Phospholipase Cγ1 Connects the Cell Membrane Pathway to the Nuclear Receptor Pathway in Insect Steroid Hormone Signaling

Background: PLCG1 plays an important role in calcium signaling. Results: PLCG1 up-regulates 20E-induced calcium signaling and regulates USP1 PKC phosphorylation in the lepidopteran insect Helicoverpa armigera. Conclusion: 20E activates PLCG1 to induce calcium influx to regulate USP1 PKC phosphorylation for gene expression. Significance: Our study establishes a link between the nongenomic pathway and genomic pathway in steroid hormone 20E signaling. In addition to the classical nuclear receptor pathway, there is a nongenomic pathway in the cell membrane that regulates gene expression in animal steroid hormone signaling; however, this mechanism is unclear. Here, we report that the insect steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) regulates calcium influx via phospholipase C1 (PLCG1) to modulate the protein kinase C phosphorylation of the transcription factor ultraspiracle (USP1) in the lepidopteran insect Helicoverpa armigera. The PLCG1 mRNA levels are increased during the molting and metamorphic stages. The depletion of PLCG1 by RNA interference can block 20E-enhanced pupation, cause larvae death and pupation defects, and repress 20E-induced gene expression. 20E may induce the tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCG1 at the cytosolic tyrosine kinase (Src) homology 2 domains and then determine the migration of PLCG1 toward the plasma membrane. The G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) inhibitor suramin, Src family kinase inhibitor PP2, and the depletions of ecdysone-responsible GPCR (ErGPCR) and G(q) restrain the 20E-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of PLCG1. PLCG1 participates in the 20E-induced Ca2+ influx. The inhibition of GPCR, PLC, inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor, and calcium channels represses the 20E-induced Ca2+ influx. Through calcium signaling, PLCG1 mediates the transcriptional activation driven by the ecdysone-response element. Through PLCG1 and calcium signaling, 20E regulates PKC phosphorylation of USP1 at Ser-21 to determine its ecdysone-response element binding activity. These results suggest that 20E activates PLCG1 via the ErGPCR and Src family kinases to regulate Ca2+ influx and PKC phosphorylation of USP1 to subsequently modulate gene transcription for metamorphosis.