Cytotoxicological effect of tebufenozide, an insect growth regulator (IGR): Stimulation of filamentous actin reorganization and enhancement of Hsp27 expression in drosophila Kc cells

The cytotoxicological responses to insect growth regulator (IGR), using tebufenozide as ecdysteroid mimic, were investigated in Drosophila Kc cells. Treatment of Kc cells with tebufenozide showed significant growth inhibition and striking morphological changes including aggregation and elongation of the cells. In order to understand the cellular mechanism underlying the response of Drosophila cells to tebufenozide, immunofluorescence microscopy was performed. We found that treatment of Kc cells with tebufenozide enhanced the reorganization of f-actin and stimulated the expression of hsp27. These data suggest a possible association of filamentous actin (f-actin) and hsp27 in the cytotoxicological mechanisms of growth regulators in Drosophila cells.