Molecular cloning and induction of nuclear receptors from insect cell lines

Structure-activity relationship of imidazothiadiazole analogs for the binding to the ecdysone receptor of insect cells

Diacylhydrazines are the first non-steroidal ecdysone agonists, and five compounds are used as insecticides in agriculture. After the discovery of diacylhydrazine-type compounds, numerous non-steroidal structures were reported as ecdysone agonists. Among various ecdysone agonists, imidazothiadiazoles are reported to be very potent in vitro; however, the experimental detail for the structure identification and bioassays are not stated in the paper (Holmwood and Schindler, Bioorg. Med. Chem. 17, 4064-4070, 2009). In our present study, we synthesized 18 imidazothiadiazole-type compounds and confirmed the chemical structures by spectrometric analyses. The binding activity of the synthesized compounds to the ecdysone receptor was evaluated in terms of the concentration required for 50% inhibition of [(3)H]ponasterone A incorporation [IC50 (M)] into lepidopteran (Sf-9), coleopteran (BCRL-Lepd-SL1), and dipteran (NIAS-AeAl2) cells. 6-(2-Chlorophenyl)-2-(trifluoromethyl)imidazo[2,1-b] [1,3,4]-thiadiazol-5-yl)acrylamide analogs with CONHR (secondary amide) were very potent against Sf-9 cells, but further alkylation (tertiary amide: CONR2) decreased the activity dramatically. Additionally, a primary amide analog (CONH2) was inactive. The activity also decreased 150-fold by the saturation of olefin region of the acrylamide moiety. In addition, various substituents were introduced at the 2-position of the imidazothiadiazole ring to disclose the physicochemical properties of the substituents which are important for receptor binding. The activity increased by 7500-fold with the introduction of the CF2CF2CF3 group compared to the unsubstituted compound against Sf-9 cells. Quantitative structure-activity relationship analysis for these substituents indicated that hydrophobic and electron-withdrawing groups were favorable for binding. Some of the compounds with strong receptor binding activity showed good larvicidal activity against Spodoptera litura. In contrast, the binding affinity of imidazothiadiazole analogs was low or not observed against dipteran and coleopteran cells.

Nuclear receptors HR96 and ultraspiracle from the fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), developmental expression and induction by xenobiotics

The fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda is a major polyphagous pest in agriculture and little is known on how this insect can adapt to the diverse and potentially toxic plant allelochemicals that they ingest or to insecticides. To investigate the involvement of nuclear receptors in the response of S. frugiperda to its chemical environment, we cloned SfHR96, a nuclear receptor orthologous to the mammalian xenobiotic receptors, pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR). We also cloned ultraspiracle (USP), the ortholog of retinoid X receptor (RXR) that serves as partner of dimerization of PXR and CAR. Cloning of SfUSP revealed the presence of two isoforms, SfUSP-1 and SfUSP-2 in this species, that differ in their N-terminal region. The expression of these receptors as well as the ecdysone receptor was studied during specific steps of development in different tissues. SfHR96 was constitutively expressed in larval midgut, fat body and Malpighian tubules throughout the last two instars and pupal stage, as well as in Sf9 cells. EcR and SfUSP-2 showed peaks of expression before larval moults and during metamorphosis, whereas SfUSP-1 was mainly expressed in the pre-pupal stage. Receptor induction was followed after exposure of larvae or cells to 11 chemical compounds. SfHR96 was not inducible by the tested compounds. EcR was significantly induced by the 20-hydroxyecdysone agonist, methoxyfenozide, and SfUSP showed an increase expression when exposed to the juvenile hormone analog, methoprene. The cloning of these nuclear receptors is a first step in understanding the important capacities of adaptation of this insect pest.

Virtual screening for ligands of the insect molting hormone receptor

Insect growth is regulated by the orchestrated event of ecdysteroids and their receptor proteins. Agonists/antagonists of ecdysteroid receptor are predicted to disrupt normal growth, providing good candidates of new insecticides. A database of over 2 million compounds was subjected to a shape-based virtual screening cascade to identify novel nonsteroidal hits similar to the known EcR ligand ponasterone A. Testing revealed micromolar hits against two strains of insect cells. Docking experiments against EcR were used to support the predicted binding mode of these ligands based on their overlay to ponasterone A.

Arthropod nuclear receptors and their role in molting

The molting process in arthropods is regulated by steroid hormones acting via nuclear receptor proteins. The most common molting hormone is the ecdysteroid, 20-hydroxyecdysone. The receptors of 20-hydroxyecdysone have also been identified in many arthropod species, and the amino acid sequences determined. The functional molting hormone receptors consist of two members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, namely the ecdysone receptor and the ultraspiracle, although the ecdysone receptor may be functional, in some instances, without the ultraspiracle. Generally, the ecdysone receptor/ultraspiracle heterodimer binds to a number of ecdysone response elements, sequence motifs that reside in the promoter of various ecdysteroid-responsive genes. In the ensuing transcriptional induction, the ecdysone receptor/ultraspiracle complex binds to 20-hydroxyecdysone or to a cognate ligand that, in turn, leads to the release of a corepressor and the recruitment of coactivators. 3D structures of the ligand-binding domains of the ecdysone receptor and the ultraspiracle have been solved for a few insect species. Ecdysone agonists bind to ecdysone receptors specifically, and ligand-ecdysone receptor binding is enhanced in the presence of the ultraspiracle in insects. The basic mode of ecdysteroid receptor action is highly conserved, but substantial functional differences exist among the receptors of individual species. Even though the transcriptional effects are apparently similar for ecdysteroids and nonsteroidal compounds such as diacylhydrazines, the binding shapes are different between them. The compounds having the strongest binding affinity to receptors ordinarily have strong molting hormone activity. The ability of the ecdysone receptor/ultraspiracle complex to manifest the effects of small lipophilic agonists has led to their use as gene switches for medical and agricultural applications.

