Metabotropic histamine receptors--nothing for invertebrates?

Co-created in vivo pharmacology practical classes using the novel organism Lumbriculus variegatus

Co-creation within higher education emphasizes learner empowerment to promote collaboration between the students and staff, enabling students to become active participants in their learning process and the construction of resources with academic staff. Concurrently, a diminishing number of higher education institutions offer in vivo practical classes, resulting in an in vivo skills shortage. To address this, and to actively engage students in their own learning, we describe the co-creation of a student-led drug trial using Lumbriculus variegatus. Under blinded conditions, final-year undergraduate biomedical science students, under the tutelage of academic staff and fellow students, were involved in the co-creation of an in vivo practical class to determine the effects of histamine and histamine receptor inverse agonists mepyramine and loratadine. Throughout this process, undergraduate- and masters-level students played key roles in every aspect of practical delivery and data analysis. Herein, students demonstrated the test compounds, both in isolation and in combination, resulted in reduced stereotypical movements of L. variegatus (p < .05, n ≥ 6). 15% of students in the class responded to a feedback survey (n = 8) after the class. Students reported the class provided "real life" insights into in vivo research and enabled the development of hands-on skills which would be useful in applying in their future careers. All students reported that they enjoyed the class with 25% (n = 2) reporting concerns about animal use in research, enabling useful discussions about animals in research. Moreover, these student-led in vivo trials add to the pharmacological knowledge of L. variegatus promoting education-led research.

Genome-wide identification of 194 G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) genes from the water flea Daphnia magna

In crustaceans, G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are the largest transmembrane receptor family and function by mediating various environmental stimuli in cells. Understanding GPCR signaling is crucial to better understanding of crustacean endocrinology. GPCRs evolved from early eukaryotes, and genome-wide identification of GPCRs in a particular taxon can provide insight into evolutionary tendencies and adaptive strategies of GPCR response to environmental stimuli. Here, we identified 194 full-length GPCR genes in the water flea Daphnia magna that can be divided into five distinct classes (A, B, C, F, and other). A strong orthologous relationship for amine, neuropeptide, and opsin receptors was found in the phylogenetic comparison of D. magna GPCRs to those of humans and two well-known insects (Drosophila melanogaster and Solenopsis invicta). Our results based on phylogenetic relationships suggest that most GPCRs subfamilies have undergone sporadic evolutionary processes for adaptation to environmental pressures. Despite the dynamics of GPCR evolution, some GPCRs are highly conserved between species. This study provides a better understanding of the evolution of GPCRs and expands our knowledge of the potential physiological mechanisms in D. magna in response to various environmental stimuli.

Histamine H3 and H4 receptors modulate Parkinson's disease induced brain pathology. Neuroprotective effects of nanowired BF-2649 and clobenpropit with anti-histamine-antibody therapy

Military personnel deployed in combat operations are highly prone to develop Parkinson's disease (PD) in later lives. PD largely involves dopaminergic pathways with hallmarks of increased alpha synuclein (ASNC), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) precipitating brain pathology. However, increased histaminergic nerve fibers in substantia nigra pars Compacta (SNpc), striatum (STr) and caudate putamen (CP) associated with upregulation of Histamine H3 receptors and downregulation of H4 receptors in human cases of PD is observed in postmortem cases. These findings indicate that modulation of histamine H3 and H4 receptors and/or histaminergic transmission may induce neuroprotection in PD induced brain pathology. In this review effects of a potent histaminergic H3 receptor inverse agonist BF-2549 or clobenpropit (CLBPT) partial histamine H4 agonist with H3 receptor antagonist, in association with monoclonal anti-histamine antibodies (AHmAb) in PD brain pathology is discussed based on our own observations. Our investigation shows that chronic administration of conventional or TiO₂ nanowired BF 2649 (1mg/kg, i.p.) or CLBPT (1mg/kg, i.p.) once daily for 1 week together with nanowired delivery of HAmAb (25μL) significantly thwarted ASNC and p-tau levels in the SNpC and STr and reduced PD induced brain pathology. These observations are the first to show the involvement of histamine receptors in PD and opens new avenues for the development of novel drug strategies in clinical strategies for PD, not reported earlier.

Automated phenotyping of mosquito larvae enables high-throughput screening for novel larvicides and offers potential for smartphone-based detection of larval insecticide resistance

Pyrethroid-impregnated nets have contributed significantly to halving the burden of malaria but resistance threatens their future efficacy and the pipeline of new insecticides is short. Here we report that an invertebrate automated phenotyping platform (INVAPP), combined with the algorithm Paragon, provides a robust system for measuring larval motility in Anopheles gambiae (and An. coluzzi) as well as Aedes aegypti with the capacity for high-throughput screening for new larvicides. By this means, we reliably quantified both time- and concentration-dependent actions of chemical insecticides faster than using the WHO standard larval assay. We illustrate the effectiveness of the system using an established larvicide (temephos) and demonstrate its capacity for library-scale chemical screening using the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Pathogen Box library. As a proof-of-principle, this library screen identified a compound, subsequently confirmed to be tolfenpyrad, as an effective larvicide. We have also used the INVAPP / Paragon system to compare responses in larvae derived from WHO classified deltamethrin resistant and sensitive mosquitoes. We show how this approach to monitoring larval response to insecticides can be adapted for use with a smartphone camera application and therefore has potential for further development as a simple portable field-assay with associated real-time, geo-located information to identify hotspots.

