黑腹果蝇先天免疫研究进展

先天免疫是昆虫适应复杂环境的关键,也是新型害虫防治的重要研究方向。昆虫通过模式识别受体识别环境中不同的病原物,激活先天免疫系统以清除病原物。昆虫的先天免疫系统主要包括体液免疫与细胞免疫,体液免疫包括免疫信号通路诱导产生抗菌肽、活性氧以及黑化作用等,细胞免疫包括血细胞的吞噬、包囊和凝结。本文将重点总结黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster在模式识别受体、免疫信号通路和细胞免疫相关方面的研究进展,为进一步研究其他经济昆虫与农业害虫的免疫机制,提高生产经济效益提供参考。     

天然免疫系统新成员Akirin的研究进展

天然免疫系统是多细胞动物抵御细菌感染的第一道防线。Akirin是新近发现于果蝇中的天然免疫系统新成员,它在果蝇免疫缺陷(Imd)通路中发挥重要作用。Akirin同源基因广泛存在于从低等多细胞生物到高等脊椎动物中,进化上高度保守。已有的研究表明:Akirin在果蝇Imd通路和脊椎动物TLR通路下游,与NF-κB家族转录因子形成复合物,参与调控免疫相关靶基因的转录,是天然免疫调控机制中不可或缺的转录因子,其过表达或缺失直接影响动物对细菌的防御能力。近年来,Akirin在相关信号通路中的功能研究取得重大进展。该文对Akirin的结构、参与天然免疫的分子调控机制以及基因进化等方面进行综述。     

昆虫天然免疫相关基因研究进展

在长期进化过程中,昆虫形成了强大的天然免疫防御系统,即体液免疫和细胞免疫。体液免疫主要包括Toll、IMD和JAK/STAT 3条信号通路,通过信号转导及免疫途径调控免疫相关基因的表达,诱导产生抗菌肽和其他效应分子。细胞免疫由血细胞介导,主要完成对病原物的包裹、吞噬和集结等。近年来,昆虫基因组学快速发展,通过生物信息学等方法从昆虫基因组数据中已鉴定到大量免疫相关基因,对这些基因的研究加深了人们对昆虫天然免疫分子机制的认识和理解。根据基因功能,免疫相关基因分为识别、信号转导、调制器、效应分子、黑化反应、RNA干扰和其他基因等7类,这些基因通过互作来调控体液免疫和细胞免疫。本文对昆虫免疫相关基因的分类、功能及家族进化等方面的研究成果进行总结,并对今后昆虫免疫的研究重点进行了展望,以期为昆虫免疫分子机制的研究及开发新的害虫防治策略提供依据。     

鳞翅目昆虫抗病毒免疫反应的研究进展

鳞翅目昆虫种类繁多,对农业生产和人类生活产生重大影响,宿主昆虫与病毒相互关系的研究对于利用病毒杀虫剂进行害虫治理和益虫病毒性疾病的预防具有重要意义.因此,鳞翅目昆虫与病毒的互作研究显得尤为重要,宿主昆虫的免疫系统在抗病毒感染过程中发挥着关键作用,对病毒产生不同程度的免疫反应.本文综述了昆虫围食膜和中肠对病毒入侵的防御作用,病毒进入体腔后昆虫所产生的细胞免疫和体液免疫反应,以及RNAi、细胞的自噬与凋亡、Toll、Imd、JAK-STAT和STING信号通路等相关的抗病毒免疫途径,并对昆虫抗病毒免疫研究的制约因素和未来鳞翅目昆虫抗病毒免疫的研究重点进行了讨论,以期为害虫的生物防治和益虫疾病的防控提供理论依据.     

丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂Serpins对昆虫免疫调控作用的研究进展

丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂Serpins是一类参与调控多种生理过程的蛋白酶抑制剂,广泛存在于所有生命体中.本文以黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster、黄粉虫Tenebrio molitor、烟草天蛾Manduca sexta为例,阐述Serpins在昆虫体内诱导抗菌肽产生的Toll信号通路和诱导黑化反应的酚氧化酶酶原(Prophenoloxidase,PPO)激活通路中的调控作用,并以病毒、线虫、细菌和真菌及寄生蜂为例,明确它们产生的Serpins对昆虫宿主免疫系统的调控作用,全面总结和综述了近年来具有Serpin domain结构域的典型Serpins对昆虫免疫的调控作用的研究进展.     

基于组学的寄生蜂与寄主免疫的相互作用

寄生蜂作为天敌昆虫,在害虫生物防治中起着极其重要的作用。现代分子生物学和第二代测序技术的迅速发展,为筛选寄生蜂与寄主免疫互作的关键分子,阐明寄生蜂逃避或抑制寄主免疫系统攻击的机理提供了新的机遇。昆虫的天然免疫可分为细胞免疫和体液免疫,寄生蜂在与寄主长期的协同进化过程中,依靠毒液(venom)、多分DNA病毒(PDV)、类病毒颗粒(VLP)、畸形细胞(teratocyte)等手段,一方面调控寄主血细胞的增殖和分化,抑制细胞包囊反应,从而破坏寄主的细胞免疫系统;另一方面,通过抑制酚氧化酶原激活干扰寄主的体液免疫,从而逃避黑化反应的攻击。寄生蜂在发育过程中也有相应的免疫防御机制。本文从细胞免疫、体液黑化反应以及免疫信号通路等方面,综述了近年来利用组学手段在寄生蜂调控寄主免疫方面取得的最新进展,以期为阐明天然免疫的分子机制、探索害虫防治新方法提供借鉴。     

20-羟基蜕皮酮调控昆虫先天免疫的分子机制研究进展

昆虫先天免疫(innate immunity)包括细胞免疫(cellular immunity)和体液免疫(humoral immunity)。近年来研究表明,作为昆虫生长发育调节的关键激素之一,20-羟基蜕皮酮(20-hydroxyecdysone, 20E)参与调节了昆虫的先天免疫。本文在介绍昆虫免疫机制的基础上,重点阐述20E调控昆虫先天免疫及微生物影响20E滴度的分子调控机制。20E可以激活细胞免疫和体液免疫来对抗外源入侵微生物,而外源微生物的刺激也会通过3-脱氢蜕皮激素-3β-还原酶(3-dehydroecdysteroid-3β-reductase, 3DE-3β-reductase)促进20E滴度升高。20E对昆虫免疫系统有显著影响,其滴度升高可以激活细胞免疫,包括吞噬(phagocytosis)、包被(encapsulation)和结节(nodulation);而对体液免疫的影响则比较复杂,除可以加速黑化作用(menalization)外,对抗菌肽的表达究竟是促进还是抑制尚不明确。研究人员鉴定发现了一些20E调控体液免疫的关键基因,这些基因的作用途径总结起来可以分为3类:(1)依赖于Toll和IMD等先天免疫通路;(2)依赖于胰岛素(insulin)信号途径;(3)依赖于20E信号通路因子BR-C等的直接调控。但这些通路因子究竟是如何互作以及其分子调控机制等都尚不清楚,值得进一步深入探讨。     

TLR4在哺乳动物对脂多糖反应中的作用

Toll信号转导通路在果蝇的发育和天然免疫反应中起重要作用.最近在小鼠进行的定点克隆研究表明Lps位座编码一种Toll样受体TLR4,该受体作为LPS受体复合物的跨膜成分而转导脂多糖(LPS)信号,而其相关蛋白TLR2则在其他病原体微生物介导的细胞反应中起作用.TLR4的发现使我们对LPS信号转导通路的认识前进了一大步.     

