Xenobiotic Detoxification in Insects: Regulatory Mechanisms and Evolutionary Roles of Cytochrome P450

Abstract

Insects have developed sophisticated defense mechanisms to survive in environments rich in xenobiotics, including plant allelochemicals and synthetic insecticides. A major component of their adaptive response is the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase (P450) enzyme system, which plays a central role in the detoxification of these compounds through oxidative metabolism. P450-mediated resistance involves multiple mechanisms, including gene overexpression, allelic variation, and substrate-specific catalytic activity. These enzymes are inducible by both phytochemicals and synthetic insecticides, often leading to cross-resistance. The evolutionary arms race between plants and herbivorous insects has driven diversification in P450 genes, especially in specialists like Papilio species and generalists such as Helicoverpa zea. Furthermore, the regulation of P450 expression is modulated by complex signaling pathways including the MAPK, ROS/CncC, and AhR/ARNT pathways, with transcription factors like CREB, CncC, and HR96 playing key roles. Understanding these regulatory mechanisms provides insight into how insects sense and respond to xenobiotic stress and offers promising targets for novel pest control strategies. This review highlights the metabolic and regulatory versatility of P450s, their economic importance in insecticide resistance, and underscores the need for further research into the molecular networks governing xenobiotic adaptation in insects.