Evolutionary history of histamine receptors: Early vertebrate origin and expansion of the H3-H4 subtypes

Histamine receptors belonging to the superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate the diverse biological effects of biogenic histamine. They are classified into four phylogenetically distinct subtypes H₁-H₄, each with a different binding affinity for histamine and divergent downstream signaling pathways. Here we present the evolutionary history of the histamine receptors using a phylogenetic approach complemented with comparative genomics analyses of the sequences, gene structures, and synteny of gene neighborhoods. The data indicate the earliest emergence of histamine-mediated GPCR signaling by a H₂ in a prebilaterian ancestor. The analyses support a revised classification of the vertebrate H₃-H₄ receptor subtypes. We demonstrate the presence of the H₄ across vertebrates, contradicting the currently held notion that H₄ is restricted to mammals. These non-mammalian vertebrate H₄ orthologs have been mistaken for H₃. We also identify the presence of a new H₃ subtype (H₃B), distinct from the canonical H₃ (H₃A), and propose that the H₃A, H₃B, and H₄ likely emerged from a H₃ progenitor through the 1R/2R whole genome duplications in an ancestor of the vertebrates. It is apparent that the ability of the H₁, H₂, and H_3-4 to bind histamine was acquired convergently. We identified genomic signatures suggesting that the H₁ and H₃-H₄ shared a last common ancestor with the muscarinic receptor in a bilaterian predecessor whereas, the H₂ and the α-adrenoreceptor shared a progenitor in a prebilaterian ancestor. Furthermore, site-specific analysis of the vertebrate subtypes revealed potential residues that may account for the functional divergence between them.

Flight motor networks modulate primary olfactory processing in the moth Manduca sexta

Across vertebrates and invertebrates, corollary discharge circuits (CDCs) project to and inform sensory networks about an animal’s movements, which directly impact sensory processing. Failure of CDCs likely underlie sensory hallucinations in schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, and dyspnea, highlighting the fundamental importance of CDCs for successfully interpreting sensory cues to adaptively interact with the external world. Ultimately, understanding the role of CDCs in integrating sensory motor function will be vital to understand these diseases, but mechanistically little is known about how CDCs function. CDCs have been identified in most sensory domains except olfaction. Our findings indicate that a histaminergic CDC enhances the ability of the olfactory system to more precisely encode stimulus temporal structure, resulting in enhanced olfactory acuity.

Nervous systems must distinguish sensory signals derived from an animal’s own movements (reafference) from environmentally derived sources (exafference). To accomplish this, motor networks producing reafference transmit motor information, via a corollary discharge circuit (CDC), to affected sensory networks, modulating sensory function during behavior. While CDCs have been described in most sensory modalities, none have been observed projecting to an olfactory pathway. In moths, two mesothoracic to deutocerebral histaminergic neurons (MDHns) project from flight sensorimotor centers in the mesothoracic neuromere to the antennal lobe (AL), where they provide the sole source of histamine (HA), but whether they represent a CDC is unknown. We demonstrate that MDHn spiking activity is positively correlated with wing-motor output and increased before bouts of motor activity, suggesting that MDHns communicate global locomotor state, rather than providing a precisely timed motor copy. Within the AL, HA application sharpened entrainment of projection neuron responses to odor stimuli embedded within simulated wing-beat–induced flows, whereas MDHn axotomy or AL HA receptor (HA-r) blockade reduced entrainment. This finding is consistent with higher-order CDCs, as the MDHns enhanced rather than filtered entrainment of AL projection neurons. Finally, HA-r blockade increased odor detection and discrimination thresholds in behavior assays. These results establish MDHns as a CDC that modulates AL temporal resolution, enhancing odor-guided behavior. MDHns thus appear to represent a higher-order CDC to an insect olfactory pathway; this CDC’s unique nature highlights the importance of motor-to-sensory signaling as a context-specific mechanism that fine-tunes sensory function.

Sea Urchin Larvae as a Model for Postembryonic Development

Larvae are a diverse set of postembryonic life forms distinct from juveniles or adults that have evolved in many animal phyla. Echinoids (sea urchins and sand dollars) generate rapidly developing, morphologically simple, and optically transparent larvae and are a well-established model system supported by a broad array of genomic resources, experimental approaches, and imaging techniques. As such, they provide a unique opportunity to study postembryonic processes such as endocrine signaling, immunity, host-microbe interactions, and regeneration. Here we review a broad array of literature focusing on these important processes in sea urchin larvae, providing support for the claim that they represent excellent experimental study systems. Specifically, there is strong evidence emerging that endocrine signaling, immunity, and host-microbe interactions play major roles in larval development and physiology. Future research should take advantage of sea urchin larvae as a model to study these processes in more detail.

Deep sequencing of transcriptomes from the nervous systems of two decapod crustaceans to characterize genes important for neural circuit function and modulation

BACKGROUND

Crustaceans have been studied extensively as model systems for nervous system function from single neuron properties to behavior. However, lack of molecular sequence information and tools have slowed the adoption of these physiological systems as molecular model systems. In this study, we sequenced and performed de novo assembly for the nervous system transcriptomes of two decapod crustaceans: the Jonah crab (Cancer borealis) and the American lobster (Homarus americanus).

RESULTS

Forty-two thousand, seven hundred sixty-six and sixty thousand, two hundred seventy-three contigs were assembled from C. borealis and H. americanus respectively, representing 9,489 and 11,061 unique coding sequences. From these transcripts, genes associated with neural function were identified and manually curated to produce a characterization of multiple gene families important for nervous system function. This included genes for 34 distinct ion channel types, 17 biogenic amine and 5 GABA receptors, 28 major transmitter receptor subtypes including glutamate and acetylcholine receptors, and 6 gap junction proteins - the Innexins.

