Antioxidant enzymes as defense mechanism against oxidative stress in midgut tissue and hemocytes of Bombyx mori larvae subjected to various stressors.

In this study, larvae of silkworm Bombyx mori were subjected to low temperature, hypoxia, and viral infection to evaluate stressor-mediated oxidative stress (OS) and the induction of antioxidant enzymes (AOEs). Exposure to cold, hypoxia, and nuclear polyhedral virus for 24 h resulted in a significant increase in hydrogen peroxide generation with concomitant increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO) and protein carbonyl levels in midgut and hemocytes. AOEs such as superoxide dismutase and catalase also increased significantly in both the tissues and the increased AOEs reverted to control values during recovery.