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Kabeiseman E, Paulsen RT, Burrell BD. Characterization of a Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) in Hirudo Verbana. Neurochem Res 2024:10.1007/s11064-024-04216-7. [PMID: 39093361 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-024-04216-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 07/16/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in modulating both peripheral and central nervous system function. Despite being present throughout the animal kingdom, there has been relatively little investigation of the endocannabinoid system beyond traditional animal models. In this study, we report on the identification and characterization of a putative fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana. FAAH is the primary enzyme responsible for metabolizing the endocannabinoid signaling molecule arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide or AEA) and therefore plays a critical role in regulating AEA levels in the nervous system. mRNA encoding Hirudo FAAH (HirFAAH) is expressed in the leech central nervous system (CNS) and sequence analysis suggests that this is an orthologue of FAAH-2 observed in vertebrates. Functionally, HirFAAH has serine hydrolase activity based on activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) studies using the fluorophosphonate probe TAMRA-FP. HirFAAH also hydrolyzes arachidonyl 7-amino, 4-methyl coumarin amide (AAMCA), a substrate specific to FAAH. Hydrolase activity during both the ABPP and AAMCA assays was eliminated by a mutation at a conserved catalytic serine. Activity was also blocked by the known FAAH inhibitor, URB597. Treatment of Hirudo ganglia with URB597 potentiated synapses made by the pressure-sensitive mechanosensory neuron (P cell), mimicking the effects of exogenously applied AEA. The Hirudo CNS has been a useful system in which to study properties of endocannabinoid modulation of nociception relevant to vertebrates. Therefore, this characterization of HirFAAH is an important contribution to comparative studies of the endocannabinoid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Kabeiseman
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavior Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Riley T Paulsen
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavior Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Brian D Burrell
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Center for Brain and Behavior Research (CBBRe), Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA.
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Rivi V, Rigillo G, Batabyal A, Lukowiak K, Pani L, Tascedda F, Benatti C, Blom JMC. Different stressors uniquely affect the expression of endocannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes in the central ring ganglia of Lymnaea stagnalis. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38922726 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, energy balance, modulation of stress, and inflammatory responses, acting as a critical link between the brain and the body's peripheral regions, while also offering promising potential for novel therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, in humans, pharmacological inhibitors of different ECS enzymes have led to mixed results in both preclinical and clinical studies. As the ECS has been highly conserved throughout the eukaryotic lineage, the use of invertebrate model organisms like the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis may provide a flexible tool to unravel unexplored functions of the ECS at the cellular, synaptic, and behavioral levels. In this study, starting from the available genome and transcriptome of L. stagnalis, we first identified putative transcripts of all ECS enzymes containing an open reading frame. Each predicted protein possessed a high degree of sequence conservation to known orthologues of other invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. Sequences were confirmed by qualitative PCR and sequencing. Then, we investigated the transcriptional effects induced by different stress conditions (i.e., bacterial LPS injection, predator scent, food deprivation, and acute heat shock) on the expression levels of the enzymes of the ECS in Lymnaea's central ring ganglia. Our results suggest that in Lymnaea as in rodents, the ECS is involved in mediating inflammatory and anxiety-like responses, promoting energy balance, and responding to acute stressors. To our knowledge, this study offers the most comprehensive analysis so far of the ECS in an invertebrate model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Rivi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Giovanna Rigillo
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Anuradha Batabyal
- Department of Physical and Natural Sciences, FLAME University, Pune, India
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Luca Pani
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Fabio Tascedda
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- CIB, Consorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Benatti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Johanna M C Blom
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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Kabeiseman E, Paulsen RT, Burrell BD. Characterization of a Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) in Hirudo verbana. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-4271305. [PMID: 38699363 PMCID: PMC11065068 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4271305/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in modulating both peripheral and central nervous system function. Despite being present throughout the animal kingdom, there has been relatively little investigation of the endocannabinoid system beyond the traditional animal model systems. In this study, we report on the identification and characterization of a fatty acid aminohydrolase (FAAH) in the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana. FAAH is the primary enzyme responsible for metabolizing the endocannabinoid signaling molecule arachidonoyl ethanolamide (anandamide or AEA) and therefore plays a critical role in regulating AEA levels in the nervous system. This Hirudo FAAH (HirFAAH) is expressed in the leech central nervous system (CNS) and is an orthologue of FAAH-2 observed in vertebrates. Functionally, HirFAAH has serine hydrolase activity based on activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) studies using the fluorophosphonate probe TAMRA-FP. HirFAAH also hydrolyzes arachidonyl 7-amino, 4-methyl coumarin amide (AAMCA), a substrate specific to FAAH. Hydrolase activity during both the ABPP and AAMCA assays was eliminated by mutation at a conserved activity-binding site. Activity was also blocked by the known FAAH inhibitor, URB597. Treatment of Hirudo ganglia with URB597 potentiated synapses made by the pressure-sensitive mechanosensory neuron (P cell), mimicking the effects of exogenously applied AEA. The Hirudo CNS has been a useful system in which to study properties of endocannabinoid modulation of nociception relevant to vertebrates. Therefore, this characterization of HirFAAH is an important contribution to comparative studies of the endocannabinoid system.