CONCLUSION

With this resource, crustacean model systems are better poised for incorporation of modern genomic and molecular biology technologies to further enhance the interrogation of fundamentals of nervous system function.

In silico prediction of the G-protein coupled receptors expressed during the metamorphic molt of Sagmariasus verreauxi (Crustacea: Decapoda) by mining transcriptomic data: RNA-seq to repertoire

Against a backdrop of food insecurity, the farming of decapod crustaceans is a rapidly expanding and globally significant source of food protein. Sagmariasus verreauxi spiny lobster, the subject of this study, are decapods of underdeveloped aquaculture potential. Crustacean neuropeptide G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate endocrine pathways that are integral to animal fecundity, growth and survival. The potential use of novel biotechnologies to enhance GPCR-mediated physiology may assist in improving the health and productivity of farmed decapod populations. This study catalogues the GPCRs expressed in the early developmental stages, as well as adult tissues, with a view to illuminating key neuropeptide receptors. De novo assembled contiguous sequences generated from transcriptomic reads of metamorphic and post metamorphic S. verreauxi were filtered for seven transmembrane domains, and used as a reference for iterative re-mapping. Subsequent putative GPCR open reading frames (ORFs) were BLAST annotated, categorised, and compared to published orthologues based on phylogenetic analysis. A total of 85 GPCRs were digitally predicted, that represented each of the four arthropod subfamilies. They generally displayed low-level and non-differential metamorphic expression with few exceptions that we examined using RT-PCR and qPCR. Two putative CHH-like neuropeptide receptors were annotated. Three dimensional structural modelling suggests that these receptors exhibit a conserved extracellular ligand binding pocket, providing support to the notion that these receptors co-evolved with their ligands across Decapoda. This perhaps narrows the search for means to increase productivity of farmed decapod populations.

Expression analysis of octopamine and tyramine receptors in Drosophila

The monoamines octopamine and tyramine, which are the invertebrate counterparts of epinephrine and norepinephrine, transmit their action through sets of G protein-coupled receptors. Four different octopamine receptors (Oamb, Octß1R, Octß2R, Octß3R) and 3 different tyramine receptors (TyrR, TyrRII, TyrRIII) are present in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Utilizing the presumptive promoter regions of all 7 octopamine and tyramine receptors, the Gal4/UAS system is utilized to elucidate their complete expression pattern in larvae as well as in adult flies. All these receptors show strong expression in the nervous system but their exact expression patterns vary substantially. Common to all octopamine and tyramine receptors is their expression in mushroom bodies, centers for learning and memory in insects. Outside the central nervous system, the differences in the expression patterns are more conspicuous. However, four of them are present in the tracheal system, where they show different regional preferences within this organ. On the other hand, TyrR appears to be the only receptor present in the heart muscles and TyrRII the only one expressed in oenocytes. Skeletal muscles express octß2R, Oamb and TyrRIII, with octß2R being present in almost all larval muscles. Taken together, this study provides comprehensive information about the sites of expression of all octopamine and tyramine receptors in the fruit fly, thus facilitating future research in the field.

Identifying functional connections of the inner photoreceptors in Drosophila using Tango-Trace

In Drosophila, the four inner photoreceptor neurons exhibit overlapping but distinct spectral sensitivities and mediate behaviors that reflect spectral preference. We developed a genetic strategy, Tango-Trace, that has permitted the identification of the connections of the four chromatic photoreceptors. Each of the four stochastically distributed chromatic photoreceptor subtypes make distinct connections in the medulla with four different TmY cells. Moreover, each class of TmY cells forms a retinotopic map in both the medulla and the lobula complex, generating four overlapping topographic maps that could carry different color information. Thus, the four inner photoreceptors transmit spectral information through distinct channels that may converge in both the medulla and lobula complex. These projections could provide an anatomic basis for color vision and may relay information about color to motion sensitive areas. Moreover, the Tango-Trace strategy we used may be applied more generally to identify neural circuits in the fly brain.

Histamine-HisCl1 receptor axis regulates wake-promoting signals in Drosophila melanogaster

Histamine and its two receptors, histamine-gated chloride channel subunit 1 (HisCl1) and ora transientless (Ort), are known to control photoreception and temperature sensing in Drosophila. However, histamine signaling in the context of neural circuitry for sleep-wake behaviors has not yet been examined in detail. Here, we obtained mutant flies with compromised or enhanced histamine signaling and tested their baseline sleep. Hypomorphic mutations in histidine decarboxylase (HDC), an enzyme catalyzing the conversion from histidine to histamine, caused an increase in sleep duration. Interestingly, hisCl1 mutants but not ort mutants showed long-sleep phenotypes similar to those in hdc mutants. Increased sleep duration in hisCl1 mutants was rescued by overexpressing hisCl1 in circadian pacemaker neurons expressing a neuropeptide pigment dispersing factor (PDF). Consistently, RNA interference (RNAi)-mediated depletion of hisCl1 in PDF neurons was sufficient to mimic hisCl1 mutant phenotypes, suggesting that PDF neurons are crucial for sleep regulation by the histamine-HisCl1 signaling. Finally, either hisCl1 mutation or genetic ablation of PDF neurons dampened wake-promoting effects of elevated histamine signaling via direct histamine administration. Taken together, these data clearly demonstrate that the histamine-HisCl1 receptor axis can activate and maintain the wake state in Drosophila and that wake-activating signals may travel via the PDF neurons.

