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Zhan B, Zhou T, Tong D, Xu Z, Liang X, Ma A, Lü S. Expression of the non-neuronal cholinergic system components in Malpighian tubules of Mythimna separata and evidence for non-neuronal acetylcholine synthesis. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 164:104047. [PMID: 38072082 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.104047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
The non-neuronal cholinergic system, widely distributed in nature, is an ancient system that has not been well studied in insects. This study aims to investigate the key components of the cholinergic system and to identify the non-neuronal acetylcholine (ACh)-producing cells and the acting sites of ACh in the Malpighian tubules (MTs) of Mythimna separata. We found that non-neuronal ACh in MTs is synthesized by carnitine acetyltransferase (CarAT), rather than choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), as confirmed by using enzyme inhibitors and high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Fluorescence in situ hybridization revealed the presence of CarAT mRNA within MTs, specifically localized in the principal cells. Immunohistochemistry showed strong staining for A-mAChR, a muscarinic acetylcholine receptor, in the principal cells. Pharmacological analysis further demonstrated that ACh acts through A-mAChR in the principal cells to increase the intracellular Ca2+ concentration. These findings provide compelling evidence for the existence of a non-neuronal cholinergic system in the MTs of M. separata, and the principal cells play a crucial role in ACh synthesis via CarAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baolei Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Di Tong
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Zile Xu
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Anqi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China
| | - Shumin Lü
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources and Pest Management of Ministry of Education, Entomological Museum, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China.
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Nìng C, Heckmann A, Mateos-Hernández L, Karadjian G, Šimo L. Functional characterization of three G protein-coupled acetylcholine receptors in parasitic nematode Trichinella spiralis. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 23:130-139. [PMID: 38043189 PMCID: PMC10731000 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
The physiological significance of metabotropic acetylcholine receptors in parasitic nematodes remains largely unexplored. Here, three different Trichinella spiralis G protein-coupled acetylcholine receptors (TsGAR-1, -2, and -3) were identified in the genome of T. spiralis. The phylogenetic analyses showed that TsGAR-1 and -2 receptors belong to a distinct clade specific to invertebrates, while TsGAR-3 is closest to the cluster of mammalian-type muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR). The mRNA of TsGAR-1, -2, and -3 was detected in muscle larvae, newborn larvae, and adults. The functional aequorin-based assay in Chinese hamster ovary cells revealed that all three types of T. spiralis GARs trigger the Gq/11 pathway upon activation of the receptor with the acetylcholine ligand. TsGAR-1 and TsGAR-2 showed atypical affinity with classical muscarinic agonists, while TsGAR-3 was sensitive to all muscarinic agonists tested. High concentrations of propiverine antagonist blocked the activities of all three TsGARs, while atropine and scopolamine antagonists effectively inhibited only TsGAR-3. Our data indicate that the distinct pharmacological profile of TsGAR-1 and -2 receptors, as well as the phylogenetic distance between them and their mammalian orthologs, place them as attractive targets for the development of selective anthelmintic drugs interfering with nematodes' cholinergic system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cáinà Nìng
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Aurélie Heckmann
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Grégory Karadjian
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
| | - Ladislav Šimo
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France.
