DIURETIC ACTIVITY OF MAS-DP-II, AN IDENTIFIED NEUROPEPTIDE FROM MANDUCA-SEXTA - AN IN-VIVO AND IN-VITRO EXAMINATION IN THE ADULT MOTH

Mas-DP II, a recently identified 30 amino acid diuretic peptide isolated from the tobacco hornworm moth, Manduca sexta, was tested for its ability to increase fluid excretion in adult M. sexta, and for the ability to elevate the rate of fluid secretion from isolated Malpighian tubules cultured in vitro. Mas-DP II was found to increase fluid weight loss from decapitated adult moths in a dose-dependent manner; weight loss increased significantly at doses as low as 5 ng for female moths and 25 ng for male moths. Male moths injected with large doses of Mas-DP II continued to exhibit increased rates of fluid loss up to 4 h post-injection. In vitro, Mas-DP ll stimulated fluid secretion from isolated Malpighian tubules at concentrations as low as 4 nM for tubules from both male and female moths. (C) 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.