title: Opposite effect of capsaicin and capsazepine on behavioral thermoregulation in insects.
abstract: Transient receptor potential channels are implicated in thermosensation both in mammals and insects. The aim of our study was to assess the effect of mammalian vanilloid receptor subtype 1 (TRPV1) agonist (capsaicin) and antagonist (capsazepine) on insect behavioral thermoregulation. We tested behavioral thermoregulation of mealworms larvae intoxicated with capsaicin and capsazepine in two concentrations (10(-7) and 10(-4) M) in a thermal gradient system for 3 days. Our results revealed that in low concentration, capsaicin induces seeking lower temperatures than the ones selected by the insects that were not intoxicated. After application of capsazepine in the same concentration, the mealworms prefer higher temperatures than the control group. The observed opposite effect of TRPV1 agonist and antagonist on insect behavioral thermoregulation, which is similar to the effect of these substances on thermoregulation in mammals, indicates indirectly that capsaicin may act on receptors in insects that are functionally similar to TRPV1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Toxicology, Institute of General and Molecular Biology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, ul. Gagarina 9, 87-100, Toruń, Poland. ojustyna@doktorant.umk.pl
authors.forename: Justyna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Olszewska
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tęgowska
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D002211:Capsaicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects; D018689:Sensory System Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels / Q000819:agonists* / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013712:Tenebrio / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000196:embryology / Q000502:physiology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D018689:Sensory System Agents; D050916:TRPV Cation Channels; C494484:TRPV1 receptor; C071423:capsazepine; D002211:Capsaicin