title: The neuropeptide Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm: Eisenia foetida.
abstract: We investigated whether the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone affects the spontaneous muscular contraction in the earthworm Eisenia foetida. In addition, we investigated the presence of Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in ventral nerve cord by immunohistochemistry and polymerase chain reaction. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone induced a significant increase on both amplitude and muscular tone and decrease in the frequency of spontaneous muscular contraction. We found the presence of immunoreactive material to Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor in the ventral nerve cord, likewise the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor mRNA expression. In conclusion, the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone modifies the spontaneous muscular contraction in E. foetida and these effects can be due to the activation of the Gonadotropin-releasing hormone receptor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Laboratory of Neurophysiology, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Av. Universidad 940, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, Mexico. jlquinta@correo.uaa.mx
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luis Quintanar
authors.forename: Karina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez-García
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Castillo-Hernández
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000378:metabolism; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000378:metabolism; D011966:Receptors, LHRH / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D011966:Receptors, LHRH; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone