title: Serotonin and its requirement for maintenance of contractility in muscle fibres isolated from Schistosoma mansoni.
abstract: Muscle fibres isolated from adult Schistosoma mansoni contracted in a dose-dependent manner when exposed to elevated K+ with a maximum response obtained with 25 mM K+. These contractions were dependent on extracellular Ca2+ since Co2+ (5 mM) or nicardipine (1 microM) blocked the high K+ contractions. Serotonin (300 nM or higher) was required for maintenance of high K+ contractions. With concentrations of serotonin less than 300 nM the response was dose dependent. 5-Methoxytryptamine or alpha-methylserotonin at 1 microM as well as 10 microM tryptamine were able to substitute for serotonin, but 1 microM 5-carboxyamidotryptamine was ineffective. The order of potency for antagonists (10 microM) was: methiothepin > metergoline > Ly-278,584 = ketanserin. This pattern of responsiveness does not fit well with any known mammalian serotonin receptor subtype. Since forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, is able to mimic the action of serotonin and H89, a protein kinase inhibitor, is able to block the effect of serotonin, the effect of serotonin on contractility of the muscle may be via a cAMP-dependent pathway.
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48814.
authors.forename: T A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Day
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bennett
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Pax
mesh_terms: D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D000966:Antimony Potassium Tartrate / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000502:physiology; D003035:Cobalt / Q000494:pharmacology; D005576:Colforsin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003470:Culture Media; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009529:Nicardipine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011188:Potassium / Q000494:pharmacology; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012550:Schistosoma mansoni / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D005576:Colforsin; D015124:8-Bromo Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate; D012701:Serotonin; D003035:Cobalt; D009529:Nicardipine; D000966:Antimony Potassium Tartrate; C018021:cobaltous chloride; D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium