Eur. J. Entomol. 106 (3): 335-345, 2009 | DOI: 10.14411/eje.2009.041

Apoptosis of neuronal cells in the brains of postembryonic silkworms Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)

Mi Young KIM*,1, Kang Kim MIN*,1, Chang Ok CHOI1, Hwa Young SONG1, Chang Lee SEOK1, Bong Woo KIM1, Pil Don KANG2, Soung Hoo JEON3, Byung Pil CHO4, Yeon Jae BAE1, Young-Gyo KO1, Bong Lee HEE1,3,**
1 School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea
2 Department of Agricultural Biology, National Institute of Agricultural Science and Technology, Suwon 441-100, Korea
3 Korea Entomological Institute, Korea University, Seoul 136-701, Korea
4 Department of Anatomy, Yonsei University Wonju College of Medicine, Wonju 220-701, Korea

The pattern and signal transduction of neuronal apoptosis in the brain of the silk moth, Bombyx mori, during postembryonic life, were characterized. Peak numbers of apoptotic neurons were detected in 4 day old 4th instar larvae, 9 day old 5th instar larvae and 4 day old pupae, indicating three waves of neuronal apoptosis during postembryonic development. Most of the apoptotic neurons were in the lateral portions of the brain. No apoptotic neurons were detected in 1 day old 1st instar larvae or in 7 day old pupae to 1 day old adults. Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) into larvae resulted in a substantial increase in the brain in both neuronal apoptosis and cleavage of procaspases-8 and -3 into caspases-8 and -3. However, the injection of larvae with actinomycin D or cycloheximide inhibited death of pre-apoptotic neurons. Both the cleavage of procaspases-8 and -3 and death of pre-apoptotic neurons were inhibited by a general caspase inhibitor and caspase-8 and -3 inhibitors injected into larvae. These results suggest that 20E triggered the synthesis of a new protein that, in turn, induces cleavage of procaspases-8 and -3 into caspases-8 and -3. These caspases are prerequisites for neuronal apoptosis in postembryonic brains.

Keywords: Silk moth, postembryonic life, brain, neuronal apoptosis, ecdysone, actinomycin, caspase

Received: November 27, 2008; Revised: March 3, 2009; Accepted: March 3, 2009; Published: July 24, 2009  Show citation

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KIM, M.Y., MIN, K.K., CHOI, C.O., Young SONG, H., SEOK, C.L., KIM, B.W., ... HEE, B.L. (2009). Apoptosis of neuronal cells in the brains of postembryonic silkworms Bombyx mori (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). EJE, 106(3), 335-345. doi: 10.14411/eje.2009.041
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