Calcium responses of circadian pacemaker neurons of the cockroach Rhyparobia maderae to acetylcholine and histamine

The accessory medulla (aMe) is the pacemaker that controls circadian activity rhythms in the cockroach Rhyparobia maderae. Not much is known about the classical neurotransmitters of input pathways to the cockroach circadian system. The circadian pacemaker center receives photic input from the compound eye, via unknown excitatory and GABAergic inhibitory entrainment pathways. In addition, neuropeptidergic inputs couple both pacemaker centers. A histamine-immunoreactive centrifugal neuron connects the ventral aMe with projection areas in the lateral protocerebrum and may provide non-photic inputs. To identify neurotransmitters of input pathways to the circadian clock with Fura-2-dependent Ca(2+) imaging, primary cell cultures of the adult aMe were stimulated with acetylcholine (ACh), as the most prominent excitatory, and histamine, as common inhibitory neurotransmitter. In most of aMe neurons, ACh application caused dose-dependent increases in intracellular Ca(2+) levels via ionotropic nicotinic ACh receptors. These ACh-dependent rises in Ca(2+) were mediated by mibefradil-sensitive voltage-activated Ca(2+) channels. In contrast, histamine application decreased intracellular Ca(2+) levels in only a subpopulation of aMe cells via H2-type histamine receptor chloride channels. Thus, our data suggest that ACh is part of the light entrainment pathway while histamine is involved in a non-photic input pathway to the ventral circadian clock of the Madeira cockroach.

Histamine is a modulator of metamorphic competence in Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

BACKGROUND

A metamorphic life-history is present in the majority of animal phyla. This developmental mode is particularly prominent among marine invertebrates with a bentho-planktonic life cycle, where a pelagic larval form transforms into a benthic adult. Metamorphic competence (the stage at which a larva is capable to undergo the metamorphic transformation and settlement) is an important adaptation both ecologically and physiologically. The competence period maintains the larval state until suitable settlement sites are encountered, at which point the larvae settle in response to settlement cues. The mechanistic basis for metamorphosis (the morphogenetic transition from a larva to a juvenile including settlement), i.e. the molecular and cellular processes underlying metamorphosis in marine invertebrate species, is poorly understood. Histamine (HA), a neurotransmitter used for various physiological and developmental functions among animals, has a critical role in sea urchin fertilization and in the induction of metamorphosis. Here we test the premise that HA functions as a developmental modulator of metamorphic competence in the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus.

RESULTS

Our results provide strong evidence that HA leads to the acquisition of metamorphic competence in S. purpuratus larvae. Pharmacological analysis of several HA receptor antagonists and an inhibitor of HA synthesis indicates a function of HA in metamorphic competence as well as programmed cell death (PCD) during arm retraction. Furthermore we identified an extensive network of histaminergic neurons in pre-metamorphic and metamorphically competent larvae. Analysis of this network throughout larval development indicates that the maturation of specific neuronal clusters correlates with the acquisition of metamorphic competence. Moreover, histamine receptor antagonist treatment leads to the induction of caspase mediated apoptosis in competent larvae.

CONCLUSIONS

We conclude that HA is a modulator of metamorphic competence in S. purpuratus development and hypothesize that HA may have played an important role in the evolution of settlement strategies in echinoids. Our findings provide novel insights into the evolution of HA signalling and its function in one of the most important and widespread life history transitions in the animal kingdom--metamorphosis.

Development of histamine-immunoreactivity in the Central nervous system of the two locust species Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria

Locusts are attractive model preparations for cellular investigations of neurodevelopment. In this study, we investigate the immunocytochemical localization of histamine in the developing ventral nerve cord of two locust species, Schistocerca gregaria and Locusta migratoria. Histamine is the fast neurotransmitter of photoreceptor neurons in the compound eye of insects, but it is also synthesized in interneurons of the central nervous system. In the locust ventral nerve cord, the pattern of histamine-immunoreactive neurons follows a relatively simple bauplan. The histaminergic system comprises a set of single, ascending projection neurons that are segmentally arranged in almost every neuromere. The neurons send out their axons anteriorly, forming branches and varicosities throughout the adjacent ganglia. In the suboesophageal ganglion, the cell bodies lie in a posteriolateral position. The prothoracic ganglion lacks histaminergic neurons. In the posterior ganglia of the ventral nerve cord, the somata of the histaminergic neurons are ventromedially positioned. Histamine-immunoreactivity starts around 50% of embryonic development in interneurons of the brain. Subsequently, the neurons of the more posterior ganglia of the ventral nerve cord become immunoreactive. From 60% embryonic development, the pattern of soma staining in the nerve cord appears mature. Around 65% of embryonic development, the photoreceptor cells show histamine-immunoreactivity. The histaminergic innervation of the neuropile develops from the central branches toward the periphery of the ganglia and is completed right before hatching.

