Inhibition of male corpora allata activity and sexual pheromone responsiveness in the black cutworm,Agrotis ipsilon, by the hypocholesterolemic agent, fluvastatin

Abstract

Male sexual behavior of the black cutworm Agrotis ipsilon is controlled by corpora allata. Allatectomies performed on day-1 and day-3 males inhibited the typical sexual behavior in day-4 males when exposed to female pheromone in a wind tunnel. Both JH-III and JH-III acid were able to restore male sexual behavior, suggesting that corpora allata act through their endocrine activity. We demonstrated that corpora allata incubated in vitro produced only the acid form of JH-III and JH-II. Fluvastatin, an HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, inhibited JH acid biosynthesis by the corpora allata when fluvastatin was added to incubation medium or injected in males 4 h before the bioassay. However, endocrine activity of CA resumed 5–6 h after injection, indicating that the effect of fluvastatin was temporary. Fluvastatin injection also induced temporary inhibition of male responsiveness. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.