Induction of preputium eversion by peptides, serotonin receptor antagonists, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in Biomphalaria glabrata

Eversion of the preputium is one of the initial steps in the male copulatory behavior of freshwater pulmonates. Previous experiments have shown that serotonergic mechanisms are involved in eversion in the snail Biomphalaria glabrata because the vertebrate 5‐HT1 receptor antagonist methiothepin caused long‐lasting eversion in a dose‐dependent manner. In this study, we tested a variety of serotonergic receptor ligands, bioactive peptides, and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) for their ability to induce preputium eversion in B. glabrata in order to elucidate the physiological mechanism of eversion. Of 15 compounds tested, five significantly induced preputium eversion: the serotonin receptor antagonists methiothepin (1 and 10 μM; p<0.0001), cyproheptadine (1–10 μM; p<0.007–0.0001), and mianserin (5–50 μM; p<0.01–0.001), the molluscan cardioactive peptide FMRFamide (10 and 50 μM; p<0.0002–0.0001), and the SSRI fluoxetine (=Prozac, 10–100 μM; p<0.0003–0.0001). Serotonin itself neither induced eversion nor blocked methiothepin‐induced eversion. This suggests that fluoxetine is not acting as an SSRI, but potentially as a receptor ligand. These preliminary data shed light on the possible physiological mechanism of preputium eversion in B. glabrata and suggest similarity with that of the model freshwater gastropod Lymnaea stagnalis.