Neuroendocrine systems regulating physiological processes in blood-feeding arthropods

神经内分泌系统调节食血节肢动物的生理过程

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-06130
• 负责人: Paluzzi, JeanPaul
• 金额: $ 2.91万
• 依托单位: York University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=717730
• 关键词: Neuroendocrine; systems; regulating; physiological; processes

Insects and other terrestrial arthropods are the most abundant group of organisms on our planet thriving in almost every available habitat and using a number of feeding strategies dependent on a diverse range of resources necessary for their survival. Haematophagy (i.e. blood-feeding) has evolved several times among the arthropods with over 14,000 species known to utilize this feeding strategy. Mosquitoes and ticks are two examples of animals utilizing haematophagy and our research primarily focuses on understanding the fundamental biology of these organisms. We explore the physiological roles of signaling molecules derived from the nervous system, with a particular focus on neuropeptides, which are released into circulation as hormones and regulate numerous physiological processes by controlling the activity of visceral organs including the gastrointestinal tract and reproductive organs. Our research aims to discover and characterize neurohormone systems controlling processes related to feeding, digestion, metabolism, excretion, hydromineral balance, reproduction and growth in blood-feeding arthropods including mosquitoes and ticks. An integrative approach is utilized investigating neuroendocrine systems at multiple levels of complexity, which allows the intricate details to be more readily realized and then integrated into the context of the whole organism. We combine a plethora of techniques to localize the receptors of these neurohormones since target organ identification helps to realize the roles of these hormones. Our recent progress has greatly advanced our understanding of the regulation of key physiological processes including desiccation tolerance and gametogenesis. To comprehensively understand these neuroendocrine signaling networks, we use heterologous systems to validate hormone ligand and receptor coupling to deduce intracellular signaling and mechanisms of action. Further, analogs of natural hormones are tested to determine key structural features necessary for ligand-receptor specificity, which helps to identify possible lead compounds useful for improved control strategies that are species-specific and environmentally benign, reducing our reliance on heavily-utilized non-selective insecticides that often do more harm than good. Given many hormones originate in the nervous system, we seek to identify the stimuli (i.e. input) and regulatory networks (i.e. integration) that are involved in the release of these neurohormones (i.e. output). Once particular neuroendocrine systems are elucidated, we examine how target organs interpret the information, which results in a physiological response leading to behavior. Leveraging our advanced knowledge on the biology of these blood-feeding arthropods and exploiting hormone analogs capable of interfering with endogenous neuroendocrine systems, may allow us to revolutionize control strategies in the future to lessen the burden of these medically-important vectors of disease.

昆虫和其他陆生节肢动物是地球上最丰富的生物群体，几乎在每一个可用的栖息地都能繁衍生息，并根据它们生存所需的各种资源采取各种取食策略。在节肢动物中，嗜血性(即食血)已经进化了好几次，已知有超过14,000个物种利用这种摄食策略。蚊子和扁虱是利用吞血的动物的两个例子，我们的研究主要集中在了解这些生物的基本生物学上。我们探讨了来自神经系统的信号分子的生理作用，特别是神经肽，神经肽作为激素释放到血液循环中，通过控制包括胃肠道和生殖器官在内的内脏器官的活动来调节许多生理过程。我们的研究旨在发现和表征控制摄食、消化、新陈代谢、排泄、水矿物平衡、繁殖和生长等过程的神经激素系统，包括蚊子和扁虱。综合的方法被用来研究神经内分泌系统在多个水平的复杂性，这使得错综复杂的细节更容易实现，然后整合到整个有机体的背景中。我们结合了大量的技术来定位这些神经激素的受体，因为靶器官识别有助于认识这些激素的作用。 我们最近的进展极大地促进了我们对包括脱水耐受和配子发生在内的关键生理过程的调控的理解。为了全面了解这些神经内分泌信号网络，我们使用异源系统来验证激素配体和受体的偶联，以推断细胞内的信号和作用机制。此外，对天然激素的类似物进行了测试，以确定配体-受体专一性所需的关键结构特征，这有助于确定可能的先导化合物，这些先导化合物有助于改进特定物种和对环境无害的控制策略，减少我们对大量使用的非选择性杀虫剂的依赖，这些杀虫剂往往弊大于利。 鉴于许多激素起源于神经系统，我们试图确定与这些神经激素(即输出)释放有关的刺激(即输入)和调节网络(即整合)。一旦特定的神经内分泌系统被阐明，我们就会检查目标器官如何解释信息，从而导致导致行为的生理反应。利用我们对这些食血节肢动物生物学的先进知识，并利用能够干扰内源性神经内分泌系统的激素类似物，可能会使我们在未来彻底改变控制策略，以减轻这些医学上重要的疾病媒介的负担。