Developmental and comparative immunology

Publications in this journal

• Article: Fish immunity to scuticociliate parasites.

  María Carla Piazzon, José Leiro, Jesús Lamas
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  ABSTRACT: Some species of scuticociliates (Ciliophora) behave as facultative parasites and produce severe mortalities in cultured fish. Pathogenic scuticociliates can cause surface lesions and can also penetrate inside the body, where they feed on tissue and proliferate in the blood and most internal organs, killing the host in a few days. In this review, we describe the current knowledge on the protective role of fish cellular and humoral immune responses against these parasites. Immune humoral factors, especially complement, are of particular importance in defending fish against these ciliates. However, knowledge about how the fish immune system responds to scuticociliates is scant, and the cellular and molecular events that occur during the response are not known. We also describe the possible mechanisms used by scuticociliates to avoid or resist the defensive reaction of the host. For example, the release of proteases can help parasites enter fish tissues and impair the fish cellular and humoral responses. Several vaccine formulations containing scuticociliates have induced a good antibody response and protection in fish immunized and challenged with homologous strains of particular species. However, protection was not achieved in fish immunized and challenged with heterologous strains, and the antigens involved in protection and the antigenic differences between heterologous strains have not yet been determined.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Insights From Natural Host-Parasite Interactions: The Drosophila Model.

  Erin S Keebaugh, Todd A Schlenke
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  ABSTRACT: Immune responses against opportunistic pathogens have been extensively studied in Drosophila, leading to a detailed map of the genetics behind innate immunity networks including the Toll, Imd, Jak-Stat, and JNK pathways. However, immune mechanisms of other organisms, particularly plants, have primarily been investigated using natural pathogens. It was the use of natural pathogens in plant research that revealed the plant R/Avr system, a specialized immune response derived from antagonistic coevolution between plant immune proteins and their natural pathogen's virulence proteins. Thus, we recommend that researchers begin to use natural Drosophila pathogens to identify novel immune mechanisms that may have arisen through antagonistic coevolution with common natural pathogens. In this review, we address the benefits of using natural pathogens in research, describe the known natural pathogens of Drosophila, and discuss exciting prospects for future research on select natural pathogens of Drosophila.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Characterizations of two grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella HMGB2 genes and potential roles in innate immunity.

  Youliang Rao, Jianguo Su, Chunrong Yang, Limin Peng, Xiaoli Feng, Qingmei Li
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  ABSTRACT: High-mobility group box 2 (HMGB2) protein is a chromatin-associated nonhistone protein, involved in transcriptional regulation and nucleic-acid-mediated innate immune responses in mammalian. However, the function of piscine HMGB2 in innate immune responses is still unknown. In the present study, two HMGB2 homologue genes (CiHMGB2a, CiHMGB2b) were identified and characterized in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella). Both CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b genes encode proteins with 213 amino acids, sharing 71.4% identities and containing two basic HMG boxes and an acidic tail. The deduced protein sequences showed the most identities to HMGB2a (93%) and HMGB2b (86.4%) of zebrafish (Danio rerio), respectively. Quantitative real-time RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b were constitutively expressed in all the 15 tested tissues. Post grass carp reovirus (GCRV) infection, mRNA levels of CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b were strongly up-regulated in spleen and head kidney and mildly modulated in C. idella kidney (CIK) cells. Meanwhile, mRNA expressions of CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b were significantly regulated by viral pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) polyinosinic-polycytidylic potassium salt (poly(I:C)) and bacterial PAMPs lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) challenge in CIK cells. In CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b over-expression cells, expressions of CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b facilitated each other; transcription levels of CiTRIF, CiMyD88, CiIPS-1, and CiMx1 were remarkably enhanced, whereas CiIFN-I was inhibited, compared with those in cells transfected with pCMV (control plasmid); after GCRV challenge, all those tested genes were up-regulated with divergent expression profiles. Antiviral activities of CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b were manifested by the delayed appearance of cytopathic effect (CPE) and inhibition of GCRV yield. All those results demonstrate that CiHMGB2a and CiHMGB2b not only mediate antiviral immune responses but also involve in responding to viral/ bacterial PAMPs challenge, which provides novel insights into the essential role of HMGB2 in innate immunity.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Chicken interferons, their receptors and interferon-stimulated genes.

  Kate E Goossens, Alister C Ward, John W Lowenthal, Andrew G D Bean
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  ABSTRACT: The prevalence of pathogenic viruses is a serious issue as they pose a constant threat to both the poultry industry and to human health. To prevent these viral infections an understanding of the host-virus response is critical, especially for the development of novel therapeutics. One approach in the control of viral infections would be to boost the immune response through administration of cytokines, such as interferons. However, the innate immune response in chickens is poorly characterised, particularly concerning the interferon pathway. This review will provide an overview of our current understanding of the interferon system of chickens, including their cognate receptors and known interferon-stimulated gene products.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Application of bacterial lipopolysaccharide to improve survival of the black tiger shrimp after Vibrio harveyi exposure.

  Wanilada Rungrassamee, Sawarot Maibunkaew, Nitsara Karoonuthaisiri, Pikul Jiravanichpaisal
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  ABSTRACT: This study investigates an effect of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as feed supplement to improve immunity of the black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon). LPS was coated to commercial feed pellets and given to the shrimp once or twice a day for 10 days before an exposure with shrimp pathogenic bacterium Vibrio harveyi. The growth rates, percent weight gains, total hemocyte and granulocyte counts and survival rates of shrimp between the LPS-coated pellet fed groups and a control group where shrimp fed with commercial feed pellets were compared. After 10 days of the feeding trials, growth rates were not significantly different in all groups, suggesting no toxicity from LPS supplement. To determine beneficial effect of LPS diets, each group was subsequently exposed to V. harveyi by immersion method and the survival rates were recorded for seven days after the immersion. Regardless of the dosages of LPS, the shrimp groups fed with LPS-coated pellets showed higher survival rates than the control group. There was no significant difference in survival rates between the two LPS dosages groups. In addition to survival under pathogen challenge, we also determine effect of LPS on immune-related genes after 10-day feeding trial. Gene expression analysis in the P. monodon intestines revealed that antilipopolysaccharide factor isoform 3 (ALF3), C-type lectin, and mucine-like peritrophin (mucin-like PM) were expressed significantly higher in a group fed with LPS supplemental diet once or twice a day than in a control group. The transcript levels of C-type lectin and mucine-like PM had increased significantly when LPS was given once a day, while significant induction of ALF3 transcripts was observed when shrimp were fed with LPS twice a day. The up-regulation of the immune gene levels in intestines and higher resistance to V. harveyi of the shrimp fed with LPS provide the evidence for potential application of LPS as an immunostimulant in P. monodon farming.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Expressions of transcription factors in goldfish (Carassius auratus L.) macrophages and their progenitors.

  Barbara A Katzenback, Bahram V Foroutanpay, Miodrag Belosevic
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  ABSTRACT: The development of macrophages is a highly regulated process requiring coordination amongst transcription factors. The presence/absence, relative levels, antagonism, or synergy of all transcription factors involved is critical to directing lineage cell fate and differentiation. While relative levels of many key myeloid transcription factors have been determined in mammalian macrophage differentiation, a similar set of studies have yet to be conducted in a teleost system. In this study, we report on the mRNA levels of transcription factors (cebpa, cjun, cmyb, egr1, gata1, gata2, gata3, lmo2, mafb, pax5, pu.1 and runx1) in sorted goldfish progenitor cells, monocytes, and macrophages from primary kidney macrophage cultures. The mRNA levels of runx1 and pu.1 were significantly higher, gata3 and pax5 mRNA levels were lower, in monocytes compared to progenitors, and the mRNA levels of cjun, egr1, gata2, gata3, mafb and pax5 were significantly decreased in macrophages compared to progenitor cells. The relative mRNA levels of the interferon regulatory factor family of transcription factors, irf1, irf2, irf5, irf7, irf8 and irf9 in sorted progenitors, monocytes and macrophages were also measured. In contrast to other irf family transcription factors examined, irf8 mRNA levels were increased in monocytes compared to progenitors by greater than three-fold, suggesting that irf8 is important for monopoiesis. Lastly, we show the differential regulation of myeloid transcription factor mRNA levels in sorted progenitor cells from 1, 2, or 3-day old cultures in response to the recombinant goldfish growth factors, rgCSF-1 and rgKITLA.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Identification and characterization of TLR7, TLR8a2, TLR8b1 and TLR8b2 genes in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

