Due to their target specificity and low-toxicity, insect growth regulators (IGRs) are regarded as promising alternatives to chemical insecticides. In this study, farnesol and farnesyl acetate exhibited juvenile hormone (JH)-based IGR activities. While farnesyl acetate showed JH agonist (JHA) activity in concentration-dependent manner, farnesol was identified as JH antagonist (JHAN) by interfering pyriproxyfen-mediated binding JH receptor complex. Both compounds showed mosquito larvicidal activities and caused retardation of ovarian growth of female Aedes albopictus by modulating the formation of JH receptor complex, expression of JH-inducible genes, and thereby disrupting JH-based endocrine regulations. These results suggested that farnesol and farnesyl acetate could be applicable for investigating underlying mechanisms of JH-regulated insect physiologies as well as developing novel eco-friendly insecticides.

由于其目标特异性和低毒性，昆虫生长调节剂（IGR）被认为是化学杀虫剂的有前途的替代品。在这项研究中，法呢醇和醋酸法呢酯表现出基于少年激素（JH）的IGR活性。尽管乙酸法呢酯以浓度依赖的方式显示出JH激动剂（JHA）活性，但通过干扰吡咯烷酚介导的结合JH受体复合物，法呢醇被鉴定为JH拮抗剂（JHAN）。两种化合物均表现出蚊虫杀幼虫活性，并导致雌性白纹伊蚊卵巢生长受阻。通过调节JH受体复合物的形成，JH诱导型基因的表达，从而破坏基于JH的内分泌调节。这些结果表明，法呢醇和醋酸法呢酯可以用于研究JH调控昆虫生理的潜在机制，以及开发新型的生态友好型杀虫剂。