Resolution of the insect ouabain paradox

Many insects are highly resistant to plant toxins, such as the cardiac glycoside ouabain. How can the epithelia that must handle such toxins, also be refractory to them? In Drosophila, the Malpighian (renal) tubule contains large amounts of Na+, K+ ATPase that is known biochemically to be exquisitel...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS 2004-09, Vol.101 (37), p.13689-13693
Main Authors: Torrie, L.S, Radford, J.C, Southall, T.D, Kean, L, Dinsmore, A.J, Davies, S.A, Dow, J.A.T
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Active transport
Adenosine triphosphatases
Animals
Antibodies
Biological Sciences
Biological Transport - drug effects
Drosophila
Drosophila melanogaster - cytology
Drosophila melanogaster - drug effects
Drosophila melanogaster - genetics
Drosophila melanogaster - metabolism
Flowers & plants
Genes
Hematophagous insects
Insect genetics
Insects
Malpighian tubules
Malpighian Tubules - cytology
Malpighian Tubules - drug effects
Malpighian Tubules - metabolism
Models, Biological
Organic Anion Transporters - genetics
Organic Anion Transporters - metabolism
Ouabain - metabolism
Ouabain - pharmacokinetics
Ouabain - pharmacology
Paradoxes
Peptides
Phylogeny
RNA Interference
Secretion
Sodium-Potassium-Exchanging ATPase - metabolism
Toxins
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Summary:Many insects are highly resistant to plant toxins, such as the cardiac glycoside ouabain. How can the epithelia that must handle such toxins, also be refractory to them? In Drosophila, the Malpighian (renal) tubule contains large amounts of Na+, K+ ATPase that is known biochemically to be exquisitely sensitive to ouabain, yet the intact tissue is almost unaffected by even extraordinary concentrations. The explanation is that the tubules are protected by an active ouabain transport system, colocated with the Na+, K+ ATPase, thus preventing ouabain from reaching inhibitory concentrations within the basolateral infoldings of principal cells. These data show that the Na+, K+ ATPase, previously thought to be unimportant, may be as vital in insect tissues as in vertebrates, but can be cryptic to conventional pharmacology.
ISSN:0027-8424
1091-6490
DOI:10.1073/pnas.0403087101