Local interneuron diversity in the primary olfactory center of the moth Manduca sexta

Local interneurons (LNs) play important roles in shaping and modulating the activity of output neurons in primary olfactory centers. Here, we studied the morphological characteristics, odor responses, and neurotransmitter content of LNs in the antennal lobe (AL, the insect primary olfactory center) of the moth Manduca sexta. We found that most LNs are broadly tuned, with all LNs responding to at least one odorant. 70% of the odorants evoked a response, and 22% of the neurons responded to all the odorants tested. Some LNs showed excitatory (35%) or inhibitory (33%) responses only, while 33% of the neurons showed both excitatory and inhibitory responses, depending on the odorant. LNs that only showed inhibitory responses were the most responsive, with 78% of the odorants evoking a response. Neurons were morphologically diverse, with most LNs innervating almost all glomeruli and others innervating restricted portions of the AL. 61 and 39% of LNs were identified as GABA-immunoreactive (GABA-ir) and non-GABA-ir, respectively. We found no correlations between odor responses and GABA-ir, neither between morphology and GABA-ir. These results show that, as observed in other insects, LNs are diverse, which likely determines the complexity of the inhibitory network that regulates AL output.

The organization of the antennal lobe correlates not only with phylogenetic relationship, but also life history: a Basal hymenopteran as exemplar

The structure of the brain is a consequence of selective pressures and the ancestral brain structures modified by those pressures. The Hymenoptera are one of the most behaviorally complex insect orders, and the olfactory system of honeybees (one of the most derived members) has been extensively studied. To understand the context in which the olfactory system of the Hymenoptera evolved, we performed a variety of immunocytochemical and anatomical labeling techniques on the antennal lobes (ALs) of one of its most primitive members, the sawflies, to provide a comparison between the honeybee and other insect model species. The olfactory receptor neurons project from the antennae to fill the entire glomerular volume but do not form distinct tracts as in the honeybee. Labeling of projection neurons revealed 5 output tracts similar to those in moths and immunolabeling for several transmitters revealed distinct populations of local interneurons and centrifugal neurons that were also similar to moths. There were, however, no histaminergic or dopaminergic AL neurons. The similarities between sawflies and moths suggest that along with the great radiation and increased complexity of behavioral repertoire of the Hymenoptera, there were extensive modifications of AL structure.

Histamine-immunoreactive local neurons in the antennal lobes of the hymenoptera

Neural networks receive input that is transformed before being sent as output to higher centers of processing. These transformations are often mediated by local interneurons (LNs) that influence output based on activity across the network. In primary olfactory centers, the LNs that mediate these lateral interactions are extremely diverse. For instance, the antennal lobes (ALs) of bumblebees possess both gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)- and histamine-immunoreactive (HA-ir) LNs, and both are neurotransmitters associated with fast forms of inhibition. Although the GABAergic network of the AL has been extensively studied, we sought to examine the anatomical features of the HA-ir LNs in relation to the other cellular elements of the bumblebee AL. As a population, HA-ir LNs densely innervate the glomerular core and sparsely arborize in the outer glomerular rind, overlapping with the terminals of olfactory receptor neurons. Individual fills of HA-ir LNs revealed heavy arborization of the outer ring of a single "principal" glomerulus and sparse arborization in the core of other glomeruli. In contrast, projection neurons and GABA-immunoreactive LNs project throughout the glomerular volume. To provide insight into the selective pressures that resulted in the evolution of HA-ir LNs, we determined the phylogenetic distribution of HA-ir LNs in the AL. HA-ir LNs were present in all but the most basal hymenopteran examined, although there were significant morphological differences between major groups within the Hymenoptera. The ALs of other insect taxa examined lacked HA-ir LNs, suggesting that this population of LNs arose within the Hymenoptera and underwent extensive morphological modification.

Characterization of a novel octopamine receptor expressed in the surf clam Spisula solidissima

We have cloned and sequenced a cDNA from the surf clam (Spisula solidissima, a pelecypod mollusc) that encodes an octopamine receptor which we have named Spi-OAR. The sequence of Spi-OAR shares many similarities with two Aplysia and three Drosophila octopamine receptors belonging to a sub-group of beta-adrenergic-like octopamine receptors. Using an expression vector and transient transfections of Spi-OAR into HEK 293 cells, we observed an increase of cAMP upon addition of octopamine and, to a lesser extent, of tyramine, but not after addition of dopamine, serotonin, or histamine. Using a battery of known agonists and antagonists for octopamine receptors, we observed a rather unique pharmacological profile for Spi-OAR through measurements of cAMP. Spi-OAR exhibited some constitutive activity in HEK 293 cells and no Ca(2+) responses could be detected following addition of octopamine to Spi-OAR-transfected cells. RT-PCR analysis revealed ubiquitous expression of Spi-OAR mRNA in all adult tissues, oocytes and early embryos examined. While addition of serotonin to isolated clam oocytes resulted in meiotic activation, similar additions of octopamine had no effect, suggesting that its potential role in clam reproductive physiology differs significantly from that of serotonin. This work identifies Spi-OAR as a novel mollusc octopamine receptor closely related to other invertebrate beta-adrenergic-like octopamine receptors, with possible reproductive and other physiological functions. This initial characterization of Spi-OAR makes possible further investigations and comparisons with more studied and familiar insect or gastropod mollusc octopamine receptors.