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Rivi V, Batabyal A, Benatti C, Sarti P, Blom JMC, Tascedda F, Lukowiak K. A translational and multidisciplinary approach to studying the Garcia effect, a higher form of learning with deep evolutionary roots. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb247325. [PMID: 38639079 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.247325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Animals, including humans, learn and remember to avoid a novel food when its ingestion is followed, hours later, by sickness - a phenomenon initially identified during World War II as a potential means of pest control. In the 1960s, John Garcia (for whom the effect is now named) demonstrated that this form of conditioned taste aversion had broader implications, showing that it is a rapid but long-lasting taste-specific food aversion with a fundamental role in the evolution of behaviour. From the mid-1970s onward, the principles of the Garcia effect were translated to humans, showing its role in different clinical conditions (e.g. side-effects linked to chemotherapy). However, in the last two decades, the number of studies on the Garcia effect has undergone a considerable decline. Since its discovery in rodents, this form of learning was thought to be exclusive to mammals; however, we recently provided the first demonstration that a Garcia effect can be formed in an invertebrate model organism, the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Thus, in this Commentary, after reviewing the experiments that led to the first characterization of the Garcia effect in rodents, we describe the recent evidence for the Garcia effect in L. stagnalis, which may pave the way for future studies in other invertebrates and mammals. This article aims to inspire future translational and ecological studies that characterize the conserved mechanisms underlying this form of learning with deep evolutionary roots, which can be used to address a range of different biological questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Rivi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Anuradha Batabyal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4
- Department of Physical and Natural Sciences, FLAME University, Pune - 412115, Maharashtra, India
| | - Cristina Benatti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Pierfrancesco Sarti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Johanna Maria Catharina Blom
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
| | - Fabio Tascedda
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125 Modena, Italy
- CIB, Consorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie, 34148 Trieste, Italy
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4
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Paulsen RT, Burrell BD. Activity-Dependent Modulation of Tonic GABA Currents by Endocannabinoids in Hirudo verbana. Front Synaptic Neurosci 2022; 14:760330. [PMID: 35368247 PMCID: PMC8964407 DOI: 10.3389/fnsyn.2022.760330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocannabinoids are lipid neuromodulators that are synthesized on demand and primarily signal in a retrograde manner to elicit depression of excitatory and inhibitory synapses. Despite the considerable interest in their potential analgesic effects, there is evidence that endocannabinoids can have both pro-nociceptive and anti-nociceptive effects. The mechanisms contributing to the opposing effects of endocannabinoids in nociception need to be better understood before cannabinoid-based therapies can be effectively utilized to treat pain. Using the medicinal leech, Hirudo verbana, this work investigates whether endocannabinoids modulate tonic inhibition onto non-nociceptive afferents. In voltage clamp recordings, we analyzed changes in the tonic inhibition in pressure-sensitive (P) cells following pre-treatment with endocannabinoids, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) or anandamide (AEA). We also tested whether high frequency stimulation (HFS) of nociceptive (N) cells could also modulate tonic inhibition. Both endocannabinoid application and N cell HFS depressed tonic inhibition in the P cell. Depression of tonic inhibition by N cell HFS was blocked by SB 366791 (a TRPV1 inhibitor). SB 366791 also prevented 2-AG-and AEA-induced depression of tonic inhibition. HFS-induced depression was not blocked by tetrahydrolipstatin (THL), which prevents 2-AG synthesis, nor AM 251 (a CB1 receptor inverse agonist). These results illustrate a novel activity-dependent modulation of tonic GABA currents that is mediated by endocannabinoid signaling and is likely to play an important role in sensitization of non-nociceptive afferent pathways.
