title: Nutrient-dependent control of short neuropeptide F transcript levels via components of the insulin/IGF signaling pathway in the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria.
abstract: Peptides of the short neuropeptide F (sNPF) family modulate feeding behavior in a wide variety of insect species, including the desert locust, Schistocerca gregaria. Likewise, the nutritional state of the animal can strongly affect sNPF expression. Although several studies have been published describing these nutrient-dependent effects, it remains largely unclear how they are achieved. In this study, we describe a series of in vivo experiments which indicate that it is not the act of feeding in se, but rather the consequent availability of nutrients in the insect's hemolymph that gives rise to the postprandial modulation of sNPF expression. Furthermore, by performing a series of RNAi-mediated knockdown experiments, we were able to show that components of the evolutionarily conserved insulin/insulin-related growth factor (IGF) signaling pathway form a functional link between nutrient levels and sNPF transcript levels.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, Leuven, BE-3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Senne
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dillen
authors.affiliation: Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, Leuven, BE-3000, Belgium.
authors.forename: Ziwei
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Molecular Developmental Physiology and Signal Transduction, Department of Biology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 59, Leuven, BE-3000, Belgium. Electronic address: jozef.vandenbroeck@bio.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Jozef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vanden Broeck
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D055785:Gene Knockdown Techniques; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006458:Hemolymph; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007328:Insulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013002:Somatomedins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D019476:Insect Proteins; D007328:Insulin; D009479:Neuropeptides; D013002:Somatomedins; C076101:neuropeptide F
keywords: Feeding; FoxO; Growth factor; Insect; Insulin-like peptide; Insulin-related peptide; sNPF