Tissue-specific regulation of juvenile hormone esterase gene expression by 20-hydroxyecdysone and juvenile hormone in Bombyx mori

• Published in: Archives of insect biochemistry and physiology Vol. 65; no. 3; pp. 143 - 151
• Main Authors: Kamimura, M, Takahashi, M, Kikuchi, K, Reza, A.M.S, Kiuchi, M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.07.2007
• Subjects: Animals; Bombyx - drug effects; Bombyx - growth & development; Bombyx - metabolism; Bombyx mori; Carboxylic Ester Hydrolases - metabolism; developmental stages; ecdysone; ecdysterone; Ecdysterone - pharmacology; esterase; fat body; Fat Body - drug effects; Fat Body - metabolism; fenoxycarb; gene expression regulation; Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects; hormonal regulation; juvenile hormone; juvenile hormone esterase; juvenile hormones; Juvenile Hormones - pharmacology; Larva - drug effects; Larva - growth & development; Larva - metabolism; messenger RNA; midgut; Organ Specificity; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; silk gland; silk glands; silkworm; silkworms; tissue distribution
• ISSN: 0739-4462; 1520-6327
• DOI: 10.1002/arch.20186

Juvenile hormone esterase (JHE) is the primary juvenile hormone (JH) metabolic enzyme in insects and plays important roles in the regulation of molt and metamorphosis. We investigated its mRNA expression profiles and hormonal control in Bombyx mori larvae. JHE mRNA was expressed at the end of the 4th and 5th (last) larval instars in the midgut and in all the three (anterior, middle, posterior) parts of the silk gland. In the fat body, JHE expression peaked twice in the 5th instar, at wandering and before pupation, while it gradually decreased through the 4th instar. When 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) was injected into mid-5th instar larvae, JHE mRNA expression was induced in the anterior silk gland but suppressed in the fat body. Topical application of a juvenile hormone analog fenoxycarb to early-5th instar larvae induced JHE expression in both tissues. In the anterior silk gland, JHE expression was accelerated and strengthened by 20E plus fenoxycarb treatments compared with 20E or fenoxycarb single treatment, indicating positive interaction of 20E and JH. JHE mRNA is thus expressed in tissue-specific manners under the control of ecdysteroids and JH.