Gymnopilin-a substance produced by the hallucinogenic mushroom, Gymnopilus junonius-mobilizes intracellular Ca2+ in dorsal root ganglion cells

Abstract

Gymnopilus junonius is a widely spread mushroom in Japan and well known as a hallucinogenic mushroom. Gymnopilin was purified from the fruiting body of G. junonius and was reported to act on the spinal cord and depolarize motoneurons. This is the only evidence that gymnopilin has a biological effect on animals and no mechanism of the action has been determined at all. In this study, we examined effects of gymnopilin on intracellular Ca . These results indicate that gymnopilin activated phospholipase C and mobilize Ca 2+ from the intracellular Ca 2+ store in non-neuronal cells from the DRG. This is the first report to show that gymnopilin directly acts on cells isolated from the mammalian nervous system.

Gymnopilins, a product of a hallucinogenic mushroom, inhibit the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

“…We have recently reported that gymnopilins activate two intracellular signal cascades including the phospholipase C-dependent one (Miyazaki et al, 2012) and the cAMP-dependent one (Nishio et al, 2012). In addition, here we report that gymnopilins act on the nAChR.…”

“…Gymnopilins were purified from the wild fruiting body of G. junonius collected in Japan according to the procedure reported previously (Aoyagi et al, 1983;Miyazaki et al, 2012). In brief, wild fruiting bodies of G. junonius were lyophilized, crunched and stored at -20 ºC.…”

“…We have recently reported that gymnopilins activate phospholipase C and increase intracellular Ca 2+ concentrations ([Ca 2+ ] i ) in non-neuronal cells isolated from dorsal root ganglia of the rat (Miyazaki et al, 2012), and that gymnopilins act directly on vascular smooth muscles and activated the cAMP-dependent cascade to cause the vasodilation (Nishio et al, 2012). However, direct evidence that gymnopilins act on neurons is still lacking.…”

Multiple Effects of Gymnopilin on Circulatory System of the Rat

“…Recently, we reported that gymnopilins activated Gq-coupled GPCRs expressed in neurons and glial cells in dorsal root ganglia and cerebral cortex. 7) Gymnopilins may be distributed into the central nervous system crossing the blood brain barrier and may act directly on cells in the central nervous system to excite the vasomotor center. Underlying mechanisms including this possibility need to be examined in the future study.…”

“…Recently, we reported that gymnopilins act on mammalian neurons and glial cells. 7) Gymnopilins are likely to bind to some G protein-coupled receptor and mobilize cytosolic Ca 2+ from the intracellular Ca 2+ store. When fruiting bodies of G. junonius are ingested, gymnopilins are absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract and carried into the blood.…”