Morphological and molecular effects of 20-hydroxyecdysone and its agonist tebufenozide on CF-203, a midgut-derived cell line from the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana

• Published in: Archives of insect biochemistry and physiology 2004-02, Vol.55 (2), p.68-78
• Main Authors: Hu, W, Cook, B.J, Ampasala, D.R, Zheng, S, Caputo, G, Krell, P.J, Retnakaran, A, Arif, B.M, Feng, Q
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: adaptation; Animals; cell adhesion; Cell Aggregation - drug effects; cell clumping; Cell Count; cell culture; Cell Line; cell lines; cell morphology; cell proliferation; Cell Survival - drug effects; Choristoneura fumiferana; Choristoneura hormone receptor; Choristoneura hormone receptor 3; chronic toxicity; Cytoplasm - metabolism; Cytoplasm - ultrastructure; cytotoxicity; Digestive System - cytology; DNA-Binding Proteins; dose response; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; ecdysone; ecdysone agonists; ecdysterone; Ecdysterone - agonists; Ecdysterone - pharmacology; gene expression; hormone antagonists; hormone receptors; Hydrazines - metabolism; Hydrazines - pharmacology; Insect Control; Insect Proteins; insecticide resistance; Insecticides - pharmacology; Lepidoptera - cytology; Lepidoptera - drug effects; mechanism of action; messenger RNA; Microscopy, Phase-Contrast; midgut; Noctuidae; Receptors, Invertebrate Peptide - biosynthesis; tebufenozide; tebufenozide retention; Trans-Activators; transcription factors; viability
• ISSN: 0739-4462; 1520-6327
• DOI: 10.1002/arch.10124

The morphological and molecular responses of a midgut-derived cell line of the spruce budworm, Choristoneura fumiferana, to 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) and the nonsteroidal ecdysone agonist, tebufenozide (RH-5992), were investigated. The cells responded to these compounds by clumping, generating filamentous extensions, increased mortality and expression of the transcription factor, Choristoneura hormone receptor 3 (CHR3). This cell line can be used as a model system to study the mode of action of ecdysone and its agonists. With subsequent passaging in ecdysteroid-containing medium, the degree of clumping increased and the clumping could not be reversed by subculturing in ecdysteroid-free medium. Cell numbers of the adapted cell lines in 20E and RH-5992 containing media were not significantly decreased, compared to the control, but both cell lines accumulated less 14C-labeled RH-5992 and lost the capability of expressing CHR3 in response to these compounds. Taken together, the cell lines appeared to develop a mechanism to adapt to the toxic effects of these compounds.