Autocrine/paracrine dopamine in the salivary glands of the blacklegged tick Ixodes scapularis.

ABSTRACT: Dopamine (DA) is known to be the most potent activator of tick salivary secretion, which is an essential component of successful tick feeding. We examined the quantitative changes of catecholamines using a method coupling high-pressure liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection (HPLC-ECD). We also investigated the levels of catecholamines conjugated to other molecules utilising appropriate methods to hydrolyse the conjugates. Three different biological samples, salivary glands, synganglia, ovaries and haemolymph were compared, and the largest quantity of DA was detected in salivary gland extracts (up to ∼100pg/tick), supporting the hypothesis that autocrine/paracrine dopamine activates salivary secretion. Quantitative changes of catecholamines in the salivary glands over the enti

SUBMITTER: Koci J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4006075 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature