Pharmacological analysis of response latency in the hot plate test following whole-body static magnetic field-exposure in the snailHelix pomatia

Moderate intensity of static magnetic fields can alter the avoidance behavior and fat storage of Caenorhabditis elegans via serotonin

Man-made static magnetic fields (SMFs) widely exist in human life as a physical environmental factor. However, the biological responses to moderate SMFs exposure and their underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. The present study was focused on exploring the nervous responses to moderate-intensity SMFs at 0.5 T and 1 T in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We found that SMFs at either 0.5 T or 1 T had no statistically significant effects on the locomotor behaviors, while the 1 T magnetic field increased pharyngeal pumping. The avoidance behavior of the pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa was greatly decreased in either 0.5 T or 1 T SMFs exposed nematodes, and the learning index was reducede from 0.52 ± 0.11 to 0.23 ± 0.17 and 0.16 ± 0.11, respectively. The total serotonin level was increased by 17.08% and 16.45% with the treatment of 0.5 T and 1 T SMF, compared to the control group; however, there were minimal effects of SMFs on other three neurotransmitters including choline, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine. RT-qPCR was used to further investigate the expression of serotonin-related genes, including rate-limiting enzymes, transcription factors and transport receptors. The expression levels of tph-1 and unc-86 genes were increased by SMF exposure, while those of ocr-2, osm-9, ser-1 and mod-1 genes were decreased. With the staining of lipid in either wild-type N2 or tph-1 mutants, we found that 0.5 T and 1 T SMFs decreased fat storage in C. elegans via serotonin pathway. Our study demonstrated that moderate-intensity SMFs induced neurobehavioral disorder and the reduction of fat storage by disturbing the secretion of serotonin in C. elegans, which provided new insights into elucidating nervous responses of C. elegans to moderate-intensity SMFs.

Endogenous opiates and behavior: 2014

This paper is the thirty-seventh consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2014 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (endogenous opioids and receptors), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (pain and analgesia); stress and social status (human studies); tolerance and dependence (opioid mediation of other analgesic responses); learning and memory (stress and social status); eating and drinking (stress-induced analgesia); alcohol and drugs of abuse (emotional responses in opioid-mediated behaviors); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (opioid involvement in stress response regulation); mental illness and mood (tolerance and dependence); seizures and neurologic disorders (learning and memory); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (opiates and conditioned place preferences (CPP)); general activity and locomotion (eating and drinking); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (alcohol and drugs of abuse); cardiovascular responses (opiates and ethanol); respiration and thermoregulation (opiates and THC); and immunological responses (opiates and stimulants). This paper is the thirty-seventh consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2014 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior (endogenous opioids and receptors), and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia (pain and analgesia); stress and social status (human studies); tolerance and dependence (opioid mediation of other analgesic responses); learning and memory (stress and social status); eating and drinking (stress-induced analgesia); alcohol and drugs of abuse (emotional responses in opioid-mediated behaviors); sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (opioid involvement in stress response regulation); mental illness and mood (tolerance and dependence); seizures and neurologic disorders (learning and memory); electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (opiates and conditioned place preferences (CPP)); general activity and locomotion (eating and drinking); gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (alcohol and drugs of abuse); cardiovascular responses (opiates and ethanol); respiration and thermoregulation (opiates and THC); and immunological responses (opiates and stimulants).