Backbone cyclic pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) antagonists: inhibition of melanization in the moth Spodoptera littoralis (Insecta, Lepidoptera)

Neuropeptide signaling in insects

Neuropeptides represent the largest single class of signal compounds and are involved in regulation of development, growth, reproduction, metabolism and behavior of insects. Over the last few years there has been a tremendous increase in our knowledge of neuropeptide signaling due to genome sequencing, peptidomics, gene micro arrays, receptor characterization and targeted gene interference combined with physiological and behavior analysis. In this chapter we review the current knowledge of structure and distribution of insect neuropeptides and their receptors, as well as their diverse functions. We also discuss peptide biosynthesis, processing and expression, as well as classification of insect neuropeptides. Special attention is paid to the role insect neuropeptides play as potential targets for pest management and as a basis for development of insect control agents employing the rational/structural design approaches.

Bioavailability of beta-amino acid and C-terminally derived PK/PBAN analogs

The ability of linear beta-amino acid substituted peptides (PK-betaA-1: Ac-YFT[beta(3)P]RLa; PK-betaA-2: Ac-Y[beta(3)homoF]TPRLa; PK-betaA-3: Ac-Y[beta(3)F]TPRLa; PK-betaA-4: Ac-[beta(3)F]FT[beta(3)P]RLa) and unsubstituted analogs (Ac-YFTPRLa and YFTPRLa) of the pyrokinin(PK)/pheromone biosynthesis-activating neuropeptide (PBAN) family to penetrate the insect cuticle and exert biological activity (i.e., stimulate sex pheromone biosynthesis), was tested by topical application on Heliothis peltigera moths. The present results clearly indicate that small linear synthetic peptides can penetrate the cuticle very efficiently by contact application and activate their target organ. The time responses of the peptides applied in DDW and DMSO were tested and the activities of topically applied and injected peptides were compared. The results clearly indicate that PK-betaA-4 and PK-betaA-3 exhibited high bioavailability (ability to penetrate through the cuticle and exertion of bioactivity) with the latter showing longer persistence in both solvents than any other analog in the study; indicative that incorporation of a beta-amino acid at the Phe(2) position can enhance longevity in topical PK/PBAN analogs. PK-betaA-4 was significantly more active in DMSO than in DDW, and significantly more active than the parent peptide LPK in DMSO. PK-betaA-1 and PK-betaA-2 exhibited negligible activity. Interestingly, Ac-YFTPRLa was highly potent in both solvents; its activity in DDW did not differ from that of PK-betaA-4 and PK-betaA-3, and was higher than that of LPK. Even the unacylated peptide YFTPRLa was active in both solvents, at a similar level to LPK. Topically applied PK-betaA-4 and Ac-YFTPRLa exhibited significantly higher activity than the injected peptides. PK-betaA-3 and YFTPRLa were equally potent in both routes of administration.

Bioavailability of insect neuropeptides: the PK/PBAN family as a case study

The ability of unmodified linear peptides to penetrate the insect cuticle and exert bioactivity (e.g., stimulation of sex pheromone biosynthesis) was tested by topical application onto Heliothis peltigera moths of four insect neuropeptides (Nps) of the pyrokinin (PK)/pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) family: Helicoverpa zea PBAN (Hez-PBAN), Pseudaletia (Mythimna) separata pheromonotropin (PT), Leucophaea maderae PK (LPK) and Locusta migratoria myotropin (Lom-MT-II). The time kinetic of the peptides applied in double distilled water (DDW) or dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) was tested and the activities of topically applied and injected peptides were compared. The results clearly indicated that all four peptides were highly potent but with differing activities in the two solvents: PBAN was most active in water, and PT in DMSO. The activity of PBAN in DDW lasted up to 8h post-application and its activity in this solvent showed a faster onset and a longer persistence than in DMSO. LPK and MT differed less in their kinetics between the two solvents. Topically applied PBAN at 1 nmol exhibited an equivalent or even significantly higher potency than the injected peptide at several different times post-treatment. Similar results were obtained with topically applied and injected LPK. The present results add important information on the bioavailability of unmodified linear peptides in moths, clearly indicate that linear hydrophilic peptides can penetrate the cuticle by contact application in aqueous solutions and in organic solvents very efficiently, reach their target organ and activate it.

Inhibition of PK/PBAN-mediated functions in insects: discovery of selective and non-selective inhibitors

The antagonistic properties of a few linear and backbone cyclic (BBC) conformationally constraint peptide libraries and their analogs, were tested for the ability to inhibit pyrokinin/pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PK/PBAN) mediated functions: sex pheromone biosynthesis in Heliothis peltigera female moths, cuticular melanization in Spodoptera littoralis larvae, pupariation in the fleshfly Neobellieria bullata and hindgut contraction in Leucophaea maderae, elicited by exogenously injected PBAN, pheromonotropin (PT), leucopyrokinin (LPK), myotropin (MT) or by the endogenous peptides. The data revealed differential inhibitory patterns within the same assay with different elicitors (in both the pheromonotropic and melanotropic assays) and among the different functions and disclosed selective antagonists, hinting at the possibility that the receptors that mediate those functions may differ from one another structurally.

Cloning and characterization of the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide receptor gene in Spodoptera littoralis larvae

In noctuid moths cuticular pigmentation is regulated by the pyrokinin/pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PK/PBAN) family, which also mediates a variety of other functions in moths and other insects. Numerous studies have shown that these neuropeptides exert their functions through activation of the PBAN receptor (PBAN-R), with subsequent Ca(2+) influx, followed by either activation of cAMP or direct activation of downstream kinases. Recently, several PBAN-Rs have been identified, all of which are from the pheromone gland of adult female moths, but evidence shows that functional PK/PBAN-Rs can also be expressed in insect larvae, where they mediate melanization and possibly other functions (e.g., diapause). Here, we identified a gene encoding a G-protein-coupled receptor from the 5th instar larval tissue of the moth Spodoptera littoralis. The cDNA of this gene contains an open reading frame with a length of 1050 nucleotides, which translates to a 350-amino acid, 42-kDa protein that shares 92% amino acid identity with Helicoverpa zea and Helicoverpa armigera PBAN-R, 81% with Bombyx mori PBAN-R and 72% with Plutella xylostella PBAN-R. The S. littoralis PBAN-R gene was stably expressed in NIH3T3 cells and transiently in HEK293 cells. We show that it mediates the dose-dependent PBAN-induced intracellular Ca(2+) response and activation of the MAP kinase via a PKC-dependent but Galphai-independent signaling mechanism. Other PK/PBAN family peptides (pheromonotropin and a C-terminally PBAN-derived peptide PBAN(28-33)NH(2)) also triggered MAP kinase activation. This receptor, together with the previously cloned PBAN-R, may facilitate our understanding of the cell-specific responses and functional diversities of this diverse neuropeptide family.