Ecdysteroids regulate secretory competence in Inka cells

Ecdysis, or molting behavior, in insects requires the sequential action of high levels of ecdysteroids, which induce accumulation of ecdysis-triggering hormone (ETH) in Inka cells, followed by low levels of ecdysteroids, permissive for the onset of the behavior. Here, we show that high ecdysteroid levels suppress the onset of the behavioral sequence by inhibiting the development of competence to secrete ETH. In pharate pupae of Manduca sexta, Inka cells in the epitracheal glands normally develop competence to secrete ETH in response to eclosion hormone (EH) 8 h before pupation. Injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) into precompetent insects prevents this acquisition of competence, but does not affect EH-evoked accumulation of the second messenger cyclic GMP. Precompetent glands acquire competence in vitro after overnight culture, and this can be prevented by the inclusion of 20E at concentrations greater than 0.1 microg ml(-1)in the culture medium. Actinomycin D completely inhibits the acquisition of competence, demonstrating that it is dependent on transcriptional events. Cultured epitracheal glands become refractory to the inhibitory effects of 20E in the acquisition of competence at least 3 h earlier than for Actinomycin D, indicating that 20E acts on an early step in a sequence of nuclear events leading to transcription of a structural gene. Our findings suggest that declining ecdysteroid levels permit a late event in transcription, the product of which is downstream of EH receptor activation and cyclic GMP accumulation in the cascade leading to ETH secretion.