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A flavonoid, quercetin, is capable of enhancing long-term memory formation if encountered at different times in the learning, memory formation, and memory recall continuum. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2021; 208:253-265. [PMID: 34820709 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-021-01522-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A major extrinsic factor influencing memory and neuro-cognitive performances across taxa is diet. Studies from vertebrates have shown the effects of a flavonoid rich diet on cognitive performance, but the mechanism underlying this action is still poorly understood. A common and abundant flavonoid present in numerous food substances is quercetin (Q). The present study provides the first support for Q-modulated enhancement of cognitive function in an invertebrate model, the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, after an operant conditioning procedure. We found that when snails were exposed to Q 3 h before or after a single 0.5 h training session, which typically results in memory lasting ~ 3 h, they formed a long-term memory (LTM) lasting for at least 24 h. Additionally, we assessed the effects of the combined presentation of a single reinforcing stimulus (at 24 h post-training or 24 h before training) and Q-exposure on both LTM formation and reconsolidation. That is, when applied within 3 h of critical periods of memory, Q regulates four different phases: (1) acquisition (i.e., a learning event), (2) consolidation processes after acquisition, (3) memory recall, and (4) memory reconsolidation. In all these phases Q-exposure enhanced LTM persistence.
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Rosato M, Hoelscher B, Lin Z, Agwu C, Xu F. Transcriptome analysis provides genome annotation and expression profiles in the central nervous system of Lymnaea stagnalis at different ages. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:637. [PMID: 34479505 PMCID: PMC8414863 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-021-07946-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis (L. stagnalis), has served as a valuable model organism for neurobiology studies due to its simple and easily accessible central nervous system (CNS). L. stagnalis has been widely used to study neuronal networks and recently gained popularity for study of aging and neurodegenerative diseases. However, previous transcriptome studies of L. stagnalis CNS have been exclusively carried out on adult L. stagnalis only. As part of our ongoing effort studying L. stagnalis neuronal growth and connectivity at various developmental stages, we provide the first age-specific transcriptome analysis and gene annotation of young (3 months), adult (6 months), and old (18 months) L. stagnalis CNS. RESULTS Using the above three age cohorts, our study generated 55-69 millions of 150 bp paired-end RNA sequencing reads using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. Of these reads, ~ 74% were successfully mapped to the reference genome of L. stagnalis. Our reference-based transcriptome assembly predicted 42,478 gene loci, of which 37,661 genes encode coding sequences (CDS) of at least 100 codons. In addition, we provide gene annotations using Blast2GO and functional annotations using Pfam for ~ 95% of these sequences, contributing to the largest number of annotated genes in L. stagnalis CNS so far. Moreover, among 242 previously cloned L. stagnalis genes, we were able to match ~ 87% of them in our transcriptome assembly, indicating a high percentage of gene coverage. The expressional differences for innexins, FMRFamide, and molluscan insulin peptide genes were validated by real-time qPCR. Lastly, our transcriptomic analyses revealed distinct, age-specific gene clusters, differentially expressed genes, and enriched pathways in young, adult, and old CNS. More specifically, our data show significant changes in expression of critical genes involved in transcription factors, metabolisms (e.g. cytochrome P450), extracellular matrix constituent, and signaling receptor and transduction (e.g. receptors for acetylcholine, N-Methyl-D-aspartic acid, and serotonin), as well as stress- and disease-related genes in young compared to either adult or old snails. CONCLUSIONS Together, these datasets are the largest and most updated L. stagnalis CNS transcriptomes, which will serve as a resource for future molecular studies and functional annotation of transcripts and genes in L. stagnalis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Rosato
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Brittany Hoelscher
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA.,Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Zhenguo Lin
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Chidera Agwu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA
| | - Fenglian Xu
- Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. .,Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO, USA. .,Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Saint Louis University, School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, USA.