  P T Lee, J Zou, J W Holland, S A M Martin, T Kanellos, C J Secombes
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  ABSTRACT: Mammalian Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and 8 are responsible for recognizing viral single-stranded RNA (ssRNA) and are activated by anti-viral imidazoquinoline compounds, leading to a series of defensive mechanisms being launched to protect the host against viruses. In this study, we identified two TLR7 (with one probably a pseudogene) and three TLR8 genes, namely TLR8a2, TLR8b1 and TLR8b2 from Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) whole-genome shotgun (WGS) contigs. Bioinformatics analysis showed that salmon TLR7 and TLR8a2 are closely related to the corresponding trout orthologs, however, salmon TLR8b1 and TLR8b2 share the highest amino acid sequence similarity to zebrafish TLR8b and formed a subfamily of the piscine TLR8 molecules in phylogenetic tree analysis. A conserved gene synteny was found with the salmon TLR7/8a members as seen in other vertebrate loci. Deduced domain organisation of salmon TLR7 and TLR8 molecules showed similar structural features, with equal numbers of leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) and insertion motifs. Individual TLR molecules were expressed in a similar pattern between parr and post-smolts, with a high expression level in immune tissues. Promoter analysis predicted several transcription factor binding sites in the TLR8a1/2 and TLR8b1 5' flanking regions, namely C/EBP, AP-1, STAT, NFκB, and IRF family, suggesting cytokine regulation of the genes. Hence, three recombinant cytokines, type I IFN, IFNγ and IL-1β were used to study the regulation of the salmon TLR gene expression levels in primary head kidney cells and the Salmon Head Kidney-1 (SHK-1) cell line. Salmon TLR7 and TLR8a1 gene expression was more sensitive to type I IFN and IFNγ treatment in primary head kidney cells and SHK-1 cells respectively, with no significant up-regulation of TLR8a2 and TLR8b2 by any of the treatments. On the other hand, salmon TLR8a1 and TLR8b1 were most sensitive to IL-1β treatment in SHK-1 cells and primary head kidney cells, respectively. TLR8b2 was undetectable in SHK-1 cells under these same conditions.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 06/2013;
• Article: Developmental regulation and antifungal activity of a growth-blocking peptide from the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua.

  Hu Wan, Kwang Sik Lee, Bo Yeon Kim, Miao Yuan, Sha Zhan, Lu Yanhui, Hong You, Jianhong Li, Byung Rae Jin
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  ABSTRACT: Insect cytokine growth-blocking peptides (GBPs) are involved in growth regulation and the innate immune response. However, the microbial binding and antimicrobial activities of GBPs remain unclear. Here, we investigate the developmental role and antifungal activity of a GBP from the beet armyworm Spodoptera exigua (SeGBP). Sequence analysis predicted that mature SeGBP consists of 24 amino acid residues, including 2 cysteine residues. During S. exigua development, SeGBP is constitutively expressed in the fat body during the larval and adult stages but not in pupae. SeGBP expression is up-regulated by 20-hydroxyecdysone and down-regulated by juvenile hormone analogue. Recombinant SeGBP purified from baculovirus-infected insect cells retards the growth of S. exigua larvae. Additionally, SeGBP expression is acutely induced in the fat body after injection with Escherichia coli, Bacillus thuringiensis, or Beauveria bassiana. Recombinant SeGBP can bind to B. bassiana but not to E. coli or B. thuringiensis. Consistent with these findings, SeGBP shows antifungal activity against B. bassiana. Therefore, these results provide insight into the role of SeGBP during the innate immune response following microbial infection, and furthermore, they suggest a novel function for SeGBP as a direct antifungal agent against entomopathogenic fungi, such as B. bassiana.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Immune competence in insect eggs depends on the extra-embryonic serosa.

  Chris G C Jacobs, Maurijn van der Zee
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  ABSTRACT: Innate immunity is common to all metazoans and serves as a first line of defense against pathogens. Although the immune response of adult and larval insects has been well characterized, it remains unknown whether the insect egg is able to mount an immune response. Contrary to Drosophila, Tribolium eggs develop an extra-embryonic epithelium, the serosa. Epithelia are well known for their ability to fight infection, so the serosa has the potential to protect the embryo against pathogens. To test this hypothesis we created serosa-less eggs by Tc-zen1 parental RNAi. We found that the Tribolium egg upregulates several immune genes to comparable levels as adults in response to infection. Drosophila eggs and serosa-less Tribolium eggs, however, have little to no upregulation of any of the tested immune genes. We conclude that the extra-embryonic serosa is crucial for the early immune competence of the Tribolium egg.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Identification and functional characterizations of a novel TRIF gene from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella).

