Manipulation of intracellular calcium affects in vitro juvenile hormone synthesis by larval corpora allata of Manduca sexta.

The effect of altering intracellular free Ca2+ on juvenile hormone (JH) and acid synthesis by larval and pupally-committed corpora allata (CA) of fifth stadium Manduca sexta was investigated. Larval CA required extracellular Ca2+ greater than or equal to 0.1 mM for maximal JH synthesis, while JH acid synthesis by glands after pupal commitment was independent of extracellular Ca2+. Free Ca2+ in the hemolymph ranged from 1.4 to 2.1 mM during the fifth stadium. Both calcium ionophores and caffeine, which releases Ca2+ from intracellular stores, inhibited JH synthesis by larval CA but stimulated JH acid synthesis by post-commitment CA. These results suggest that intracellular stores may be the principal source of Ca2+ for the biosynthetic activity of the post-commitment gland. Calcium channel blockers (La3+, Cd2+) and antagonists (verapamil, isradipine and nitrendipine) decreased both JH and JH acid synthesis, indicating the existence of Ca2+ channels in the CA cell membrane. Calmodulin (CaM) antagonists inhibited the activity of both larval and post-commitment CA, suggesting an integral relationship of CaM to the effects of Ca2+ on gland activity. One of these effects is the demonstrated requirement of 0.1 mM extracellular Ca2+ for allatostatin inhibition of JH I synthesis by larval CA.