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The Endocannabinoid System in the Mediterranean Mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis: Possible Mediators of the Immune Activity? Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22094954. [PMID: 34066927 PMCID: PMC8125337 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22094954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Anandamide (AEA) is one of the best characterized members of the endocannabinoid family and its involvement in many pathophysiological processes has been well documented in vertebrates and invertebrates. Here, we report the biochemical and functional characterization of key elements of the endocannabinoid system in hemocytes isolated from the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis. We also show the effects of exogenous AEA, as well as of capsaicin, on the cell ability to migrate and to activate the respiratory burst, upon in vitro stimulation of phagocytosis. Interestingly, our findings show that both AEA and capsaicin suppress the hemocyte response and that the use of selective antagonists of CB2 and TRPV1 receptors revert their inhibitory effects. Overall, present data support previous evidence on the presence of endocannabinoid signaling in mollusks and advance our knowledge about the evolutionary origins of this endogenous system and its role in the innate response of mollusks.
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Clarke TL, Johnson RL, Simone JJ, Carlone RL. The Endocannabinoid System and Invertebrate Neurodevelopment and Regeneration. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:2103. [PMID: 33672634 PMCID: PMC7924210 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22042103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis has long been used for its medicinal and psychoactive properties. With the relatively new adoption of formal medicinal cannabis regulations worldwide, the study of cannabinoids, both endogenous and exogenous, has similarly flourished in more recent decades. In particular, research investigating the role of cannabinoids in regeneration and neurodevelopment has yielded promising results in vertebrate models. However, regeneration-competent vertebrates are few, whereas a myriad of invertebrate species have been established as superb models for regeneration. As such, this review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the endocannabinoid system, with a focus on current advances in the area of endocannabinoid system contributions to invertebrate neurodevelopment and regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tristyn L. Clarke
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; (T.L.C.); (R.L.J.); (J.J.S.)
| | - Rachael L. Johnson
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; (T.L.C.); (R.L.J.); (J.J.S.)
| | - Jonathan J. Simone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; (T.L.C.); (R.L.J.); (J.J.S.)
- Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
- eCB Consulting Inc., P.O. Box 652, 3 Cameron St. W., Cannington, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
| | - Robert L. Carlone
- Department of Biological Sciences, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada; (T.L.C.); (R.L.J.); (J.J.S.)
- Centre for Neuroscience, Brock University, 1812 Sir Isaac brock Way, St. Catharines, ON L2S 3A1, Canada
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Dong N, Bandura J, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Labadie K, Noel B, Davison A, Koene JM, Sun HS, Coutellec MA, Feng ZP. Ion channel profiling of the Lymnaea stagnalis ganglia via transcriptome analysis. BMC Genomics 2021; 22:18. [PMID: 33407100 PMCID: PMC7789530 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-07287-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (L. stagnalis) has been widely used as a model organism in neurobiology, ecotoxicology, and parasitology due to the relative simplicity of its central nervous system (CNS). However, its usefulness is restricted by a limited availability of transcriptome data. While sequence information for the L. stagnalis CNS transcripts has been obtained from EST libraries and a de novo RNA-seq assembly, the quality of these assemblies is limited by a combination of low coverage of EST libraries, the fragmented nature of de novo assemblies, and lack of reference genome. RESULTS In this study, taking advantage of the recent availability of a preliminary L. stagnalis genome, we generated an RNA-seq library from the adult L. stagnalis CNS, using a combination of genome-guided and de novo assembly programs to identify 17,832 protein-coding L. stagnalis transcripts. We combined our library with existing resources to produce a transcript set with greater sequence length, completeness, and diversity than previously available ones. Using our assembly and functional domain analysis, we profiled L. stagnalis CNS transcripts encoding ion channels and ionotropic receptors, which are key proteins for CNS function, and compared their sequences to other vertebrate and invertebrate model organisms. Interestingly, L. stagnalis transcripts encoding numerous putative Ca2+ channels showed the most sequence similarity to those of Mus musculus, Danio rerio, Xenopus tropicalis, Drosophila melanogaster, and Caenorhabditis elegans, suggesting that many calcium channel-related signaling pathways may be evolutionarily conserved. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides the most thorough characterization to date of the L. stagnalis transcriptome and provides insights into differences between vertebrates and invertebrates in CNS transcript diversity, according to function and protein class. Furthermore, this study provides a complete characterization of the ion channels of Lymnaea stagnalis, opening new avenues for future research on fundamental neurobiological processes in this model system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Dong
