamisole. This homeostatic plasticity allows the parasite to adapt resisting the anthelmintic.

Two opposite dose-dependent effects of diazinon on the motor activity of the rat ileum

Acute poisoning with OPs may lead to a range of neurological effects, which cannot be explained by AChE inhibition alone. Several OPs interact directly with cholinergic receptors in mammals, but such data does not exist for invertebrates. The aim of current study was to investigate the direct and indirect effects of diazinon on the contractions of rat ileum and to compare those effects on the nervemuscle preparation of the Ascaris suum. In the presence of increasing concentrations of diazinon (3, 10 and 30nM), EFS-induced ileal contractions were increased significantly. In the same preparation, diazinon 3nM, significantly increased contractions induced by EFS, but did not affect the contractions caused by 5MFI. Contrarily, 1μM of diazinon significantly and reversibly inhibited the EFS-induced ileal contractions. Diazinon exhibited competitive and non-competitive inhibitions of 5MFI induced contractions. The control EC₅₀ of 5MFI was 2.48μM with R_max=1.88g. In the presence of diazinon, EC₅₀ was 12.45μM, while R_max was reduced to 0.43g. After washing, the EC₅₀ and R_max values were again closer to the control level (3.80μM and 1.04g). Diazinon 1μM did not inhibit Ascaris suum contractions caused by ACh, but it increased the R_max. Diazinon in our study exhibits two opposite effects on the motor activity of the ileum. In low nanomolar concentrations the dominat is its effect on AChE and the stimulation of contractions. Furthermore, in concentrations that approach micromolar values diazinon has a direct inhibitory effect on muscarinic receptors. The direct inhibitory effect of diazinon on A. suum contractions was not found.

Expression of five acetylcholine receptor subunit genes in Brugia malayi adult worms

Acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) are required for body movement in parasitic nematodes and are targets of “classical” anthelmintic drugs such as levamisole and pyrantel and of newer drugs such as tribendimidine and derquantel. While neurotransmission explains the effects of these drugs on nematode movement, their effects on parasite reproduction are unexplained. The levamisole AChR type (L-AChRs) in Caenorhabditis elegans is comprised of five subunits: Cel-UNC-29, Cel-UNC-38, Cel-UNC-63, Cel-LEV-1 and Cel-LEV-8. The genome of the filarial parasite Brugia malayi contains nine AChRs subunits including orthologues of Cel-unc-29, Cel-unc-38, and Cel-unc-63. We performed in situ hybridization with RNA probes to localize the expression of five AChR genes (Bm1_35890-Bma-unc-29, Bm1_20330-Bma-unc-38, Bm1_38195-Bma-unc-63, Bm1_48815-Bma-acr-26 and Bm1_40515-Bma-acr-12) in B. malayi adult worms. Four of these genes had similar expression patterns with signals in body muscle, developing embryos, spermatogonia, uterine wall adjacent to stretched microfilariae, wall of Vas deferens, and lateral cord. Three L-AChR subunit genes (Bma-unc-29, Bma-unc-38 and Bma-unc-63) were expressed in body muscle, which is a known target of levamisole. Bma-acr-12 was co-expressed with these levamisole subunit genes in muscle, and this suggests that its protein product may form receptors with other alpha subunits. Bma-acr-26 was expressed in male muscle but not in female muscle. Strong expression signals of these genes in early embryos and gametes in uterus and testis suggest that AChRs may have a role in nervous system development of embryogenesis and spermatogenesis. This would be consistent with embryotoxic effects of drugs that target these receptors in filarial worms. Our data show that the expression of these receptor genes is tightly regulated with regard to localization in adult worms and developmental stage in embryos and gametes. These results may help to explain the broad effects of drugs that target AChRs in filarial worms.

•

Expression patterns of Brugia malayi AChR subunit genes studied by in situ hybridization.

•

All genes highly expressed in developing embryos and sperm precursors.

•

Highly expressed in the walls of uterus and Vas deferens with mature offspring.

•

Four of five genes expressed in body muscle of adult worms.

•

Expression patterns shed new light on the action of anthelmintics in filarial parasites.

Whole-cell patch-clamp recording of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in adult Brugia malayi muscle

Lymphatic filariasis is a debilitating disease caused by clade III parasites like Brugia malayi and Wuchereria bancrofti. Current recommended treatment regimen for this disease relies on albendazole, ivermectin and diethylcarbamazine, none of which targets the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in these parasitic nematodes. Our aim therefore has been to develop adult B. malayi for electrophysiological recordings to aid in characterizing the ion channels in this parasite as anthelmintic target sites. In that regard, we recently demonstrated the amenability of adult B. malayi to patch-clamp recordings and presented results on the single-channel properties of nAChR in this nematode. We have built on this by recording whole-cell nAChR currents from adult B. malayi muscle. Acetylcholine, levamisole, pyrantel, bephenium and tribendimidine activated the receptors on B. malayi muscle, producing robust currents ranging from >200 pA to ~1.5 nA. Levamisole completely inhibited motility of the adult B. malayi within 10 min and after 60 min, motility had recovered back to control values.