  Chunrong Yang, Qingmei Li, Jianguo Su, Xiaohui Chen, Yaping Wang, Limin Peng
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  ABSTRACT: Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain containing adapter inducing interferon-β (TRIF) is an adapter in responding to activation of some toll-like receptors (TLRs), which provides early clearance of viral and bacterial pathogens. Here we identified and characterized a full-length genomic sequence of TRIF gene from grass carp Ctenopharyngodon idella (designated as CiTRIF). CiTRIF genomic sequence consists of 3534 base pairs (bp), containing 5' flank sequence (496 bp) and unique intron (815 bp). The full-length cDNA sequence is 2241 bp, including 5' untranslated region (UTR) of 352 bp, 3' UTR of 209 bp, and an open reading frame of 1680 bp encoding a polypeptide of 559 amino acids with an estimated molecular weight of 62.643 kDa and a predicted isoelectric point of 5.71. The deduced amino acid sequence just contains TIR domain, and is most similar to the zebrafish (Danio rerio) TRIF sequence with an identity of 64%. CiTRIF exhibits sequence divergence from its orthologs. Promoter region was predicted and promoter activity was verified. mRNA expression of CiTRIF gene is widespread in fifteen tissues investigated, highly in foregut and skin physiological immune barrier. The transcripts of CiTRIF were significantly and rapidly induced in spleen and head kidney tissues at early stage post grass carp reovirus (GCRV) challenge. The modulations are significant but mild in CIK (C. idella kidney) cells post GCRV infection or poly(I:C) stimulation. The over-expression vector was constructed and transfected into CIK cell line to get stably expressing recombinant proteins. In CiTRIF transfected cells, mRNA expressions of CiTRIF, CiRIG-I, CiIRF7 and CiIFN-I were up-regulated. After GCRV infection, the transcripts of CiTRIF, CiRIG-I, CiIRF7 and CiIFN-I fell a little bit after a rapidly and strongly rise. In CiTRIF over-expression cells, virus load and titer were significantly lower than those in controls post GCRV challenge, and virus replication was inhibited obviously. The results indicate that the novel TRIF gene from grass carp plays important roles in modulating antiviral innate immune responses, and serve the further functional studies on TRIF gene in teleosts and immune evolution.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: The Drosophila IMD pathway in the activation of the humoral immune response.

  Anni Kleino, Neal Silverman
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  ABSTRACT: The IMD pathway signaling plays a pivotal role in the Drosophila defense against bacteria. During the last two decades, significant progress has been made in identifying the components and deciphering the molecular mechanisms underlying this pathway, including the means of bacterial sensing and signal transduction. While these findings have contributed to the understanding of the immune signaling in insects, they have also provided new insights in studying the mammalian NF-κB signaling pathways. Here, we summarize the current view of the IMD pathway focusing on how it regulates the humoral immune response of Drosophila.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Functional Aspects of Fish Lymphocytes.

  Giuseppe Scapigliati
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  ABSTRACT: After almost 40 years of studies in comparative immunology, some light has been shed on the evolutive immunobiology of vertebrates, and experimental evidences have shown that acquired immunity, defined by somatic recombination of antigen-binding molecules and memory, is an achievement as ancient as jawless vertebrates. However, the molecular processes generating antigen receptors evolved independently between jawless and jawed fishes, and produced lymphocytic cells with similar functions but employing different sets of genes. In recent years, data have been provided describing some in vitro and in vivo functional responses of fish lymphocytes. After a long gap, the number of specific markers for fish lymphocytes is increasing, thus allowing a first characterisation of lymphocyte subsets. Overall, in the near future it will be possible to open a new chapter in fish immunology and investigate functional immunity of lymphocyte responses by combining the extensive knowledge on immune gene products with markers for molecules and cells. The present review summarizes current knowledge on functional features of fish lymphocytes.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: The Chicken TH1 response: Potential therapeutic applications of ChIFN-γ

