Activity of Dehydrogenase Enzymes during the Metamorphosis of the Mealworm, Tenebrio Molitor Linnaeus1

Ludwig, Daniel; Barsa, Mary C.

doi:10.1093/aesa/51.3.311

Cited by 13 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…So far, no marker to assess cytotoxicity has been reported in T. molitor. We have previously demonstrated that the measurement of LDH activity in the cell-free hemolymph can be used as a cytotoxicity marker in G. mellonella larvae infected with fungal cells, 34,44,45 and since this enzyme activity has been previously reported in T. molitor hemolymph, 49,50 along with its putative encoding gene, 51 we hypothesized that the measurement of this enzyme activity would increase in the infected animals with the Sporothrix spp. yeast-like cells.…”

Section: Sporothrix Spp Kills Tenebrio Molitor Larvae In a Dose-dependent Mannermentioning

confidence: 99%

Tenebrio molitor as an Alternative Model to Analyze the Sporothrix Species Virulence

Lozoya-Pérez¹,

García-Carnero²,

Martínez-Álvarez³

et al. 2021

IDR

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Background Sporotrichosis is an increasing threat for humans, affecting mainly skin and subcutaneous tissues but that can cause disseminated infection in immunocompromised patients. Sporothrix schenckii, Sporothrix brasiliensis , and Sporothrix globosa are the main etiological agents of this mycosis, and each species show different virulence levels. The gold standard to assess fungal virulence is the mouse model that is expensive and time-consuming. Thus, invertebrate models have been reported as an alternative for the evaluation of fungal virulence. Here, we assessed whether Tenebrio molitor larvae could be a new alternative to study Sporothrix spp. virulence. Methods T. molitor larvae were inoculated with different doses of S. schenckii, S. brasiliensis , and S. globosa , and animal mortality, cytotoxicity, and immunological parameters were analyzed, including the ability to stimulate immunological priming. Results Mortality curves demonstrated that yeast-like cells were the best fungal morphology to kill larvae and showed a similar ranking in virulence than that reported in other animal models, ie, being S. brasiliensis and S. globosa the species with the highest and lowest virulence, respectively. The usefulness of this model was validated with the analysis of several S. schenckii strains with different virulence degrees, and changes in cytotoxicity, humoral and cellular immunological parameters. Low-virulence strains stimulated low levels of cytotoxicity, phenoloxidase activity, and hemocyte countings, and these immunological cells poorly uptake fungi. Moreover, using recombinant Gp70 from S. schenckii immunological priming was stimulated in larvae and this protected against a lethal dose of fungal cells from any of the three species under study. Conclusion The study demonstrated that T. molitor larvae are an appropriate alternative invertebrate model to analyze the virulence of S. schenckii, S. brasiliensis , and S. globosa . Additionally, hemocyte levels, phenoloxidase activity, cytotoxicity, uptake by hemocytes, and immunological priming are biological parameters that can be used to study the Sporothrix–T. molitor interaction.

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Section: Sporothrix Spp Kills Tenebrio Molitor Larvae In a Dose-dependent Mannermentioning

confidence: 99%

Tenebrio molitor as an Alternative Model to Analyze the Sporothrix Species Virulence

Lozoya-Pérez¹,

García-Carnero²,

Martínez-Álvarez³

et al. 2021

IDR

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Changes in the activity of respiratory enzymes in various organs during the metamorphosis of the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus

Jones

1964

J. Cell. Comp. Physiol.

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The characteristic U-shaped curve for oxygen consumption during metamorphosis has been reported in numerous holometabolous insects (Krogh, '14; Bodine and Orr, '25; Clare, '25; Fink, '25; Taylor, '25; Ludwig, '31; Dobzhansky and Poulson, '35; Wolsky, '38; Sacktor, '51; Ito, '54; Ludwig and Barsa, '54; Cotty, '56 and Diamantis, '61).Many theories have been advanced to account for the U-shaped respiratory curve. Fink ('25) correlated the descending portion of the curve with the histolysis of larval tissue and the ascending portion with the histogenesis of adult structures. Evans ('32) observed that these processes are associated with shifts in nitrogen fractions; histoloysis accompanied by an increase of soluble and a decrease of insoluble nitrogen, the reverse shift occurring at the end of metamorphosis.The role of various enzymes as ratelimiting factors in respiratory metabolism has been studied. Wolsky ('38) with the vinegar fly, Drosophila melanogaster; Williams ('50) with the moth, Platysamia cecropia; Sacktor ('51) with the house fly, Musca domestica and Ludwig ('53) with the Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica correlated the U-shaped respiratory curve with the activity of cytochrome oxidase. However, the experiments of Ito ('54) indicate that this enzyme is not rate-limiting during the metamorphosis of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. The rate of the activity of succinic dehydrogenase has been correlated with that of respiratory metabolism by Wolsky ('41) with the vinegar fly, D. melanogaster; Ludwig and Barsa ('55) with the Japanese beetle, P. japonica and the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor and Agrell ('49) with the blow fly, Calliphora erythrocephala. Agrell concluded that the form of the respiratory curve is due to a change from predominating histolysis of larval structures to predominating histogenesis of the adult structures.To the author's knowledge no work has been reported on the changes in enzyme activity of various organs during the metamorphosis of a holometabolous insect. The present study consists of determinations of the activities of cytochrome oxidase and malic and isocitric dehydrogenases of various organs during the metamorphosis of the mealworm, T . molitor. These enzymes have very high activities as demonstrated by Ludwig and Barsa ('58) and hence can be studied with relatively small amounts of tissue. This study was conducted to determine the relationship between the curves for enzyme activities of these organs and respiratory metabolism of the intact insect. MATERIAL AND METHODSCultures of T . molitor were reared in chick growing mash at room temperature (approximately 25°C). Prepupae collected daily from these cultures were transferred to an incubator at 25°C. Pupae were removed daily and placed in dated specimen dishes, thus providing insects of known ages. Adults were removed within 24 hours of emergence and transferred to other dated specimen dishes.At the desired age the insects were dissected in an isotonic saline solution de-

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Phosphorus metabolism and activity of some enzymes during the metamorphosis of the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus

Treves

Nassi

Cappugi

et al. 1970

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology

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Activity of Dehydrogenase Enzymes during the Metamorphosis of the Mealworm, Tenebrio Molitor Linnaeus1

Cited by 13 publications

References 0 publications

Tenebrio molitor as an Alternative Model to Analyze the Sporothrix Species Virulence

Tenebrio molitor as an Alternative Model to Analyze the Sporothrix Species Virulence

Changes in the activity of respiratory enzymes in various organs during the metamorphosis of the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus

Phosphorus metabolism and activity of some enzymes during the metamorphosis of the mealworm, Tenebrio molitor Linnaeus

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