Insecticidal activity and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding of dinotefuran and its analogues in the housefly, Musca domestica

The insecticidal activity of dinotefuran and 23 related compounds against the housefly, Musca domestica (L) was measured by injection with metabolic inhibitors. Dinotefuran was less active than imidacloprid and clothianidin by a factor of 10 in molar concentrations. Their binding activities to the fly-head membrane preparation were measured by using [125I]alpha-bungarotoxin ([125I]alpha-BGTX) and [3H]imidacloprid ([3H]IMI) as radioligands. The activity of some selected compounds measured with [3H]IMI was 10(4)-fold higher than that measured with [125I]alpha-BGTX. With [3H]IMI as a radioligand, dinotefuran was 13-fold less active than imidacloprid. The inhibitory effect of dinotefuran on the binding of [3H]IMI to the membrane preparation was in a competitive manner. Quantitative analysis of the insecticidal activity of the test compounds with the binding activity measured with [3H]IMI showed that the higher the binding activity, the higher was the insecticidal activity.     

Interaction of dinotefuran and its analogues with nicotinic acetylcholine receptors of cockroach nerve cords

To investigate the action of dinotefuran (MTI-446, 1-methyl-2-nitro-3-(tetrahydro-3-furylmethyl)guanidine), a recently developed insecticide, on insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs), we determined the potencies of the compound and 15 analogues in inhibiting the specific binding of [3H]epibatidine (EPI), a nAChR agonist, and [3H]alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BGT), a competitive nAChR antagonist, to the nerve cord membranes of American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana). Racemic dinotefuran inhibited [3H]EPI binding with an IC50 of 890 nM and [3H]alpha-BGT binding with an IC50 of 36.1 microM. Scatchard analysis indicated that the dinotefuran inhibition of [3H]EPI binding was a competitive one. Slight structural modification caused a drastic reduction in potency; only four analogues were found to be equipotent to or more potent than dinotefuran. Chloropyridinyl and chlorothiazolyl neonicotinoid insecticides displayed two or three orders of magnitude higher potency than dinotefuran. There was a good correlation between the IC50 values of tested compounds obtained with [3H]EPI and those obtained with [3H]alpha-BGT. A better correlation was observed between 3-h knockdown activities (KD50) against German cockroaches (Blattella germanica) and IC50 values obtained from [3H]EPI assays than between 24-h lethal activities (LD50) and IC50 values. While the results indicate that dinotefuran and its analogues interact with the ACh-binding site in cockroach nAChRs, it remains to be elucidated why they displayed lower potencies than those expected based on their insecticidal activities.     

The discovery of dinotefuran: a novel neonicotinoid

Dinotefuran (MTI-446: (RS)-1-methyl-2-nitro-3-(tetrahydro-3-furylmethyl)guanidine) is a new neonicotinoid commercialized by Mitsui Chemicals. Research led to this novel neonicotinoid by the removal of the chloropyridine or chlorothiazole ring that had been considered as indispensable for neonicotinoides. The research advanced as follows; (1) selection of acetylcholine for the lead compound, (2) recognition of the insecticidal advantages of 3-methoxypropyl compounds, (3) synthesis of (+/-)-tetrahydro-3-furylmethyl compounds by cyclization of the 3-methoxypropyl moiety. It resulted in dinotefuran which has a (+/-)-tetrahydro-3-furylmethyl moiety instead of a halogenated aromatic heterocyclic ring, and belongs to the third-generation neonicotinoids (sub-class: furanicotinyl compounds).     

Comparative analysis of neonicotinoid binding to insect membranes: II. An unusual high affinity site for [3H]thiamethoxam in Myzus persicae and Aphis craccivora

Neonicotinoids represent a class of insect-selective ligands of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Imidacloprid, the first commercially used neonicotinoid insecticide, has been studied on neuronal preparations from many insects to date. Here we report first intrinsic binding data of thiamethoxam, using membranes from Myzus persicae Sulzer and Aphis craccivora Koch. In both aphids, specific binding of [3H]thiamethoxam was sensitive to temperature, while the absolute level of non-specific binding was not affected. In M persicae, binding capacity (Bmax) for [3H]thiamethoxam was ca 450 fmol mg(-1) of protein at 22 degrees C and ca 700 fmol mg(-1) of protein at 2 degrees C. The negative effect of increased temperature was reversible and hence not due to some destructive process. The affinity for [3H]thiamethoxam was less affected by temperature: Kd was ca 11 nM at 2 degrees C and ca 15 nM at 22 degrees C. The membranes also lost binding sites for [3H]thiamethoxam during prolonged storage at room temperature, and upon freezing and thawing. In A craccivora, [3H]thiamethoxam was bound with a capacity of ca 1000 fmol mg(-1) protein and an affinity of ca 90 nM, as measured at 2 degrees C. Overall, the in vitro temperature sensitivity of [3H]thiamethoxam binding was in obvious contrast to the behaviour of [3H]imidacloprid studied in parallel. Moreover, the binding of [3H]thiamethoxam was inhibited by imidacloprid in a non-competitive mode, as shown with M persicae. In our view, these differences demonstrate that thiamethoxam and imidacloprid, which represent different structural sub-classes of neonicotinoids, do not share the same binding site or mode. This holds also for other neonicotinoids, as we report in a companion article.     

