title: The effect of ecdysteroids on the microfilarial production of Brugia pahangi and the control of meiotic reinitiation in the oocytes of Dirofilaria immitis.
abstract: The effects of the ecdysteroids ecdysone and 20-hydroxyecdysone on microfilarial release in Brugia pahangi and on meiotic reinitiation in the oocytes of Dirofilaria immitis were studied. Ecdysone was found to stimulate microfilarial release at 2 x 10(-6) M, but this effect was reduced at higher and lower concentrations. 20-Hydroxyecdysone was found to have no such effect. In D. immitis, ecdysone at 10(-5) M was also found to overcome the period of meiotic arrest that occurs during the pachytene stage of prophase 1. This effect was reduced when 10(-6) M ecdysone was used. These results help support the theory that the ecdysteroids play a hormonal role in filarial worms similar to that found in insects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Pembroke Place, UK.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Barker
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Mercer
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Rees
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Howells
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002009:Brugia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004183:Dirofilaria immitis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D004440:Ecdysone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004441:Ecdysterone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects; D008842:Microfilariae / Q000187:drug effects; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D004440:Ecdysone; D004441:Ecdysterone