title: The pleiotropic allatoregulatory neuropeptides and their receptors: A mini-review.
abstract: Juvenile hormones (JH) are highly pleiotropic insect hormones essential for post-embryonic development. The circulating JH titer in the hemolymph of insects is influenced by enzymatic degradation, binding to JH carrier proteins, uptake and storage in target organs, but evidently also by rates of production at its site of synthesis, the corpora allata (CA). The multiple processes in which JH is involved alongside the critical significance of JH in insect development emphasize the importance for elucidating the control of JH production. Production of JH in CA cells is regulated by different factors: by neurotransmitters, such as dopamine and glutamate, but also by allatoregulatory neuropeptides originating from the brain and axonally transported to the CA where they bind to their G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Different classes of allatoregulatory peptides exist which have other functions aside from acting as influencers of JH production. These pleiotropic neuropeptides regulate different processes in different insect orders. In this mini-review, we will give an overview of allatotropins and allatostatins, and their recently characterized GPCRs with a view to better understand their modes of action and different action sites.
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: heleen.verlinden@bio.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Heleen
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Verlinden
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Marijke.Gijbels@student.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Marijke
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gijbels
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Els.Lismont@bio.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Els
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lismont
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Cynthia.Lenaerts@bio.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lenaerts
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Jozef.vandenbroeck@bio.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanden Broeck
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, 3000 Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: Elisabeth.marchal@bio.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Elisabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marchal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003335:Corpora Allata / Q000378:metabolism*; D007301:Insect Hormones / Q000378:metabolism; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007313:Insecta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D007301:Insect Hormones; D019476:Insect Proteins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D018013:Receptors, Neuropeptide
keywords: Allatostatin; Allatotropin; Corpora allata; GPCR; Juvenile hormone; Neuropeptide