Comparative analysis of neonicotinoid binding to insect membranes: I. A structure-activity study of the mode of [3H]imidacloprid displacement in Myzus persicae and Aphis craccivora

Neonicotinoids bind selectively to insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors with nanomolar affinity to act as potent insecticides. While the members of the neonicotinoid class have many structural features in common, it is not known whether they also share the same mode of binding to the target receptor. Previous competition studies with [3H]imidacloprid, the first commercialised neonicotinoid, indicated that thiamethoxam, representing a novel structural sub-class, may bind in a different way from that of other neonicotinoids. In the present work we analysed the mode of [3H]imidacloprid displacement by established neonicotinoids and newly synthesized analogues in the aphids Myzus persicae Sulzer and Aphis craccivora Koch. We found two classes of neonicotinoids with distinct modes of interference with [3H]imidacloprid, described as direct competitive inhibition and non-competitive inhibition, respectively. Competitive neonicotinoids were acetamiprid, nitenpyram, thiacloprid, clothianidin and nithiazine, whereas thiamethoxam and the N-methyl analogues of imidacloprid and clothianidin showed non-competitive inhibition. The chloropyridine or chlorothiazole heterocycles, the polar pharmacophore parts, such as nitroimino, cyanoimino and nitromethylene, and the cyclic or acyclic structure of the pharmacophore were not relevant for the mode of inhibition. Consensus structural features of the neonicotinoids were defined for the two mechanisms of interaction with [3H]imidacloprid binding. Furthermore, two sub-classes of non-competitive inhibitors can be discriminated on the basis of their Hill coefficients for imidacloprid displacement. We conclude from the present data that the direct competitors share the binding site with imidacloprid, whereas non-competitive compounds, like thiamethoxam, bind to a different site or in a different mode.     

新烟碱类杀虫剂的结构修饰及相关作用机制研究进展

新烟碱类化合物主要作用于昆虫的烟碱乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)。概述了新烟碱类杀虫剂的结构特征,阶段性地总结了近几年基于昆虫nAChRs结构,对新烟碱类化合物的杂环部分和功能基团进行结构修饰和改造的代表性研究成果,概要介绍了这些新化合物与昆虫nAChRs之间的相互作用机制,有助于进一步探索和开发高活性的新烟碱类化合物。     

Effects of monoterpenoid insecticides on [H]-TBOB binding in house fly GABA receptor and Cl uptake in American cockroach ventral nerve cord

Monoterpenoids and their derivatives from plant essential oils showed good insecticidal activities in previous studies, but the mechanisms of their action as natural insecticides are not known yet. In the present work, we evaluated the pharmacological action of five monoterpenoids (α-terpineol, carvacrol, linalool, pulegone, and thymol) on native insect GABA receptors from house flies and American cockroaches using radiotracer methods. In the [³H]-TBOB binding assay, carvacrol, pulegone, and thymol all enhanced the [³H]-TBOB binding to membrane preparation of house fly heads with EC₅₀ values of 48 μM, 432 μM, and 6 mM, respectively. Moreover, these three monoterpenoids at concentrations of 500 μM and 1 mM also significantly increased the ³⁶Cl⁻ uptake induced by GABA in membrane microsacs prepared from American cockroach ventral nerve cords. These results revealed that carvacrol, pulegone, and thymol are all positive allosteric modulators at insect GABA receptors. The other two monoterpenoids that were tested, α-terpineol and linalool, showed little or no effect in both the [³H]-TBOB binding and ³⁶Cl⁻ uptake assays.     