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Tian X, Guo J, Su X, Zhan B, Liang X, Ma A, Zhang Y, Lü S. Comparative transcriptome analysis reveals the non-neuronal cholinergic system in the ovary of the oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata Walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2022; 78:5220-5233. [PMID: 36053883 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Acetylcholine (ACh), as a classical neurotransmitter, plays great roles in the nervous system. There is increasing evidence of its non-neuronal roles in regulating basic cell functions in vertebrates. However, knowledge about the non-neuronal cholinergic system in insects is scarce. RESULTS A comparative transcriptome analysis was performed to investigate differences in the key molecular components of the cholinergic system between the head and ovary. The results showed that expression levels of most cholinergic system-related genes were higher in the head than in the ovary, and some cholinergic components were absent in the ovary. ACh contents ranged from 0.1 to 1.3 μg mg-1 of wet weight during the development of the ovary, and weak acetylcholinesterase activity was also detected. Moreover, the ovary has a capacity for ACh synthesis. Bromoacetylcarnitine (BrACar), a specific carnitine acetyltransferase (CarAT) inhibitor, greatly inhibits ACh synthesis by 83.83% in ovary homogenates, but bromoacetylcholine (BrACh), a specific choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) inhibitor, has no effect on ACh synthesis in the ovary. These findings indicate that non-neuronal ACh in the ovary is only catalyzed by CarAT. CONCLUSION This study reveals the existence of the non-neuronal cholinergic system in the ovary of M. separata, whose synthesis and release mechanisms are different from those of the head. These results provide novel insights into the non-neuronal cholinergic system in insects, and will be valuable in the discovery of new target genes and the future development of green pest control. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing Tian
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- College of Life Sciences, Yan'an University, Yan'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiamin Guo
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xinxin Su
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Baolei Zhan
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xiaoyu Liang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Anqi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Yalin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Shumin Lü
- Key Laboratory of Plant Protection Resources & Pest Management of the Ministry of Education, College of Plant Protection, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
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Messikh C, Gauthier M, Armengaud C. Pirenzepine Binding Sites in the Brain of the Honeybee Apis mellifera: Localization and Involvement in Non-Associative Learning. INSECTS 2022; 13:806. [PMID: 36135508 PMCID: PMC9504565 DOI: 10.3390/insects13090806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) play a central role in learning and memory in mammals as in honeybees. The results obtained in the honeybee Apis mellifera are based on the detrimental effects of the mAChR antagonists, atropine and scopolamine, on olfactory associative memory. Binding sites for the mAChR antagonist BODIPY® FL pirenzepine were localized in the brain of the honeybee forager. Pirenzepine binding sites were detected indifferently in several somata and neuropilar areas. The highest binding site densities were present in the central complex and in somata of the dorsomedial border of the antennal lobes. An additional binding pattern was found in somata of the subesophageal ganglion. By contrast, Kenyon cell (KC) somata were not stained. Pirenzepine (PZ) effects on non-associative learning were evaluated. Treated animals required more trials for the habituation of the proboscis extension reflex (PER) than controls, and the duration of the PER increased after PZ brain injection. These results suggest that the network mediating habituation of the PER involves PZ binding sites that are not necessarily present on the circuitry mediating olfactory conditioning of the PER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaïma Messikh
- Centre de Recherches sur le Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UMR 5174-CNRS, -IRD, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Monique Gauthier
- Centre de Recherches sur le Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UMR 5174-CNRS, -IRD, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Catherine Armengaud
- Centre de Recherches sur le Cognition Animale (CRCA), Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UMR 5174-CNRS, -IRD, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
- Laboratoire Evolution et Diversité Biologique (EDB), Université de Toulouse, UMR 5174-CNRS, -IRD, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
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Kapoor D, Khan A, O'Donnell MJ, Kolosov D. Novel mechanisms of epithelial ion transport: insights from the cryptonephridial system of lepidopteran larvae. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2021; 47:53-61. [PMID: 33866042 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2021.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 04/01/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Lepidopterans are among the most widespread and easily recognized insects. Whereas adult lepidopterans are known for their beauty and ecological importance as pollinators and sources of food for other animals, larvae are economically important pests of forests and agricultural crops. In the larval body, rapid growth while feeding on plant-based diet is associated with extreme alkalinity (up to pH = 11) of the midgut lumen that helps digest plant proteins. Additionally, the presence of plant secondary metabolites which serve as anti-herbivory agents requires uninterrupted excretory function, accomplished primarily by the Malpighian tubules (MTs). The so-called cryptonephridial condition, along with extreme regional heterogeneity of the MTs, and the ability to rapidly and reversibly alter the direction of epithelial ion transport are features that allow uninterrupted MT functioning and recycling of base equivalents. Studies of MTs in lepidopteran larvae have revealed that rapid adjustments in epithelial ion transport include unexpected roles for voltage-gated, ligand-gated and mechanosensitive ion channels, as well as gap junctions. These molecular components are present in epithelia of a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates and thus are likely to constitute a universal epithelial toolkit for rapid autonomous regulation of epithelial function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aliyyah Khan
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada
| | | | - Dennis Kolosov
- Department of Biological Sciences, California State University San Marcos, San Marcos, USA.
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