title: Dispersion of peptides in vegetable oil as a simple slow release formula for both injection and oral uptake in insects: a case study with [His7]-corazonin in an albino Locusta migratoria deficient in corazonin.
abstract: Upon realizing that for drug delivery in the body, lipidization is a technique used in the pharmaceutical industry, we took in consideration that corazonin melanizes the cuticle of albino Locusta migratoria only when injected in an emulsion in oil, not when applied in a watery solution. In this study, we investigate the possibility for oral uptake of corazonin dispersed in oil, and validated the activity by a melanization assay. Not only was it active, it also induced red cuticular coloration in some animals, and it was also unexpectedly lethal for nymphs, but not for adults. These results necessitate the revision of the potential of (some) peptides for insect control. Also, they suggest practical recommendations for the application of other peptides in physiological assays where oil could be used as a simple slow release formula.
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Functional Genomics and Proteomics, Department of Biology, K.U. Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Bart.Boerjan@bio.kuleuven.be
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Boerjan
authors.forename: Arnold
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Loof
authors.forename: Seiji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.forename: Liliane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Schoofs
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000417:Albinism / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D004655:Emulsions / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D007300:Insect Control / Q000379:methods*; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D048188:Locusta migratoria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009758:Nymph / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010858:Pigmentation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004655:Emulsions; D019476:Insect Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D010938:Plant Oils; C060602:corazonin protein, insect