The role of carcinine in signaling at the Drosophila photoreceptor synapse

The Drosophila melanogaster photoreceptor cell has long served as a model system for researchers focusing on how animal sensory neurons receive information from their surroundings and translate this information into chemical and electrical messages. Electroretinograph (ERG) analysis of Drosophila mutants has helped to elucidate some of the genes involved in the visual transduction pathway downstream of the photoreceptor cell, and it is now clear that photoreceptor cell signaling is dependent upon the proper release and recycling of the neurotransmitter histamine. While the neurotransmitter transporters responsible for clearing histamine, and its metabolite carcinine, from the synaptic cleft have remained unknown, a strong candidate for a transporter of either substrate is the uncharacterized inebriated protein. The inebriated gene (ine) encodes a putative neurotransmitter transporter that has been localized to photoreceptor cells in Drosophila and mutations in ine result in an abnormal ERG phenotype in Drosophila. Loss-of-function mutations in ebony, a gene required for the synthesis of carcinine in Drosophila, suppress components of the mutant ine ERG phenotype, while loss-of-function mutations in tan, a gene necessary for the hydrolysis of carcinine in Drosophila, have no effect on the ERG phenotype in ine mutants. We also show that by feeding wild-type flies carcinine, we can duplicate components of mutant ine ERGs. Finally, we demonstrate that treatment with H₃ receptor agonists or inverse agonists rescue several components of the mutant ine ERG phenotype. Here, we provide pharmacological and genetic epistatic evidence that ine encodes a carcinine neurotransmitter transporter. We also speculate that the oscillations observed in mutant ine ERG traces are the result of the aberrant activity of a putative H₃ receptor.

During signaling in the nervous system, individual nerve cells transfer information to one another by a complex process called synaptic transmission. This communication involves the release of a specific neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft, which then triggers signaling in the downstream neuron by binding to and activating specific cell surface receptors. In order to terminate the neuronal signal, the neurotransmitter must be rapidly removed from the synaptic cleft. This is done by two mechanisms: the neurotransmitter can be degraded or modified, or the transmitter can be taken up by the presynaptic neuron and packaged into vesicles for reuse. In the compound eye of the fruitfly D. melanogaster, the photoreceptor cell responds to light and releases histamine into the synaptic cleft. This signal is terminated by the removal of histamine from the synapse and the enzymatic conversion of histamine to carcinine. We have shown that it is not sufficient just to modify the histamine neurotransmitter, but it is also important to remove carcinine from the photoreceptor synapse. The failure to adequately remove carcinine results in defects in the visual transduction process. Moreover, the work suggests that carcinine itself modulates vision by regulating histamine release into the synapse.

Long-term exposure to histamine induces the expression of an embryonic-like motor pattern in an adult nervous system

Neuromodulatory inputs play important roles in shaping the outputs of neural networks. While the actions of neuromodulatory substances over the short term (seconds, minutes) have been examined in detail, far less is known about the possible longer-term (hours) effects of these substances. To investigate this issue, we used the stomatogastric nervous system (STNS) of the lobster to examine the short- and long-term effects of histamine on rhythmic network activity. The application of histamine to the entire STNS had strong inhibitory effects on all three of the STNS networks, observable within minutes. In contrast, longer-term (> 1 h) application of histamine induced the expression of a single, unified rhythm involving neurons from all three networks. Selective application of histamine to different regions of the STNS demonstrated that a unified rhythm arises following the long-term application of histamine to the commissural ganglia (CoGs; modulatory centres), but not the stomatogastric ganglion (site of neural networks). Strikingly, the single rhythm observed following the long-term application of histamine to the CoGs exhibits many similarities with the single rhythm expressed by the embryonic STNS. Together, these results demonstrate that histamine has markedly different short- and long-term effects on network activity; short-term effects arising through direct actions on the networks and long-term effects mediated by actions on modulatory neurons. Furthermore, they indicate that histamine is able to induce the expression of an embryonic-like rhythm in an adult system, suggesting that long-term actions of histamine may play key roles in the development of the STNS networks.

The dynamics of signaling at the histaminergic photoreceptor synapse of arthropods

Histamine, a ubiquitous aminergic messenger throughout the body, also serves as a neurotransmitter in both vertebrates and invertebrates. In particular, the photoreceptors of adult arthropods use histamine, modulating its release to signal increases and decreases in light intensity. Strong evidence from various arthropod species indicates that histamine is synthesized and stored in photoreceptors, undergoes Ca-dependent release, inhibits postsynaptic interneurons by gating Cl channels, and is then recycled. In Drosophila, the synthetic enzyme, histidine decarboxylase, and the subunits of the histamine-gated chloride channel have been cloned. Possible histamine transporters at synaptic vesicles and for reuptake remain elusive. Indeed, the mechanisms that remove histamine from the synaptic cleft, and that help terminate histamine's action, are unexpectedly complex, their details remaining unresolved. A major pathway in Drosophila, and possibly other arthropod species, is by conjugation of histamine to beta-alanine to form carcinine in adjacent glia. This conjugate then returns to the photoreceptors where it is hydrolysed to liberate histamine, which is then loaded into synaptic vesicles. Evidence from other species suggests that direct reuptake of histamine into the photoreceptors may also occur. Light depolarizes the photoreceptors, causing histamine release and postsynaptic inhibition; dimming hyperpolarizes the photoreceptors, causing a decrease in histamine release and an "off" response in the postsynaptic cell. Further pursuit of histamine's action at these highly specialized synapses should lead to an understanding of how they signal minute changes in presynaptic membrane potential, how they reliably extract signals from noise, and how they adapt to a wide range of presynaptic membrane potentials.