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 3308 MSB, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Julia Bandura
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 3308 MSB, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | - Zhaolei Zhang
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular and Biomolecular Research and Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5S 3E1, Canada
| | - Yan Wang
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 3B2, Canada
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - Karine Labadie
- Genoscope, Institut de biologie François Jacob, Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique (CEA), Université Paris-Saclay, BP5706, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Benjamin Noel
- Génomique Métabolique, Genoscope, Institut François Jacob, CEA, CNRS, University of Evry, Université Paris-Saclay, 91057, Evry, France
| | - Angus Davison
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Joris M Koene
- Department of Ecological Science, Faculty of Science, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Hong-Shuo Sun
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 3308 MSB, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada
- Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1A8, Canada
| | | | - Zhong-Ping Feng
- Department of Physiology, University of Toronto, 3308 MSB, 1 King's College Circle, Toronto, ON, M5S 1A8, Canada.
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Rivi V, Benatti C, Colliva C, Radighieri G, Brunello N, Tascedda F, Blom JMC. Lymnaea stagnalis as model for translational neuroscience research: From pond to bench. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 108:602-616. [PMID: 31786320 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.11.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2019] [Revised: 09/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this review is to illustrate how a reductionistic, but sophisticated, approach based on the use of a simple model system such as the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis (L. stagnalis), might be useful to address fundamental questions in learning and memory. L. stagnalis, as a model, provides an interesting platform to investigate the dialog between the synapse and the nucleus and vice versa during memory and learning. More importantly, the "molecular actors" of the memory dialogue are well-conserved both across phylogenetic groups and learning paradigms, involving single- or multi-trials, aversion or reward, operant or classical conditioning. At the same time, this model could help to study how, where and when the memory dialog is impaired in stressful conditions and during aging and neurodegeneration in humans and thus offers new insights and targets in order to develop innovative therapies and technology for the treatment of a range of neurological and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- V Rivi
- Dept. of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - C Benatti
- Dept. of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - C Colliva
- Dept. of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - G Radighieri
- Dept. of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - N Brunello
- Dept. of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - F Tascedda
- Dept. of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - J M C Blom
- Dept. of Education and Human Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy; Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
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12
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Paulsen RT, Burrell BD. Comparative studies of endocannabinoid modulation of pain. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20190279. [PMID: 31544609 PMCID: PMC6790382 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2019.0279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabinoid-based therapies have long been used to treat pain, but there remain questions about their actual mechanisms and efficacy. From an evolutionary perspective, the cannabinoid system would appear to be highly conserved given that the most prevalent endogenous cannabinoid (endocannabinoid) transmitters, 2-arachidonyl glycerol and anandamide, have been found throughout the animal kingdom, at least in the species that have been analysed to date. This review will first examine recent findings regarding the potential conservation across invertebrates and chordates of the enzymes responsible for endocannabinoid synthesis and degradation and the receptors that these transmitters act on. Next, comparisons of how endocannabinoids modulate nociception will be examined for commonalities between vertebrates and invertebrates, with a focus on the medicinal leech Hirudo verbana. Evidence is presented that there are distinct, evolutionarily conserved anti-nociceptive and pro-nociceptive effects. The combined studies across various animal phyla demonstrate the utility of using comparative approaches to understand conserved mechanisms for modulating nociception. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue 'Evolution of mechanisms and behaviour important for pain'.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Brian D. Burrell
- Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience, Nanotechnology, and Networks Program, Center for Brain and Behavior Research, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
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13
