title: Dopamine regulates body size in Caenorhabditis elegans.
abstract: The nervous system plays a critical role in the regulation of animal body sizes. In Caenorhabditis elegans, an amine neurotransmitter, dopamine, is required for the tactile perception of food and food-dependent behavioral changes, while its role in development is unknown. In this study, we show that dopamine negatively regulates body size through a D2-like dopamine receptor, DOP-3, in C. elegans. Dopamine alters body size without affecting food intake or developmental rate. We also found that dopamine promotes egg-laying, although the regulation of body size by dopamine was not solely caused by this effect. Furthermore, dopamine negatively regulates body size through the suppression of signaling by octopamine and Gq-coupled octopamine receptors, SER-3 and SER-6. Our results demonstrate that dopamine and octopamine regulate the body size of C. elegans and suggest a potential role for perception in addition to ingestion of food for growth.
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nagashima
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan.
authors.forename: Eitaro
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oami
authors.affiliation: Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-8562, Japan; LPixel Inc., Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Natsumaro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kutsuna
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan; Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan.
authors.forename: Shoichi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ishiura
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Sciences, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8902, Japan. Electronic address: ssuo@saitama-med.ac.jp.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000502:physiology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D004298:Dopamine
keywords: Body size; Caenorhabditis elegans; Dopamine; Octopamine; Transforming growth factor β