寄生黑腹果蝇的日本开臂反颚茧蜂生物学特性及其寄生对寄主发育及免疫反应的影响

【目的】调查寄生黑腹果蝇Drosophila melanogaster的日本开臂反颚茧蜂Asobara japonica的生物学特性,明确其寄生对寄主生长发育及免疫反应的影响。【方法】运用解剖成像和实时荧光定量PCR技术调查分析了日本开臂反颚茧蜂的各发育阶段发育历期、形态特征,以及日本开臂反颚茧蜂寄生黑腹果蝇2龄幼虫后的寄生率、出蜂率及寄主化蛹时间和寄主免疫通路15个主要基因(Toll通路中的SPE, Toll,Myd88, Dif和Drosomycin, Imd通路中的PGRP-LE, PGRP-LC, imd, Relish和Diptericin及PO通路中的 Spn27A, MP2, yellow-f2, DoxA2和PPO1)转录水平的变化。【结果】在25±1℃,相对湿度50%±1%和光周期16L∶8D条件下,日本开臂反颚茧蜂的卵期平均为2.38±0.01 d,幼虫期为5.36±0.07 d,蛹期为8.30±0.04 d。日本开臂反颚茧蜂寄生黑腹果蝇2龄幼虫,其寄生率为94.9%±4.0%,出蜂率为64.3%±7.1%。另外,日本开臂反颚茧蜂寄生使黑腹果蝇幼虫50%化蛹时的化蛹时间比未被寄生对照显著延缓约0.5 d;寄生后黑腹果蝇抗菌肽基因Drosomycin和Diptericin转录水平显著上调,而原酚氧化酶基因PPO1转录水平则显著下调。【结论】通过延缓寄主发育和抑制寄主的黑化反应,日本开臂反颚茧蜂能够在黑腹果蝇幼虫上成功寄生。本研究的结果为进一步规模化扩繁日本开臂反颚茧蜂并进行田间生物防治应用提供了理论基础。     

进化信息照亮了果蝇Toll通路配体蛋白的功能表面

Toll信号通路不仅控制果蝇背腹轴的发育,而且在成体果蝇抵抗真菌感染的过程中发挥重要作用。当果蝇受真菌攻击后,配体Spatzle被蛋白酶切割后形成二聚体活性形式,专一性结合到Toll受体,从而激发胞内信号传导级联放大过程并最终导致抗真菌肽Dmsomycin的表达。     

INVOLVEMENT OF PEPTIDOGLYCAN RECOGNITION PROTEIN L6 IN ACTIVATION OF IMMUNE DEFICIENCY PATHWAY IN THE IMMUNE RESPONSIVE SILKWORM CELLS

The immune deficiency (Imd) signaling pathway is activated by Gram‐negative bacteria for producing antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). In Drosophila melanogaster, the activation of this pathway is initiated by the recognition of Gram‐negative bacteria by peptidoglycan (PGN) recognition proteins (PGRPs), PGRP‐LC and PGRP‐LE. In this study, we found that the Imd pathway is involved in enhancing the promoter activity of AMP gene in response to Gram‐negative bacteria or diaminopimelic (DAP) type PGNs derived from Gram‐negative bacteria in an immune responsive silkworm cell line, Bm‐NIAS‐aff3. Using gene knockdown experiments, we further demonstrated that silkworm PGRP L6 (BmPGRP‐L6) is involved in the activation of E. coli or E. coli‐PGN mediated AMP promoter activation. Domain analysis revealed that BmPGRP‐L6 contained a conserved PGRP domain, transmembrane domain, and RIP homotypic interaction motif like motif but lacked signal peptide sequences. BmPGRP‐L6 overexpression enhances AMP promoter activity through the Imd pathway. BmPGRP‐L6 binds to DAP‐type PGNs, although it also binds to lysine‐type PGNs that activate another immune signal pathway, the Toll pathway in Drosophila. These results indicate that BmPGRP‐L6 is a key PGRP for activating the Imd pathway in immune responsive silkworm cells.     

