title: Binding of nicotinic ligands to and nicotine-induced calcium signaling in Trypanosoma cruzi.
abstract: This work provides evidence that nicotine (1 x 10(-5) M) can cause changes in the intracellular calcium concentration of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes, which can be blocked by alpha-bungarotoxin but not by atropine. Moreover, parasite membranes also bind such nicotinic acetylcholine receptor antagonist as well as agonists such as carbamylcholine (IC(50): 7.6 x 10(-7) M) and nicotine (IC(50): 1 x 10(-7) M). Results suggest that there is a molecular species in the surface of the parasite able to bind nicotinic ligands; therefore, nicotine interaction could lead to the activation of the mechanisms involved in intracellular calcium concentration increase in the parasite.
authors.affiliation: Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Fisico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, 5800 Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bollo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Venera
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: de Jiménez Bonino
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Machado-Domenech
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D002038:Bungarotoxins / Q000378:metabolism; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D020013:Calcium Signaling; D002217:Carbachol / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists / Q000378:metabolism*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016257:Fura-2; D008566:Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009538:Nicotine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002038:Bungarotoxins; D018679:Cholinergic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine; D002217:Carbachol; D002118:Calcium; D016257:Fura-2