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bioRxiv · 10.1101/2022.12.30.522288

Neuroendocrine control of catch-up growth in Drosophila

Vallejo, D. M.·Saez-Carrion, E.·Garcia-Lopez, L.·Santoro, R.·Dominguez, M.
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Abstract

Children and other vertebrate animals stunted due to malnutrition can compensate for this deficit by resuming growth at a higher-than-normal rate via a still ill-defined mechanism. High mortality and adverse effects later in life may offset the positive effects of catch-up growth. Here we report that the invertebrate Drosophila melanogaster also experiences catch-up growth following a period of starvation, and the relaxin receptor Lgr4 instigates this catch-up growth. Starved larvae compensate for weight loss by growing two or more times faster and starting maturation within the same time as the non-starved sibling by preventing a rise in insulin-like growth (IGF)-induced ecdysone under Lgr4 control. Our data reveal that catch-up growth is associated with a surge of insulin, not IGF, which may clarify how catch-up growth often leads to metabolic problems and obesity.

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Vallejo, D. M., Saez-Carrion, E., Garcia-Lopez, L., Santoro, R., Dominguez, M.. 2022-12-31. Neuroendocrine control of catch-up growth in Drosophila. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.30.522288

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