title: Acanthocheilonema viteae: octopamine and its physiological role.
abstract: Octopamine acts as an important neurotransmitter and neuromodulator in arthropods, mollusks, and nematodes. In mammals, however, no definite function for this amine has yet been described. By virtue of this difference in the neurophysiological requirement of the mammalian host and nematodes, octopamine offers good opportunity for exploring this area deeply with a view to identify a unique target for filarial chemotherapy. Results of the present study indicated that Acanthocheilonema viteae, the rodent filarial parasite, utilized tyrosine as a precursor for producing octopamine and some other biogenic amines. Octopamine exhibited specific saturable binding with the membrane prepared from the anterior portion of the filariid. This amine induced concentration dependent increase in the membrane potential which possibly caused tonic paralysis of the filariid. The rate of micro filarial release by the female worms also declined in the presence of this amine. The study thus provided preliminary evidences for the presence of an octopamine neurotransmitter system and also about some of the roles it plays in A. viteae.
authors.affiliation: Division of Parasitology, Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226001, India.
authors.forename: Pushpa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tiwari
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Tripathi
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Raghu
authors.forename: V M L
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Srivastava
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002855:Chromatography, Thin Layer; D004153:Dipetalonema / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000502:physiology; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009655:Octopamine / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D009655:Octopamine; D012701:Serotonin