Wnt/β-catenin signaling regulates Helicoverpa armigera pupal development by up-regulating c-Myc and AP-4.

Seasonally changing environmental conditions perceived by insect brains can be converted into hormonal signals that prompt insects to make a decision to develop or enter developmental arrest (diapause). Diapause is a complex physiological response, and many signaling pathways may participate in its regulation. However, little is known about these regulatory pathways. In this study, we cloned four genes related to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway from Helicoverpa armigera, a pupal diapause species. Western blotting shows that expression of Har-Wnt1, Har-β-catenin, and Har-c-Myc are higher in non-diapause pupal brains than in diapause-destined brains. Har-Wnt1 can promote the accumulation of Har-β-catenin in the nucleus, and Har-β-catenin in turn increases the expression of Har-c-Myc. The blockage of Wnt/β-catenin signaling by the inhibitor XAV939 significantly down-regulates Har-β-catenin and Har-c-Myc expression and delays pupal development, suggesting that the Wnt/β-catenin pathway functions in insect development. Furthermore, Har-c-Myc binds to the promoter of Har-AP-4 and regulates its expression. It has been reported that Har-AP-4 activates diapause hormone (DH) expression and that DH up-regulates the growth hormone ecdysteroid for pupal development. Thus, pupal development is regulated by Wnt/β-catenin signaling through the pathway Wnt-β-catenin-c-Myc-AP-4-DH-ecdysteroid. In contrast, the down-regulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling is likely to induce insects to enter diapause.