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The time-course of the response to the FMRFamide-related peptide PF4 in Ascaris suum muscle cells indicates direct gating of a chloride ion-channel

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2002

J. PURCELL
Affiliation:
Department of Preclinical Veterinary Science, University of Edinburgh, Summerhall, Edinburgh EH9 1QH
A. P. ROBERTSON
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, IA 50011, USA
D. P. THOMPSON
Affiliation:
Division of Animal Health, Pharmacia Corporation, 301 Henrietta Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan, MI 4900, USA
R. J. MARTIN
Affiliation:
Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Iowa State University, IA 50011, USA

Abstract

We investigated the effects of PF4 on Ascaris suum somatic muscle cells using a 2 electrode current-clamp technique. PF4 is a FaRP (FMRFamide-related peptide), originally isolated from the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus. PF4 caused hyperpolarization and an increase in chloride ion conductance when it was applied to the muscle cells of the Ascaris body wall. The delay between the application of the peptide and the appearance of the response was measured and compared with that of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA), a compound that directly gates ion channels, and with PF1, a FaRP that acts via an intracellular signal transduction mechanism. The PF4 and GABA delay times were not significantly different; they were 1·51±0·11 sec and 1·22±0·10 sec respectively. The delay following application of PF1, 3·75±0·51 sec, was significantly longer. The rapid response to PF4 is consistent with direct gating of a chloride ion channel, which has not been described elsewhere in the literature.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
2002 Cambridge University Press

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