Interconversions of lipophorin particles by adipokinetic hormone in hemolymph of Panstrongylus megistus, Dipetalogaster maximus and Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae)

Abstract

Hemolymph of Panstrongylus megistus , Dipetalogaster maximus and Triatoma infestans (Hemiptera: Reduviidae), in the presence of adipokinetic hormone and fat bodies, has the molecular components for generating low density lipophorin (1.060–1.070 m ml −1 ) from high density lipophorin (1.130–1.140 g ml −1 ), similar to that observed in long-distance flight insects. Low density lipophorin showed a significant increase of acylglycerols and a higher amount of apolipophorin-III (mol.wt ∼ 18 kDa) with respect to the original fraction of the incubation media. This process was dependent upon the nutritional status of the insects, whose fat bodies with > 20 days of starvation had the highest levels of acylglycerols. Antiserum against high density lipophorin produced a single precipitation line when it reacted by using Ouchterlony's test with high and low density lipophorins from the three species, and no reaction was observed with other lipophorins.