  Pengju Guo, Jesse D Thomas, Matthew P Bruce, Tracey M Hinton, Andrew G D Bean, John W Lowenthal
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  ABSTRACT: The outcomes of viral infections are costly in terms of human and animal health and welfare worldwide. The observed increase in the virulence of some viruses and failure of many vaccines to stop these infections has lead to the apparent need to develop new anti-viral strategies. One approach to dealing with viral infection may be to employ the therapeutic administration of recombinant cytokines to act as 'immune boosters' to assist in augmenting the host response to virus. With this in mind, a greater understanding of the immune response, particularly cell mediated T-helper-1 (TH1) type responses, is imperative to the development of new anti-viral and vaccination strategies. Following the release of the chicken genome, a number of TH1-type cytokines have been identified, including chicken interleukin-12 (ChIL-12), ChIL-18 and interferon-γ (ChIFN-γ), highlighting the nature of the TH1-type response in this non-mammalian vertebrate. To date a detailed analysis of the in vivo biological function of these cytokines has been somewhat hampered by access to large scale production techniques. This review describes the role of TH-1 cytokines in immune responses to viruses and explores their potential use in enhancing anti-viral treatment strategies in chickens. Furthermore, this review focuses on the example of ChIFN-γ treatment of chicken anemia virus (CAV) infection. CAV causes amongst other things thymocyte depletion and thymus atrophy, as well as immunosuppression in chickens. However, due to vaccination, clinical disease appears less often, nevertheless, the subclinical form of the disease is often associated with secondary complicating infections due to an immunocompromised state. Since CAV-induced immunosuppression can cause a marked decrease in the immune response against other pathogens, understanding this aspect of the disease is critically important, as well as providing insights into developing new control approaches. With increasing emphasis on developing alternative control programs for poultry diseases, novel therapeutic strategies provide one approach. We show here that the in ovo administration of ChIFN-γ impacts the depletion of T-cell precursors during CAV infection. Therefore, it appears that ChIFN-γ may have the potential to be used as a novel therapeutic reagent to impact virus infection and alter immunosuppression caused by CAV and potentially other pathogens.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Functional genomic analysis of the Drosophila immune response.

  Susanna Valanne
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  ABSTRACT: Drosophila melanogaster has been widely used as a model organism for over a century now, and also as an immunological research model for over 20 years. With the emergence of RNA interference (RNAi) in Drosophila as a robust tool to silence genes of interest, large-scale or genome-wide functional analysis has become a popular way of studying the Drosophila immune response in cell culture. Drosophila immunity is composed of cellular and humoral immunity mechanisms, and especially the systemic, humoral response pathways have been extensively dissected using the functional genomic approach. Although most components of the main immune pathways had already been found using traditional genetic screening techniques, important findings including pathway components, positive and negative regulators and modifiers have been made with RNAi screening. Additionally, RNAi screening has produced new information on host-pathogen interactions related to the pathogenesis of many microbial species.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Potential directions for chicken immunology research.

  Cameron R Stewart, Anthony L Keyburn, Celine Deffrasnes, S Mark Tompkins
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  ABSTRACT: The importance of poultry, particularly chicken, as a food source continues to increase globally. Moreover, zoonotic infectious diseases such as avian influenza virus not only continue to impact poultry production, but also pose an increasing threat to public health. This review discusses the importance of poultry in both agricultural and public health arenas. Recent developments in avian immunology are described, with an emphasis on host-pathogen interactions and noting differences from mammalian systems. Next generation technologies including functional genomics and targeted gene disruption (e.g. zinc finger nucleases and meganucleases) are discussed as new approaches for not only understanding immune responses in poultry, but also as novel disease intervention strategies.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Zebrafish CD59 has both bacterial-binding and inhibiting activities.

  Chen Sun, Jie Wu, Shousheng Liu, Hongyan Li, Shicui Zhang
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  ABSTRACT: CD59, known as protectin, usually plays roles as a regulatory inhibitor of complement, but it also exhibits activities independent of its function as a complement inhibitor. This study reported the identification and characterization of an ortholog of mammalian cd59 from zebrafish Danio rerio, which is similar to known cd59 in terms of both amino acid sequence and genomic structure as well as synteny conservation. We showed that zebrafish cd59 was maternally expressed in early embryos and expressed in a tissue-specific manner, with most abundant expression in the brain. We further showed that recombinant zebrafish CD59 was capable of binding to both the Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria as well as the microbial signature molecules LPS and LTA. In addition we demonstrated that recombinant zebrafish CD59 displayed slight antimicrobial activity capable of inhibiting the growth of E. coli and S. aureus. All these data indicate that zebrafish CD59 can not only binds to the bacteria and their signature molecules LPS and LTA but can also inhibit their growth, a novel role assigned to CD59.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Molecular characterization of a p38 MAPK from Litopenaeus vannamei and its expression during the molt cycle and following pathogen infection.

