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The concentration-dependent effects of ethanol on Caenorhabditis elegans behaviour

The Pharmacogenomics Journal volume 7, pages 411–417 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

The effects of ethanol on the brain are concentration dependent. Low concentrations (mM) intoxicate, while greater than 100 mM anaesthetize. Of most relevance to human alcohol addiction are mechanisms of intoxication. Previously, Caenorhabditis elegans has been employed in genetic screens to define effectors of intoxication. Here, we inform interpretation of these studies by providing evidence that ethanol rapidly equilibriates across C. elegans cuticle. Importantly, the effect of ethanol on muscle activity rapidly reaches steady-state, and the concentration-dependence of the effect is very similar in intact animals and exposed muscle. Thus the cuticle does not present an absorption barrier for ethanol, and furthermore the internal concentration is likely to approach that applied externally. Thus, modelling intoxication in C. elegans requires exposure to external ethanol less than 100 mM. Furthermore, the permeability of the cuticle to ethanol enables analysis of precisely controlled concentration-dependent effects of acute, chronic, and episodic ethanol exposure on behaviour.

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Abbreviations

EPG:

electropharyngeogram

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Acknowledgements

Funded by a studentship in Integrative Brain Science from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (UK). Neil Hopper was supported by a Wellcome Trust Career Development Fellowship.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Biological Sciences, Bassett Crescent East, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    P H Mitchell, K Bull, N A Hopper, L Holden-Dye & V O'Connor

  2. School of Psychology, Highfield, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK

    S Glautier

Authors
  1. P H Mitchell
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  2. K Bull
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  3. S Glautier
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  4. N A Hopper
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  5. L Holden-Dye
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  6. V O'Connor
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Correspondence to L Holden-Dye.

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The authors declare no competing financial interest.

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Mitchell, P., Bull, K., Glautier, S. et al. The concentration-dependent effects of ethanol on Caenorhabditis elegans behaviour. Pharmacogenomics J 7, 411–417 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.tpj.6500440

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