Li Tao, Hu Changxiong, Liu Zenghu, Li Qiongyan, Fan Yonghui, Liao Pengfei, Liu Min, Yang Weike, Li Xingxing, Dong Zhanpeng
Sericulture and Apiculture Research Institute, Yunnan Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Mengzi 661101, China.
Insects. 2025 Jun 11;16(6):619. doi: 10.3390/insects16060619.
Chlorfenapyr is a widely used insecticide known to harm non-target insects, but its effects on reproductive development in the silkworm ( L.) remain incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated the histopathological and transcriptional changes in the gonads (ovaries and testes) of newly molted fifth-instar silkworm larvae exposed to chlorfenapyr. Histopathological analysis revealed delayed gonadal development, a reduction in oogonia and oocytes in the ovaries, and decreased numbers of spermatocytes in the testes. Transcriptome analysis identified significant differentially expressed genes (DEGs), mainly enriched in pathways such as "Drug metabolism-cytochrome P450", "Insect hormone biosynthesis", and "Ribosome". Key up-regulated genes included members of the cytochrome P450 family (, , ), glutathione S-transferases (, ), and juvenile hormone-related enzymes (, ), indicating active detoxification and hormonal regulation responses. Several transcription factor families, particularly C2H2, HB-other, and TRAF, exhibited altered expression, suggesting roles in stress adaptation. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis identified hub genes such as , , and various ribosomal proteins, highlighting their potential involvement in reproductive development. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) validated the transcriptomic data, confirming the reliability of the results. Overall, these findings enhance our understanding of chlorfenapyr's impact on silkworm reproductive development and the underlying molecular mechanisms, providing valuable insights for sustainable pest management and ecological risk assessment of insecticides.
虫螨腈是一种广泛使用的杀虫剂，已知会对非目标昆虫造成伤害，但其对家蚕生殖发育的影响仍未完全了解。在本研究中，我们调查了新蜕皮的五龄家蚕幼虫暴露于虫螨腈后性腺（卵巢和睾丸）的组织病理学和转录变化。组织病理学分析显示性腺发育延迟，卵巢中的卵原细胞和卵母细胞数量减少，睾丸中的精母细胞数量减少。转录组分析确定了显著差异表达基因（DEGs），主要富集在“药物代谢-细胞色素P450”、“昆虫激素生物合成”和“核糖体”等途径中。上调的关键基因包括细胞色素P450家族成员（、、）、谷胱甘肽S-转移酶（、）和保幼激素相关酶（、），表明存在活跃的解毒和激素调节反应。几个转录因子家族，特别是C2H2、HB-other和TRAF，表达发生改变，表明它们在应激适应中发挥作用。蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用（PPI）网络分析确定了、和各种核糖体蛋白等枢纽基因，突出了它们在生殖发育中的潜在参与。定量PCR（qPCR）验证了转录组数据，证实了结果可靠性。总体而言，这些发现增进了我们对虫螨腈对家蚕生殖发育影响及其潜在分子机制的理解，为杀虫剂的可持续害虫管理和生态风险评估提供了有价值的见解。