  Shulin He, Zhaoying Qian, Jing Yang, Xianzong Wang, Xiao Mi, Yongjie Liu, Fujun Hou, Qiao Liu, Xiaolin Liu
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  ABSTRACT: The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), a serine/threonine-specific protein kinase, has been reported to be involved in innate immunity, development and muscle differentiation. To explore the function of p38 in shrimp, partial cDNA sequence of p38 in Litopeneaus vannamei (designated as Lv-p38) was characterized and the expression of Lv-p38 in hepatopancreas of the shrimp after being infected with Vibrio Parahaemolyticus and in muscle of the shrimp at different molt stages was detected by quantitative RT-PCR in this study. The results showed that the open reading frame of Lv-p38 was 1098 bp and encoded a protein of 365 amino acids. The protein of Lv-p38 which showed close phylogenetic relationship to Marsupenaeus japonicus p38 had a conserved TGY motif and serine/threonine protein kinase (S_TKc) domain. The expression of Lv-p38 was detected in all tested tissues, especially in the hepatopancreas and muscle. The expression of Lv-p38 in the hepatopancreas was different from that of the control at the 24(th) hour after the injection of Vibrio Parahaemolyticus and in the muscle significantly increased at stage C but decreased at other stages during molt, illustrating that Lv-p38 could be involved in pathogen infection and the molt cycle of shrimp. In conclusion, we identified Lv-p38 and studied its role in pathogen infection and molting, which might facilitate our understanding of the function of p38 in innate immunity and growth during molt of shrimp.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Phylogenetic analysis of vertebrate CXC chemokines reveals novel lineage specific groups in teleost fish.

  Jun Chen, Qiaoqing Xu, Tiehui Wang, Bertrand Collet, Yolanda Corripio-Miyar, Steve Bird, Ping Xie, Pin Nie, Christopher J Secombes, Jun Zou
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  ABSTRACT: In this study, we have identified 421 molecules across the vertebrate spectrum and propose a unified nomenclature for CXC chemokines in fish, amphibians and reptiles based on phylogenetic analysis. Expanding on earlier studies in teleost fish, lineage specific CXC chemokines that have no apparent homologues in mammals were confirmed. Furthermore, in addition to the two subgroups of the CXCL8 homologues known in teleost fish, a third group was identified (termed CXCL8_L3), as was a further subgroup of the fish CXC genes related to CXCL11. Expression of the CXC chemokines found in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, was studied in response to stimulation with inflammatory and antiviral cytokines, and bacterial and viral infection. Tissue distribution analysis revealed distinct expression profiles for these trout CXC chemokines. Lastly three of the trout chemokines, including two novel fish specific CXC chemokines containing three pairs of cysteines, were produced as recombinant proteins and their effect on trout leucocyte migration studied. These molecules increased the relative expression of CD4 and MCSFR in migrated cells in an in vitro chemotaxis assay.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Drosophila as a Model for Intestinal Dysbiosis and Chronic Inflammatory Diseases.

  Kyung-Ah Lee, Won-Jae Lee
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  ABSTRACT: The association between deregulated intestinal microbial consortia and host diseases has been recognized since the birth of microbiology over a century ago. Intestinal dysbiosis refers to a state where living metazoans harbor harmful intestinal microflora. However, there is still an issue of whether causality arises from the host or the microbe because it is unclear whether deregulation of the gut microbiota community is the consequence or cause of the host disease. Recent studies using Drosophila and its simple microbiota have provided a valuable model system for dissecting the molecular mechanisms of intestinal dysbiosis. In this review, we examine recent exciting observations in Drosophila gut-microbiota interactions, particularly the links among the host immune genotype, the microbial community structure, and the host inflammatory phenotype. Future genetic analyses using Drosophila model system will provide a valuable outcome for understanding the evolutionarily conserved mechanisms that underlie intestinal dysbiosis and chronic inflammatory diseases.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;
• Article: Rnai and Antiviral Defense in Drosophila: Setting up a systemic immune response.

  Margot Karlikow, Bertsy Goic, Maria-Carla Saleh
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  ABSTRACT: RNA interference (RNAi) controls gene expression in eukaryotic cells and thus, cellular homeostasis. In addition, in plants, nematodes and arthropods it is a central antiviral effector mechanism. Antiviral RNAi has been well described as a cell autonomous response, which is triggered by double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules. This dsRNA is the precursor for the silencing of viral RNA in a sequence-specific manner. In plants, systemic antiviral immunity has been demonstrated, however much less is known in animals. Recently, some evidence for a systemic antiviral response in arthropods has come to light. Cell autonomous RNAi may not be sufficient to reach an efficient antiviral response, and the organism might rely on the spread and uptake of an RNAi signal of unknown origin. In this review, we offer a perspective on how RNAi-mediated antiviral immunity could confer systemic protection in insects and we propose directions for future research to understand the mechanism of RNAi-immune signal sorting, spreading and amplification.
  Developmental and comparative immunology 05/2013;