Investigation of the mode of action of nematode neuropeptides

The neuropeptide AF2 has a complex set of actions on the dorsal muscle strip of Ascaris suum, including a potentiation of the acetylcholine-stimulated muscle contraction. Caffeine at 100 μm and 5 mm inhibited this potentiation, as did 100 μm theophylline in two out of six studies. The cyclic-AMP-potentiating compounds IBMX, dibutyryl cAMP and forskolin had no effect on the AF2-induced potentiation of the acetylcholine-stimulated muscle contraction. These preliminary data suggest that the potentiating action of AF2 is not mediated by a cAMP pathway