Do snails Lymnaea stagnalis have phenoloxidase activity in hemolymph?

Authors

  • Y L Vorontsova Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Frunze Str., 11, 630091, Russia
  • I A Slepneva Voevodsky Institute of Chemical Kinetics and Combustion, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Institutskaya Str., 3, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
  • N I Yurlova Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Frunze Str., 11, 630091, Russia
  • V V Glupov Institute of Systematics and Ecology of Animals, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Novosibirsk, Frunze Str., 11, 630091, Russia

Keywords:

phenoloxidase, peroxidase, Lymnaea stagnalis, immunity

Abstract

Hemocytes and hemolymph of snail Lymnaea stagnalis were analyzed to detect phenoloxidase (PO) activity. No PO activity was found in the hemocytes of snails. A low level of PO activity (by DOPA oxidation) was registered in the hemolymph without cells. Addition of a specific PO inhibitor revealed the lack of effect on enzyme activity in the hemolymph, whereas hydrogen peroxide has increased it. Studying the electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum of DOPA- and dopamine-semiquinone indicates the peroxide-dependent dopamine oxidation. Our results suggest that peroxidase, rather than phenoloxidase, plays a key role in the oxidation of DOPA and dopamine in the hemolymph of L. stagnalis. It is just peroxidase activity that may be important in the formation of cytotoxic molecules, such as o-semiquinones, during snail defense immune reactions.

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Published

2014-12-11

Issue

Vol. 12 No. 1 (2015)

Section

Research Reports