Oxidative stress elicited by insecticides: A role for the adipokinetic hormone

Adipokinetic hormones (AKHs) are insect neuropetides responding to stress situations including oxidative stress. Two insecticides – endosulfan and malathion – were used to elicit oxidative stress conditions in the firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus, and the physiological functions of AKHs and their ability to activate protective antioxidative reactions were studied. The insecticide treatments elicited only a slight increase of the AKH level in CNS, but more intensive increase in haemolymph, which indicates an immediate involvement of AKH in the stress response. The treatment also resulted in a significant increase of catalase activity in the bug’s body and depletion of the reduced glutathione pool in the haemolymph, however, co-application of the insecticides with the AKH (80 pmol) reduced the effect. It has also been found that co-application of the insecticides with AKH increased significantly the bug mortality compared to that induced by the insecticides alone. This enhanced effect of the insecticides probably resulted from the stimulatory role of AKH on bug metabolism: the carbon dioxide production was increased significantly after the co-treatment by AKH with insecticides compared to insecticide treatment alone. It was hypothesized that the increased metabolic rate could intensify the insecticide action by an accelerated rate of exchange of metabolites accompanied by faster penetration of insecticides into tissues.

Research highlights
► Insecticides endosulfan and malathion elicit oxidative stress in the Pyrrhocoris apterus.
► The stress enhances AKH production.
► AKH controls antioxidative stress mechanisms: catalase activity and GSH level.
► AKH increases effectivity of insecticides by stimulation of the whole metabolism.