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Swinton E, Swinton C, Lukowiak K. Shell damage leads to enhanced memory formation in Lymnaea. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 222:jeb.207571. [PMID: 31431472 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.207571] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2019] [Accepted: 08/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Ecologically relevant stressors alter the ability of the pond snail, Lymnaea stagnalis, to form long-term memory (LTM). Here, we show that an environmentally relevant stressor, shell damage, has a dramatic effect on the enhancement of LTM formation. Damage in the form of a shell clip 24 h before operant conditioning training resulted in long-term memory (LTM) formation following a single 0.5 h training session (TS). Typically, in these snails, two 0.5 h TSs with a 1 h interval between the sessions are required to cause LTM formation. We show here that even with a 72 h interval between shell clip and training, memory enhancement still occurred. The stress associated with shell clip could be mitigated by an ongoing high-Ca2 + pond water environment, an injection of propranolol and a DNA methylation blocker. However, use of an anaesthetic (MgCl2) during the clip or intermittent exposure to the high-Ca2 + pond water environment did not mitigate the stress associated with the shell clip. Shell clip was also sufficient to cause juvenile snails, which neither learn nor form memory, to gain the capacity to form LTM. Together, the experiments demonstrate that shell clipping is an environmentally relevant stressor that can cause enhancement of LTM formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin Swinton
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1
| | - Cayley Swinton
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 4N1
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14
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Totani Y, Aonuma H, Oike A, Watanabe T, Hatakeyama D, Sakakibara M, Lukowiak K, Ito E. Monoamines, Insulin and the Roles They Play in Associative Learning in Pond Snails. Front Behav Neurosci 2019; 13:65. [PMID: 31001093 PMCID: PMC6454038 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2019.00065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2019] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Molluscan gastropods have long been used for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying learning and memory. One such gastropod, the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, exhibits long-term memory (LTM) following both classical and operant conditioning. Using Lymnaea, we have successfully elucidated cellular mechanisms of learning and memory utilizing an aversive classical conditioning procedure, conditioned taste aversion (CTA). Here, we present the behavioral changes following CTA training and show that the memory score depends on the duration of food deprivation. Then, we describe the relationship between the memory scores and the monoamine contents of the central nervous system (CNS). A comparison of learning capability in two different strains of Lymnaea, as well as the filial 1 (F1) cross from the two strains, presents how the memory scores are correlated in these populations with monoamine contents. Overall, when the memory scores are better, the monoamine contents of the CNS are lower. We also found that as the insulin content of the CNS decreases so does the monoamine contents which are correlated with higher memory scores. The present review deepens the relationship between monoamine and insulin contents with the memory score.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Totani
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Aonuma
- Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
- CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan
| | - Akira Oike
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Watanabe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Dai Hatakeyama
- Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri University, Tokushima, Japan
| | - Manabu Sakakibara
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
- Graduate Institute of Medicine, School of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
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15
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Aonuma H, Totani Y, Sakakibara M, Lukowiak K, Ito E. Comparison of brain monoamine content in three populations of Lymnaea that correlates with taste-aversive learning ability. Biophys Physicobiol 2018; 15:129-135. [PMID: 29955564 PMCID: PMC6018436 DOI: 10.2142/biophysico.15.0_129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
To find a causal mechanism of learning and memory is a heuristically important topic in neuroscience. In the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis, the following experimental facts have accrued regarding a classical conditioning procedure known as conditioned taste aversion (CTA): (1) one-day food-deprived Dutch snails have superior CTA memory formation; (2) the one-day food-deprived snails have a low monoamine content (e.g., serotonin, dopamine, octopamine) in their central nervous system (CNS); (3) fed or five-day food-deprived snails have poorer CTA memory and a higher monoamine content; (4) the Dutch snails form better CTA memory than the Canadian TC1 strain; and, (5) the F1 cross snails between the Dutch and Canadian TC1 strains also form poor CTA memory. Here, in one-day food-deprived snails, we measured the monoamine content in the CNSs of the 3 populations. In most instances, the monoamine content of the Dutch strain was lower than in the other two populations. The F1 cross snails had the highest monoamine content. A lower monoamine content is correlated with the better CTA memory formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Aonuma