A review of neurohormone GPCRs present in the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster and the honey bee Apis mellifera

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) genes are large gene families in every animal, sometimes making up to 1-2% of the animal's genome. Of all insect GPCRs, the neurohormone (neuropeptide, protein hormone, biogenic amine) GPCRs are especially important, because they, together with their ligands, occupy a high hierarchic position in the physiology of insects and steer crucial processes such as development, reproduction, and behavior. In this paper, we give a review of our current knowledge on Drosophila melanogaster GPCRs and use this information to annotate the neurohormone GPCR genes present in the recently sequenced genome from the honey bee Apis mellifera. We found 35 neuropeptide receptor genes in the honey bee (44 in Drosophila) and two genes, coding for leucine-rich repeats-containing protein hormone GPCRs (4 in Drosophila). In addition, the honey bee has 19 biogenic amine receptor genes (21 in Drosophila). The larger numbers of neurohormone receptors in Drosophila are probably due to gene duplications that occurred during recent evolution of the fly. Our analyses also yielded the likely ligands for 40 of the 56 honey bee neurohormone GPCRs identified in this study. In addition, we made some interesting observations on neurohormone GPCR evolution and the evolution and co-evolution of their ligands. For neuropeptide and protein hormone GPCRs, there appears to be a general co-evolution between receptors and their ligands. This is in contrast to biogenic amine GPCRs, where evolutionarily unrelated GPCRs often bind to the same biogenic amine, suggesting frequent ligand exchanges ("ligand hops") during GPCR evolution.

Role of histamine as a putative inhibitory transmitter in the honeybee antennal lobe

Background

Odors are represented by specific spatio-temporal activity patterns in the olfactory bulb of vertebrates and its insect analogue, the antennal lobe. In honeybees inhibitory circuits in the AL are involved in the processing of odors to shape afferent odor responses. GABA is known as an inhibitory transmitter in the antennal lobe, but not all interneurons are GABAergic. Therefore we sought to analyze the functional role of the inhibitory transmitter histamine for the processing of odors in the honeybee AL.

Results

We optically recorded the representation of odors before, during and after histamine application at the input level (estimated from a compound signal), and at the output level (by selectively measuring the projection neurons). For both, histamine led to a strong and reversible reduction of odor-evoked responses.

Conclusion

We propose that histamine, in addition to GABA, acts as an inhibitory transmitter in the honeybee AL and is therefore likely to play a role in odor processing.

Arthropod D2 receptors positively couple with cAMP through the Gi/o protein family

The pyloric network is an important model system for understanding neuromodulation of rhythmic motor behaviors like breathing or walking. Dopamine (DA) differentially modulates neurons within the pyloric network. However, while the electrophysiological actions of DA have been well characterized, nothing is known about the signaling events that mediate its effects. We have begun a molecular characterization of DA receptors (DARs) in this invertebrate system. Here, we describe the cloning and characterization of the lobster D(2) receptor, D(2 alpha Pan). We found that when expressed in HEK cells, the D(2 alpha Pan) receptor is activated by DA, but not other monoamines endogenous to the lobster nervous system. This receptor positively couples with cAMP through multiple Gi/o proteins via two discrete pathways: 1) a G alpha mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (AC), leading to a decrease in cAMP and 2) a G beta gamma-mediated activation of phospholipase C beta (PLC beta), leading to an increase in cAMP. Alternate splicing alters the potency and efficacy of the receptor, but does not affect monoamine specificity. Finally, we show that arthropod D(2) receptor coupling with cAMP varies with the cellular milieu.

The histamine H1 receptor activates the nitric oxide pathway at fertilization

Sperm fusion with the egg initiates a signaling cascade that releases intracellular calcium (Ca(i) (2+)) from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In sea urchins, Ca(2+) is released as a single, large transient via two distinct pathways. The first depends on inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate (IP(3)) production and triggers the initial phase of Ca(2+) release, while the second depends on nitric oxide (NO) production and is thought to maintain the duration of the Ca(2+) wave. We identified a sea urchin homolog of the seven trans-membrane G protein-coupled receptor for histamine (suH(1)R) on the egg cell surface that activates NO production. Treatment with histamine (HA) causes fluctuations in the resting levels of NO in the egg, while antagonists or antibodies of H(1)R inhibit the rise of NO normally observed at fertilization. Inhibition of suH(1)R function decreases the maintenance, but not the amplitude, of the Ca(2+) transient and suggests that it is an integral part of the overall pathway leading to egg activation at fertilization in sea urchins.

Phylogenetic shadowing of a histamine-gated chloride channel involved in insect vision

A recently identified gene, hclA (synonym: ort), codes for an ionotrophic histamine receptor subunit in Drosophila melanogaster, and known hclA mutations lead to defects in the visual system, neurologic disorders and changed responsiveness to neurotoxins. To investigate whether this novel class of receptors is common across the Insecta, we analysed the genomes of 15 other insect species (Diptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera) and revealed orthologs of hclA in all of them. The predicted receptor domain of HCLA is extensively conserved (86-100% of identity) among the 16 proteins. Minor changes in the amino acid sequence that includes the putative transmembrane domains (TMs) 1-3 were found in non-drosophilid species only. Substantial amino acid variability was observed in the signal polypeptides, the intracellular loop domains and in TM4, in good accordance with known data on sequence variations in ligand-gated ion channels. Pairwise comparisons revealed three consensus sequences for N-glycosylation, conserved in HCLAs of all species studied, as well as a drosophilid-specific putative phosphorylation site. Real-time PCR analysis demonstrated that hclA-mRNA is abundant in heads of adult Drosophila. However, species- and sex-specific variations of the hclA expression levels were also observed.