EcR-A expression in the brain and ovary of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.)

We previously demonstrated that six genes involved in ecdysteroid signaling are expressed preferentially in Kenyon-cell subtypes in the mushroom bodies of the honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). To further examine the possible involvement of ecdysteroid signaling in honeybee brain function, we isolated a cDNA for the A isoform of the ecdysone receptor gene homolog AmEcR-A and analyzed its expression in the brain. In situ hybridization revealed that AmEcR-A is expressed selectively in the small-type Kenyon cells of the mushroom bodies in the worker and queen brain, like AmE74 and AmHR38, suggesting a possible association of these gene products. Analysis of AmEcR-A expression in queen and worker abdomens demonstrated that AmEcR-A is strongly expressed in nurse cells of the queen ovary, suggesting that ecdysteroid and ecdysteroid signaling have roles in oogenesis. Our present results further support the possible involvement of ecdysteroid signaling in brain function, as well as in regulating queen reproductive physiology in the adult honeybee.

Stably Transformed Insect Cell Lines: Tools for Expression of Secreted and Membrane‐anchored Proteins and High‐throughput Screening Platforms for Drug and Insecticide Discovery

Insect cell-based expression systems are prominent amongst current expression platforms for their ability to express virtually all types of heterologous recombinant proteins. Stably transformed insect cell lines represent an attractive alternative to the baculovirus expression system, particularly for the production of secreted and membrane-anchored proteins. For this reason, transformed insect cell systems are receiving increased attention from the research community and the biotechnology industry. In this article, we review recent developments in the field of insect cell-based expression from two main perspectives, the production of secreted and membrane-anchored proteins and the establishment of novel methodological tools for the identification of bioactive compounds that can be used as research reagents and leads for new pharmaceuticals and insecticides.

The ecdysone-induced DHR4 orphan nuclear receptor coordinates growth and maturation in Drosophila

A critical determinant of insect body size is the time at which the larva stops feeding and initiates wandering in preparation for metamorphosis. No genes have been identified that regulate growth by contributing to this key developmental decision to terminate feeding. We show here that mutations in the DHR4 orphan nuclear receptor result in larvae that precociously leave the food to form premature prepupae, resulting in abbreviated larval development that translates directly into smaller and lighter animals. In addition, we show that DHR4 plays a central role in the genetic cascades triggered by the steroid hormone ecdysone at the onset of metamorphosis, acting as both a repressor of the early ecdysone-induced regulatory genes and an inducer of the betaFTZ-F1 midprepupal competence factor. We propose that DHR4 coordinates growth and maturation in Drosophila by mediating endocrine responses to the attainment of critical weight during larval development.

Critical period for pupal commitment in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti

Changes in ecdysteroid levels that lead to commitment of pupal and adult development were studied in the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Application of juvenile hormone at the time of pupal commitment usually results in delay or blockage of pupal and adult development. With methoprene, a juvenile hormone mimic, the JH sensitive period was found to be within 19 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar, at which time methoprene treatment caused a delay in pupation. Consistent with this observation, there was a small peak of ecdysteroid levels between 14 and 28 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar. Therefore, the commitment to pupal development occurs most likely between 14 and 19 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar. Levels of transcription of the ecdysone receptor gene show a small peak between 12 and 24 h, and a larger peak between 46 and 66 h after ecdysis to the fourth instar.

Molecular cloning and expression analysis of ultraspiracle (USP) from the rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis

cDNA for ultraspiracle (USP) from the lepidopteran rice stem borer Chilo suppressalis was cloned using PCR techniques. The deduced amino acid sequence of C. suppressalis USP (CsUSP) was very similar to those of other lepidopteran USPs, especially to the Manduca sexta USP-2 isoform. Northern hybridization analysis detected a 6.5-kb message in the epidermis, fat body, and midgut of wandering larvae. CsUSP mRNA expression in the epidermis varied little during the last larval instar. Gel mobility shift assays showed that in vitro translated C. suppressalis ecdysone receptor (CsEcR) and CsUSP proteins bound to the Pal1 or Drosophila melanogaster hsp27 ecdysone response element as a heterodimer. In a ligand-receptor binding assay, [(3)H]ponasterone A ([(3)H]PoA) did not bind to individual CsEcR or CsUSP protein, but bound strongly to the CsEcR/CsUSP complex. [(3)H]PoA binding to CsEcR/CsUSP complex was competed by 20-hydroxyecdysone and a non-steroidal ecdysteroid agonist, RH-5992, but not by cholesterol, indicating that compounds with molting hormone activity against C. suppressalis can bind specifically to the CsEcR/CsUSP complex.