title: Nanoparticulate anatase TiO2 (TiO2 NPs) upregulates the expression of silkworm (Bombyx mori) neuropeptide receptor and promotes silkworm feeding, growth, and silking.
abstract: Bombyx mori orphan G protein-coupled receptor, BNGR-A4, is the specific receptor of B. mori neuropeptide F (BmNPFR, neuropeptide F designated NPF). BmNPFR binds specifically and efficiently to B. mori neuropeptides BmNPF1a and BmNPF1b, which activates the ERK1/2 signaling pathway to regulate B. mori food intake and growth. Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) can promote B. mori growth. However, whether the mechanisms of TiO2 NPs' effects are correlated with BmNPFR remains unknown. In this study, the effects of TiO2 NPs (5mg/L) feeding and BmNPFR-dsRNA injection on B. mori food intake and growth were investigated; after TiO2 NPs treatments, B. mori food intake, body weight, and cocoon shell weight were 5.82%, 4.64%, and 9.30% higher, respectively, than those of controls. The food intake, body weight, and cocoon shell weight of the BmNPFR-dsRNA injection group were reduced by 8.05%, 6.28%, and 6.98%, respectively, compared to the control. After TiO2 NPs treatment for 72h, the transcriptional levels of BmNPFR, BmNPF1a, and BmNPF1b in the midgut were 1.58, 1.43, and 1.34-folds, respectively, of those of the control, but 1.99, 2.26, and 2.19-folds, respectively, of the BmNPFR-dsRNA injection group; the phosphorylation level of MAPK was 24.03% higher than the control, while the phosphorylation level of BmNPFR-dsRNA injection group was 71.00% of control. The results indicated that TiO2 NPs affect B. mori feeding and growth through increasing the expression of BmNPFR. This study helps clarify the roles of BmNPF/BmNPFR system in TiO2 NPs' effects on B. mori feeding, growth, and development.
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
authors: Min
authors: M
authors: Ni
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
authors: Hua
authors: H
authors: Zhang
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
authors: Fan Chi
authors: FC
authors: Li
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
authors: Bin Bin
authors: BB
authors: Wang
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
authors: Kai Zun
authors: KZ
authors: Xu
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China.
authors: Wei De
authors: WD
authors: Shen
authors: School of Basic Medicine and Biological Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China; National Engineering Laboratory for Modern Silk, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, PR China. Electronic address: lib@suda.edu.cn.
authors: Bing
authors: B
authors: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D012831:Bombyx / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015870:Gene Expression; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007814:Larva / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System; D053758:Nanoparticles / Q000737:chemistry; D010316:Particle Size; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D047011:Silk / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D014025:Titanium / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide; D047011:Silk; C009495:titanium dioxide; D014025:Titanium
keywords: BmNPFR; Bombyx mori; Development; Growth; Silking; Titanium dioxide nanoparticles