ABSTRACT
Serotonin (5HT) is the neurotransmitter involved in some forms of short-term memory in the leech. Behavioral experiments have demonstrated that long-term memory requires new protein synthesis. With the aim of studying the molecular mechanism underlying memory processes in the leech, we have analyzed the effect of 5HT on protein synthesis and protein phosphorylation. Segmental ganglia of the leech central nervous system have been labeled, proteins have been separated by two-dimensional-electrophoresis and labeled proteins detected by autoradiography. Our findings indicate that repetitive treatment with 5HT produces either the persistence of phosphorylation or changes in protein synthesis in several proteins.
Subject(s)
Central Nervous System/drug effects , Ganglia, Invertebrate/drug effects , Leeches/metabolism , Nerve Tissue Proteins/drug effects , Serotonin/pharmacology , Alkaloids/pharmacology , Animals , Central Nervous System/metabolism , Drug Administration Schedule , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Ganglia, Invertebrate/metabolism , Nerve Tissue Proteins/biosynthesis , Phosphorylation , Protein Kinase C/antagonists & inhibitors , StaurosporineABSTRACT
Recent data suggest that IL-1-like molecules have been conserved during evolution. The signal transduction mechanism of IL-1 is not known, but kinase activation has been reported. With the aim of studying if human IL-1 has any effect on the leech nervous system, we have added this cytokine to segmental ganglia labeled with [32P]ortophosphoric acid; proteins have been separated by electrophoresis and phosphoproteins detected by autoradiography. In the present paper we show that human IL-1 and IL-6 are able to induce changes on protein phosphorylation in the leech central nervous system and that these changes are similar to those ones induced by the neurotransmitter serotonin.
