No abstract

Chouioia cunea Yang is an endoparasitic wasp that attacks pupae of Hyphantria cunea (Drury), an invasive moth species that severely damages forests in China. Chemosensory systems of insects are used to detect volatile chemical odors such as female sex pheromones and host plant volatiles. The antennae of parasite wasps are important for host detection and other sensory-mediated behaviors. We identified and documented differential expression profiles of chemoreception genes in C. cunea antennae. A total of 25 OBPs, 80 ORs, 10 IRs, 11 CSP, 1 SNMPs, and 17 GRs were annotated from adult male and female C. cunea antennal transcriptomes. The expression profiles of 25 OBPs, 16 ORs, and 17 GRs, 5 CSP, 5 IRs and 1 SNMP were determined by RT-PCR and RT-qPCR for the antenna, head, thorax, and abdomen of male and female C. cunea. A total of 8 OBPs, 14 ORs, and 8 GRs, 1 CSP, 4 IRs and 1 SNMPs were exclusively or primarily expressed in female antennae. These female antennal-specific or dominant expression profiles may assist in locating suitable host and oviposition sites. These genes will provide useful targets for advanced study of their biological functions.

Our previous research showed that enolates formed from 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, such as 2-acetylcyclopentanone (2-ACP), could provide protection in cell culture models from electrophile-or oxidative stress-induced toxicity. In the present study, we evaluated the protective abilities of 2-ACP in a mouse model of acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Results show that oral APAP overdose (500 mg/kg) was nearly 90% lethal within 72 hours and that the resulting hepatotoxicity was associated with substantial changes in plasma liver enzyme activities, histopathological indices, and markers of hepatocyte oxidative stress. 2-ACP administered intraperitoneally 20 minutes before APAP completely prevented lethality over a 7-day observation period. This effect was dose-dependent (0.80-2.40 mmol/kg) and was correlated with normalization of measured parameters. Nearly complete protection was afforded when 2-ACP was administered 20 minutes post-APAP, but not 60 minutes after intoxication. Although intraperitoneal administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was not effective over a broad dose range (2.40-7.20 mmol/kg), temporal studies indicated that intraperitoneal NAC was hepatoprotective when injected 60 minutes after APAP intoxication. Because of a loss of function in stomach acid, oral administration of 2-ACP was associated with modest APAP protection. In contrast, NAC administered orally provided dose-dependent (0.80-2.40 mmol/kg) protection against APAP hepatotoxicity. In chemico studies and quantum mechanical calculations indicated that 2-ACP acted as a surrogate nucleophilic target for the reactive electrophilic APAP metabolite N-acetyl-pbenzoquinone imine. Our findings suggest that 2-ACP or a derivative might be useful in treating acquired toxicities associated with electrophilic drugs and metabolites or environmental toxicants.