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How applicable is the general adaptation syndrome to the unicellular Tetrahymena ?
Author(s) -
Csaba György,
Pállinger Éva
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
cell biochemistry and function
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.933
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1099-0844
pISSN - 0263-6484
DOI - 10.1002/cbf.1527
Subject(s) - tetrahymena , hormone , histamine , serotonin , endocrinology , biology , medicine , glucagon , insulin , receptor , derepression , chemistry , biochemistry , gene , psychological repression , gene expression
Hormone receptors, hormones and signal transduction pathways characteristic of higher vertebrates can be observed also in the unicellular Tetrahymena. Previous work showed that stress conditions (starvation, high temperature, high salt concentration, formaldehyde or alcohol treatment) elevated the intracellular level of four hormones (ACTH, endorphin, serotonin and T 3 ). Here, the effect of other stressors (CuSO4 poisoning, tryptophan hydroxylase inhibitor parachlorphenylalanine (PCPA) treatment) on the same and other hormones (epinephrine, insulin, histamine) was studied, using immunocytochemistry and flow cytometric analysis. It was found, that each effect increased the intracellular hormone contents, but some hormones (histamine, T 3 ) were less reactive. Insulin—which is a life‐saving factor for Tetrahymena—itself provoked elevation of hormone amounts in association with a stressor, further increased the level of hormones. It was concluded that the ancestor of Selye's General Adaptation Syndrome (GAS) can be found already at unicellular level, and this possibly has a life saving function. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.