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Pulsatile urea excretion in Gulf toadfish: the role of circulating serotonin and additional 5-HT receptor subtypes

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Abstract

The neurochemical serotonin (5-HT) is involved in stimulating pulsatile urea excretion in Gulf toadfish (Opsanus beta) through the 5-HT2A receptor; however, it is not known if (1) the 5-HT signal originates from circulation or if (2) additional 5-HT receptor subtypes are involved. The first objective was to test whether 5-HT may be acting as a hormone in the control of pulsatile urea excretion by measuring potential fluctuations in circulating 5-HT corresponding with a urea pulse, which would suggest circulating 5-HT may be involved with urea pulse activation. We found that plasma 5-HT significantly decreased by 38% 1 h after pulse detection when branchial urea excretion was significantly elevated and then returned to baseline. This suggests that 5-HT is removed from the circulation, possibly through clearance or excretion, and may be involved in the termination of pulsatile urea excretion. There appeared to be no pulsatile release of 5-HT from peripheral tissues to trigger a urea pulse. The second objective was to determine if additional 5-HT receptor subtypes, such as an additional 5-HT2 receptor (5-HT2C receptor) or the 5-HT receptors that are linked to cAMP (5-HT4/6/7 receptors), played a role in the stimulation of urea excretion. Intravenous injection of 5-HT2C, 5-HT4, 5-HT6, and 5-HT7 receptor agonists did not result in a urea pulse, suggesting that these receptors, and thus cAMP, are not involved in stimulating urea excretion. The involvement of circulating 5-HT and the 5-HT2A receptor in the regulation of pulsatile urea excretion may provide insight into its adaptive significance.

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Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Dr. James Happell for the use of his liquid scintillation counter and Dr. Molly H. B. Amador for sampling help. This study was funded by a National Science Foundation Grant (IOS-1754550) to MD McDonald, with funding of preliminary studies by an NSERC (Canada) Discovery Grant (RGPIN03843) to CM Wood.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Marine Biology and Ecology, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, 33149, USA

    Maria C. Cartolano, Chris M. Wood & M. Danielle McDonald

  2. Dauphin Island Sea Lab, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island, AL, USA

    Haley N. Gancel

  3. Marine Science Institute, University of Texas at Austin, Port Aransas, TX, USA

    Joshua Lonthair

  4. Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada

    Chris M. Wood

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  1. Maria C. Cartolano
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  2. Haley N. Gancel
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  4. Chris M. Wood
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  5. M. Danielle McDonald
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Correspondence to Maria C. Cartolano.

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Communicated by B. Pelster.

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Cartolano, M.C., Gancel, H.N., Lonthair, J. et al. Pulsatile urea excretion in Gulf toadfish: the role of circulating serotonin and additional 5-HT receptor subtypes. J Comp Physiol B 189, 537–548 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-019-01223-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-019-01223-x

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