PROGESTERONE IN PERIPLANETA-AMERICANA AND NEOBELLIERIA-BULLATA ADULTSFROM THE PROCUTICLE PHASE UNTIL FIRST PROGENY PRODUCTION

A significant amount of progesterone-like immunoreactive material (150 ng/g) was measured by EIA in the procuticle phase of adult of both se xes of Periplaneta americana. This peak markedly decreased to 1-10 ng/ g during sclerotization and was unlikely to be of dietary origin. In t he case of 0-hr-old P. americana adults 96-98% of progesterone-like ma terial was localized in the digestive tract and Malpighian tubules. In contrast, a relatively low level of progesterone-like immunoreactive material was measured in 0-hr-old Neobellieria bullata adults. Activit y of 3 beta-HSD/isomerase converting pregnenolone to progesterone was high (22-43 fmol/mg protein/20 min) in 0-hr-old P. americana adults an d significantly fell during sclerotization. High progesterone levels ( 13-16 ng/g), Measured by HPLC-RIA, coexist with high levels of 3 beta- HSD/isomerase activity. Orally active human contraceptives (ethisteron e, ethynodiol, ethynodiol diacetate, lynestrenol, mestranol, norgestre l, norethynodrel, tamoxifen citrate, and mifepristone) which act on ma mmalian steroid receptors had no significant effects on progeny produc tion in either polytrophic or meroistic insect ovaries even at concent ration of 5000 mg/kg. (C) 1997 Academic Press.