Investigation of hormone activity in butterfly imaginal wing discs by protein expression pattern changes

In a proteomic approach using 2-DE, the changes in protein expression patterns in wing imaginal discs induced by hormone treatment have been studied. Here we show the response of butterfly imaginal wing disc tissue taken from late fifth instar larvae of the African-Mocker swallowtail Papilio dardanus (Lepidoptera) to the insect hormones 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE) and juvenile hormone (JH). The tissues were cultured in the presence of one hormone or a combination of both and their protein expression was compared to the pattern obtained from untreated wing discs. All the treatments resulted in changes in the expression pattern distinct from the uninduced control, indicating a distinct protein regulation induced by the hormones. The treatment with both of the hormones, which are known to have antagonistic physiological effects, did show a unique pattern, presumably the result, in part, of synergistic effects on protein expression mediated by the combined effects of both the hormones. The extent of the interaction between JH and 20-HE indicates a complex molecular regulation, far beyond a simple antagonistic effect.