- Research Center of Mathematics for Social Creativity, Research Institute for Electronic Science, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0811, Japan.,CREST, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Saitama 332-0012, Japan
| | - Yuki Totani
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Manabu Sakakibara
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Etsuro Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.,Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda University, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480, Japan.,WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in Singapore, 138667, Singapore.,Graduate Institute of Medicine and Center for Stem Cell Research, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 80708, Taiwan
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16
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Shymansky T, Hughes E, Rothwell CM, Lukowiak K. Propranolol disrupts consolidation of emotional memory in Lymnaea. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 149:1-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Revised: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 01/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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17
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Aonuma H, Totani Y, Kaneda M, Nakamura R, Watanabe T, Hatakeyama D, Dyakonova VE, Lukowiak K, Ito E. Effects of 5-HT and insulin on learning and memory formation in food-deprived snails. Neurobiol Learn Mem 2018; 148:20-29. [DOI: 10.1016/j.nlm.2017.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 12/29/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
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18
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Sunada H, Totani Y, Nakamura R, Sakakibara M, Lukowiak K, Ito E. Two Strains of Lymnaea stagnalis and the Progeny from Their Mating Display Differential Memory-Forming Ability on Associative Learning Tasks. Front Behav Neurosci 2017; 11:161. [PMID: 28955210 PMCID: PMC5601001 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2017.00161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Accepted: 08/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis learns and forms long-term memory (LTM) following both operant conditioning of aerial respiratory behavior and classical conditioning of taste aversive behavior. In the present study, we examined whether there are interstrain differences in the ability to form LTM following these two types of conditioning. A strain of Lymnaea (TC1) collected in Alberta, Canada exhibits superior memory-forming ability following aerial respiratory operant conditioning compared to a laboratory-reared strain of Lymnaea from Netherlands known as the Dutch strain. We asked whether the offspring of the Canadian TC1 and Dutch snails (i.e., filial 1 (F1) cross snails) would have the superior memory ability and found, rather, that their memory ability was average like the Dutch snails. That is, the Canadian TC1 snails have superior ability for LTM formation following aerial respiratory operant conditioning, but the Dutch and the generated F1 cross have average ability for memory forming. We next examined the Canadian TC1, Dutch and F1 cross snails for their ability to learn and form memory following conditioned taste aversion (CTA). All three populations showed similar associative CTA responses. However, both LTM formation and the ratio of good-to-poor performers in the memory retention test were much better in the Dutch snails than the Canadian TC1 and F1 cross snails. The memory abilities of the Canadian TC1 and F1 cross snails were average. Our present findings, therefore, suggest that snails of different strains have different memory abilities, and the F1 cross snails do not inherit the memory ability from the smart strain. To our knowledge, there have been a limited number of studies examining differences in memory ability among invertebrate strains, with the exception of studies using mutant flies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Sunada
- Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri UniversitySanuki, Japan
| | - Yuki Totani
- Department of Biology, Waseda UniversityTokyo, Japan
| | | | - Manabu Sakakibara
- Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda UniversityTokyo, Japan
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of CalgaryCalgary, AB, Canada
| | - Etsuro Ito
- Kagawa School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tokushima Bunri UniversitySanuki, Japan.,Department of Biology, Waseda UniversityTokyo, Japan.,Research Organization for Nano and Life Innovation, Waseda UniversityTokyo, Japan.,WASEDA Bioscience Research Institute in SingaporeSingapore, Singapore.,Lipid Science and Aging Research Center and Center for Stem Cell Research, Kaohsiung Medical UniversityKaohsiung, Taiwan
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19
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Knight K. Endocannabinoids disrupt stressed snails’ memories. J Exp Biol 2017. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.167940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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20
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Affiliation(s)
- E. Ito
- Department of Biology, Waseda University , Tokyo, Japan
| | - Y. Totani
- Department of Biology, Waseda University , Tokyo, Japan
| | - A. Oike
- Department of Biology, Waseda University , Tokyo, Japan
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