Structural effects of dinotefuran and analogues in insecticidal and neural activities

The insecticidal potencies of dinotefuran and analogues against the adult male American cockroach, Periplaneta americana (L) were measured by injection with or without metabolic inhibitors. The potency of dinotefuran was close to those of clothianidin and imidacloprid under the conditions used. The nerve-excitatory and nerve-blocking activities were measured with central nerve cords of P americana. The nerve-excitatory activity of dinotefuran was lower than that of imidacloprid, but was comparable with that of clothianidin. The nerve-blocking activity of dinotefuran was comparable with that of imidacloprid and slightly higher than that of clothianidin. Quantitative analyses showed that variations in the insecticidal activity were better correlated with variations in the nerve-blocking activity than with those in the nerve-excitatory activity when the contribution of the hydrophobic factor was allowed for.     

烟碱乙酰胆碱受体及其与新烟碱类相互作用的研究进展

对烟碱乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)的结构与功能、配体结合部位、门控机理以及与新烟碱类的相互作用进行了综述,并对nAChRs亚基基因突变和敲除对新烟碱类和多杀菌素敏感性的影响进行了讨论。nAChRs在脊椎动物和昆虫的胆碱能突触的快速神经传递中起着重要作用,其在昆虫中仅存在于中枢神经系统(CNS)中,而在脊椎动物中同时存在于CNS和神经肌肉连接处。nAChRs是新烟碱类杀虫剂、多杀菌素和杀螟丹的作用靶标。肌肉和CNS中的nAChRs是一个由两个α和三个非α(β,γ和δ)亚基组成的异数五聚体,该受体主要有三部分:一个在细胞外发现的区域(胞外区)、一个位于膜内的区域(跨膜区),另一个是位于细胞内的区域(胞质区)。每个亚基(从N-C端)都具有一个包含乙酰胆碱(ACh)结合部位的细胞外结构域;4个跨膜结构域(M1~4),其中M2的大部分氨基酸位于离子通道的内壁;一个胞质噜扑(loop)和一个胞外C端。通道门位于孔道内的疏水区。ACh结合部位位于天然和功能受体的两个亚基的界面,是由一个亚基的3个噜扑(A-C)和另一个亚基的3个噜扑(D-F)构成。每当受体与ACh(或其他激动剂)分子结合时,M2 α螺旋体的构象发生改变,使通道开启,处于阳离子传导状态,直至一个或两个激动剂分子从结合口袋解离,通道才关闭。如果激动剂一直存在,并反复结合,则通道处于脱敏状态。nAChRs与新烟碱类的各种选择性作用取决于新烟碱类的结构以及nAChRs的亚基组成。     

Characterisation of the relationship between binding sites for imidacloprid and other nicotinic ligands in insects

Radioligand binding studies using the neurotoxins α-bungarotoxin, epibatidine, imidacloprid (IMI) and methyllycaconitine reveal heterogeneity at the level of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) in membranes from the peach potato aphid Myzus persicae (Sulzer) and further suggest the presence of more than one ligand binding site per nAChR. These sites are able to interact allosterically with each other. Of particular interest, [³H]IMI has over an order of magnitude higher affinity in membranes of hemipteran pest species than in non-hemipteran insects, which may help explain why IMI is particularly effective for the control of sucking pests.     

新烟碱类杀虫剂及稠环固定的顺式衍生物研究进展

新烟碱类杀虫剂是第四大类重要的杀虫剂,主要作用于昆虫的烟碱乙酰胆碱受体(nAChRs)。概述分析了新烟碱类杀虫剂的结构特征、作用机制及其构型,综述了近5年来新烟碱类杀虫剂的研究进展,并在比较分析的基础上,阶段性总结了作者近年来在稠环固定的顺式衍生物方面的研究工作。     

Insecticidal and binding activities of N3-substituted imidacloprid derivatives against the housefly Musca domestica and the alpha-bungarotoxin binding sites of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors

N3-substituted imidacloprid congeners containing C1-C6 alkyl groups or various analogous groups, and their corresponding nitromethylene analogues, were used in this study. Their insecticidal activity against the housefly, Musca domestica, and their binding activity toward the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor were determined. The insecticidal test was conducted using the synergists piperonyl butoxide and propargyl propyl phenylphosphonate. The binding assay was performed with housefly head membrane preparations using radio-labelled alpha-bungarotoxin. Both insecticidal and binding activities were drastically lowered by the introduction of alkyl/allyl groups at the imidazolidine NH sites of both nitroimino and nitromethylene compounds. The binding activity of N3-substituted nitromethylene analogues was much higher than that of the corresponding nitroimino analogues. However, the insecticidal activity of both series of compounds with a given substituent was nearly identical. The insecticidal activity correlated positively with the binding activity after taking into account the structural difference of the nitroimino and nitromethylene moieties and a structural feature of the N3-substituents.     

