Infection with developing metacestodes of the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta, is known to retard the accumulation of the
yolk protein,
vitellin, in the terminal ovarian follicles of the intermediate host, Tenebrio molitor. It is probable that this is the result of competitive inhibition of
juvenile hormone binding at a microsomal binding site in the beetle follicular epithelium. Experiments were designed to test the hypothesis that inhibitor molecules were circulating in the haemolymph of infected beetles. Whole haemolymph, collected from male or female beetles at various stages post-
infection, was injected into non-infected female recipients 2 days post-emergence. Ovaries were removed 3 days later and the
vitellin content of the same sized follicles measured using an ELISA. The
vitellin content of follicles from recipients of haemolymph from females infected with metacestodes at stage 1 and stage 3-4 was significantly reduced (24 and 27.9%) compared to
sham-infected females. However, haemolymph from females infected with mature metacestodes did not affect the
vitellin content. Results were thus comparable to those obtained by monitoring ovarian
vitellin levels in female T. molitor with bona fide
infections. Haemolymph from infected males did not affect ovarian
vitellin content. These results indicate that molecules that can modulate vitellogenesis may be present in the haemolymph of females infected with developing metacestodes but that these factors disappear later in
infection.