Comparative Neurobiology of Biogenic Amines in Animal Models in Deuterostomes

Enrico D’Aniello,Periklis Paganos,Maria Ina Arnone,Evgeniya Anishchenko,Salvatore D’Aniello

doi:10.3389/fevo.2020.587036

Enrico D’Aniello, Periklis Paganos + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.587036

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Abstract

In this study, we review the current knowledge on the presence of biogenic amines and their potential role as neurotransmitters in the nervous system of three groups of invertebrate deuterostomes: tunicates, cephalochordates and echinoderms. In addition to a general overview of biogenic amines in each subphylum we point most of our attention on a few species, as the sea squirts Ciona intestinalis, Ciona robusta, Phallusia mammillata and Ciona savignyi (tunicates), the lancelet amphioxus Branchiostoma lanceolatum and Branchiostoma floridae (cephalochordates), and the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus (echinoderms). The choice of these species lies in the fact that they are currently the most studied invertebrate deuterostomes in the research field of Evolutionary Developmental biology (EvoDevo). Providing a comparative picture of the expression and role of neurotransmitters in deuterostomes will contribute to understand the evolution of these neural signalling systems. Such an approach represents a new frontier of comparative neuroanatomy and neurobiology, and a prerequisite to uncover the homology of neuronal structures and circuits in deuterostomes with such a different body plan organization and complexity.

Highlights

Chemical signaling arose during the earliest evolution of living forms and, cell communication in multicellular animals occurs through signaling mechanisms via either intercellular contact or diffusible mediators acting at a distance (Gallo et al, 2016)
We briefly review the distribution of catecholamines, indolamines, and histamine in phylogenetically-significant deuterostomes and, discuss common features, divergent functions and species-specific roles during embryonic development
We focused on the expression pattern and role of biological amines in three deuterostome groups displaying well-established animal model systems for evolutionary and developmental biology field to shed light on their function during embryogenesis and the onset of metamorphosis

Summary

INTRODUCTION

Chemical signaling arose during the earliest evolution of living forms and, cell communication in multicellular animals occurs through signaling mechanisms via either intercellular contact or diffusible mediators acting at a distance (Gallo et al, 2016). A recent study suggested a strong similarity between dopaminergic cells of the C. robusta sensory vesicle and the amacrine cells of the vertebrate retina, as both territories express the genes necessary to synthetize, store, and release dopamine (Razy-Krajka et al, 2012). Tunicates The first evidence of dopamine in Ciona robusta was the distribution of the mRNA precursor of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the limiting enzyme of dopamine biosynthesis, in addition to transgenic assays of its enhancer activity (Moret et al, 2005) These studies found TH in the left portion of the larval sensory vesicle, in some of the ‘coronet cells’ (Figure 1A and Table 1). Another survey of C. robusta genome reported the existence of 10 genes encoding putative adrenergic receptors (6α and 4β type) (Sherwood et al, 2006)

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DISCUSSION

CONCLUSION