杀虫剂分子靶标烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体研究进展

昆虫烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体(nicotinic acetylcholine receptors,nAChRs)广泛分布于昆虫中枢神经系统,是杀虫剂作用的主要靶标。目前昆虫中该受体的天然亚基组成尚不完全明确。果蝇的任意α亚基与脊椎动物的一个β亚基共表达是目前最好的异源表达模型,但仍然急需新的研究工具,研究表明一些与受体相关的蛋白质影响着表达。胞内磷酸化的调节作用为今后受体药理学特性的研究提供了新方向。受体亚基上一些关键氨基酸在新烟碱杀虫剂对受体的选择作用中起重要作用。在对吡虫啉抗性的褐飞虱种群中找到了与抗性相关的突变位点,这为新烟碱类杀虫剂靶标不敏感性研究提供了直接证据。对昆虫烟碱型乙酰胆碱受体的分子多样性、功能表达、胞内调节机制、受体与杀虫剂的选择作用及其抗性分子机理等的研究进展进行了综述。     

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor chimeras of rat α7 and Drosophila SAD reveal species-specific agonist binding regions

Species-specific agonist binding regions of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) were examined. Imidacloprid and physostigmine (Phy) selectively activated insect nAChR composed of Drosophila second alpha-like subunit (SAD) and chick β2, in contrast to rat α7 nAChR. The Phy-activated currents were α-bungarotoxin (α-BGT) sensitive, suggesting activation at the agonist binding loop C. Several SAD-α7 chimeras were constructed, by switching agonist binding regions, and expressed in oocytes. Though none of the chimeras was activated by a range of nicotinic agonists, [¹²⁵I]α-BGT binding revealed homomeric assembly of all chimeric cDNAs. Phy differentially displaced [¹²⁵I]α-BGT from the nAChR chimeras, suggesting that the β subunit is not involved in Phy binding, and that Phy targets the insect agonist binding loop C.     

Effects of deltamethrin on ventral nerve cord activity in the cockroach

The effects of varying concentrations of deltamethrin on a number of the parameters of electrophysiological activity in the cockroach ventral nerve cord have been studied. Deltamethrin, at concentrations greater than 100 nM, caused repetitive firing in the central nervous system (CNS), prior to conduction block, the effect getting faster as the concentration was increased. Whilst 10-nM deltamethrin eventually caused conduction block with no apparent increase in the level of CNS activity, it induced a gradual decrease in the amplitudes of all spike activity. Deltamethrin at 10μM induced a significant increase in the latency of electrically evoked responses, and this was attributed to a synaptic mechanism. It was shown for the first time that 10-μM deltamethrin causes a significant elevation of the extra-axonal K⁺ activity; the possible consequences of this are discussed.     

Prediction of the binding mode of imidacloprid and related compounds to house-fly head acetylcholine receptors using three-dimensional QSAR analysis

The binding activity of imidacloprid and related compounds to nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR) of house flies was measured by use of radioactive α-bungarotoxin as a ligand. Variations in the activity were examined three-dimensionally using comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). The CoMFA results suggest that one conformer among the four stable ones is active and provide support for one of the proposed binding models for this class of compound, in which the nitrogen atom of the pyridine ring and the nitrogen atom at the 1-position of the imidazolidine ring interact with the hydrogen-donating and electron-rich sites of nAChR, respectively. The CoMFA field map showed that the nitroimino moiety and a portion of the imidazolidine ring were mainly surrounded by a sterically and electrostatically sensitive region of nAChR. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry     

Insecticidal and repellent properties of nine volatile constituents of essential oils against the American cockroach,Periplaneta americana (L.)

The toxic and repellent properties of nine major constituents of essential oils, comprising benzene derivatives and terpenes, were evaluated against Periplaneta americana (L.). Contact and fumigant toxicities to adult females and repellency to nymphs were determined. The decreasing order of knockdown activity via contact was methyl-eugenol>isosafrole=eugenol>safrole. The killing effect via contact was in the order eugenol=methyl-eugenol=isosafrole>safrole. Fumigant toxicity was only observed for safrole and isosafrole, with safrole being the more potent. Isoeugenol and the tested terpenes had neither contact nor fumigant toxic effect. The decreasing order of repellency to nymphs was safrole>isosafrole>methyl-eugenol=α-pinene> eugenol>isoeugenol. The benzene derivatives were generally more toxic and repellent to P. americana than the terpenes. The distance of the side chain double bond from the aromatic ring and the substitution of a methoxy group to these compounds appeared to be important determinants of their toxicity and repellency. © 1998 Society of Chemical Industry