Sign-conserving amacrine neurons in the fly's external plexiform layer

Amacrine cells in the external plexiform layer of the fly's lamina have been intracellulary recorded and dye-filled for the first time. The recordings demonstrate that like the lamina's short photoreceptors R1-R6, type 1 lamina amacrine neurons exhibit nonspiking, "sign-conserving" sustained depolarizations in response to illumination. This contrasts with the sign-inverting responses that typify first-order retinotopic relay neurons: monopolar cells L1-L5 and the T1 efferent neuron. The contrast frequency tuning of amacrine neurons is similar to that of photoreceptors and large lamina monopolar cells. Initial observations indicate that lamina amacrine receptive fields are also photoreceptor-like, suggesting either that their inputs originate from a small number of neighboring visual sampling units (VSUs), or that locally generated potentials decay rapidly with displacement. Lamina amacrines also respond to motion, and in one recording these responses were selective for the orientation of moving edges. This functional organization corresponds to the anatomy of amacrine cells, in which postsynaptic inputs from several neighboring photoreceptor endings are linked by a network of very thin distal processes. In this way, each VSU can receive convergent inputs from a surround of amacrine processes. This arrangement is well suited for relaying responses to local intensity fluctuations from neighboring VSUs to a central VSU where amacrines are known to be presynaptic to the dendrites of the T1 efferent. The T1 terminal converges at a deeper level with that of the L2 monopolar cell relaying from the same optic cartridge. Thus, the localized spatial responses and receptor-like temporal response properties of amacrines are consistent with possible roles in lateral inhibition, motion processing, or orientation processing.

Comprehensive analysis of the ascidian genome reveals novel insights into the molecular evolution of ion channel genes

Ion fluxes through membrane ion channels play crucial roles both in neuronal signaling and the homeostatic control of body electrolytes. Despite our knowledge about the respective ion channels, just how diversification of ion channel genes underlies adaptation of animals to the physical environment remains unknown. Here we systematically survey up to 160 putative ion channel genes in the genome of Ciona intestinalis and compare them with corresponding gene sets from the genomes of the nematode Chaenorhabditis elegans, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, and the more closely related genomes of vertebrates. Ciona has a set of so-called "prototype" genes for ion channels regulating neuronal excitability, or for neurotransmitter receptors, suggesting that genes responsible for neuronal signaling in mammals appear to have diversified mainly via gene duplications of the more restricted members of ancestral genomes before the ascidian/vertebrate divergence. Most genes responsible for modulation of neuronal excitability and pain sensation are absent from the ascidian genome, suggesting that these genes arose after the divergence of urochordates. In contrast, the divergent genes encoding connexins, transient receptor potential-related channels and chloride channels, channels involved rather in homeostatic control, indicate gene duplication events unique to the ascidian lineage. Because several invertebrate-unique channel genes exist in Ciona genome, the crown group of extant vertebrates not only acquired novel channel genes via gene/genome duplications but also discarded some ancient genes that have persisted in invertebrates. Such genome-wide information of ion channel genes in basal chordates enables us to begin correlating the innovation and remodeling of genes with the adaptation of more recent chordates to their physical environment.

Histamine compartments of the Drosophila brain with an estimate of the quantum content at the photoreceptor synapse

Reliable estimates of the quantum size in histaminergic neurons are not available. We have exploited two unusual opportunities in the fly's (Drosophila melanogaster) visual system to make such determinations for histaminergic photoreceptor synapses: 1) the possibility to microdissect successively from whole fly heads freeze-dried in acetone: the compound eyes; the first optic neuropils, or lamina; and the rest of the brain; and 2) the uniform sheaves of lamina synaptic terminals of photoreceptors R1-R6. We used this organization to count scrupulously the numbers of 30-nm synaptic vesicles from electron micrographs of R1-R6 profiles, and from microdissections we determined the regional contents of histamine in the compound eye, lamina, and central brain. Total head histamine averages 1.98 ng of which 9% was lost after freeze-drying in acetone and a further 28% after the brain was microdissected. Of the remainder, 71% was in the eye and lamina. Assuming that histamine loss from the tissue occurred mostly by diffusion evenly distributed among all regions, the overall lamina content of the head would be 0.1935 ng before dissection. From published values for the volumes of the brain's compartments, the computed regional concentrations of histamine are highest in the lamina (4.35 mM) because of the terminals of R1-R6. The concentration in the retina is approximately 13% that in the lamina, suggesting that most histamine is vesicular. There are approximately 43,500 +/- 7,400 (SD) synaptic vesicles per terminal and, if all histamine is allocated equally and exclusively among these, the vesicle contents would be 858 +/- 304 x 10(-21) moles or approximately 5,000 +/- 1,800 (SD) molecules at an approximate concentration of 670 mM. These values are compared with the vesicle contents at synapses using acetylcholine and catecholamines.

Tyramine and octopamine: ruling behavior and metabolism

Octopamine (OA) and tyramine (TA) are the invertebrate counterparts of the vertebrate adrenergic transmitters. They are decarboxylation products of the amino acid tyrosine, with TA as the biological precursor of OA. Nevertheless, both compounds are independent neurotransmitters that act through G protein-coupled receptors. OA modulates a plethora of behaviors and peripheral and sense organs, enabling the insect to respond correctly to external stimuli. Because these two phenolamines are the only biogenic amines whose physiological significance is presumably restricted to invertebrates, pharmacologists have focused their attention on the corresponding receptors, which are still believed to represent promising targets for new insecticides. Recent progress made on all levels of OA and TA research has enabled researchers to understand better the molecular events underlying the control of complex behaviors.