Activation of Imd pathway in hemocyte confers infection resistance through humoral response in Drosophila

Upon microbial invasion the innate immune system of Drosophila melanogaster mounts a response that comes in two distinct but complimentary forms, humoral and cellular. A screen to find genes capable of conferring resistance to the Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus upon ectopic expression in immune response tissues uncovered imd gene. This resistance was not dependent on cellular defenses but rather likely a result of upregulation of the humoral response through increased expression of antimicrobial peptides, including a Toll pathway reporter gene drosomycin. Taken together it appears that Imd pathway is capable of playing a role in resistance to the Gram-positive S. aureus, counter to notions of traditional roles of the Imd pathway thought largely to responsible for resistance to Gram-negative bacteria.     

unpaired (upd)-3 expression and other immune-related functions are stimulated by interleukin-8 in Drosophila melanogaster SL2 cell line

Invertebrate innate immunity relies on both cellular and humoral components. Among humoral factors, there is less information on soluble molecules able to act as signals during the immune response (i.e. cytokines). In Drosophila melanogaster, the cytokine Unpaired (Upd)-3, is known to activate the JAK/STAT pathway, but it is still not clear which molecules and pathways are responsible for its induction and secretion. It has been proposed that highly chemotactic factors may increase the expression of upd-3. In this respect, we have studied the effects of the chemotactic human recombinant (hr) interleukin (IL)-8 on the immune functions of Drosophila SL2 macrophage-like cells. The hrIL-8 increases the percentage of phagocytic cells with a specific timing and enhances the expression of the cytokine, upd-3, as well as that of the putative cytokine Drosophila helical factor (dhf). The antimicrobial peptides defensin, cecropin A1 and diptericin, are all influenced in their expression by the human chemokine, while hrIL-8 leaves unaffected the expression of drosomycin, i.e. the antimicrobial peptide more strictly connected with the Toll pathway. Similar effects to those registered for hrIL-8 are also provoked by a specific activator of the Imd pathway, i.e. the Escherichia coli peptidoglycan. RNAi experiments demonstrated that the silencing of the Imd pathway-associated kinase dTAK1, leaves unaffected the induction of upd-3, while it completely abolishes the effects of hrIL-8-on the expression of dhf. Our data suggest that the Imd pathway is not fundamental in regulating the levels of upd-3, whereas it controls the expression of the putative cytokine dhf.     

昆虫天然免疫反应分子机制研究进展

昆虫体内缺乏高等脊椎动物所具有的获得性免疫系统, 只能依赖发达的天然免疫系统抵抗细菌、 真菌、 病毒等外源病原物的侵染。本文概括了昆虫天然免疫反应发生和作用的分子机制相关进展, 重点阐述了重要免疫相关因子在昆虫天然免疫反应中的功能和作用机制。昆虫天然免疫反应分为体液免疫和细胞免疫两种, 二者共同作用完成对病原物的吞噬 (phagocytosis)、 集结 (nodulation)、 包囊 (encapsulation)、 凝结 (coagulation)和黑化（melanization）等。当昆虫受到外界病原物的侵染时, 首先通过体内的模式识别蛋白（pattern recognition proteins/receptor, PRPs）识别并结合病原物表面特有的模式分子（pathogen-associated molecular pattern, PAMPs）, 继而一系列包括丝氨酸蛋白酶和丝氨酸蛋白酶抑制剂在内的级联激活反应被激活和调控, 产生抗菌肽、 黑色素等免疫效应分子, 清除或杀灭外源物。抗菌肽是一类小分子量的阳离子肽, 具有广谱抗菌活性, 针对不同类型的病原物, 抗菌肽的产生机制也不尽相同。昆虫体内存在着两种信号转导途径调节抗菌肽的产生： 一是由真菌和大部分革兰氏阳性菌激活的Toll途径; 二是由革兰氏阴性菌激活的Imd途径（immune deficiency pathway）。这两个途径通过激活不同转录因子调控不同抗菌肽基因的表达参与昆虫体内的天然免疫反应。     

Dual comprehensive approach to decipher the Drosophila Toll pathway, ex vivo RNAi screenings and immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry

The Drosophila Toll pathway is involved in embryonic development, innate immunity, and cell-cell interactions. However, compared to the mammalian Toll-like receptor innate immune pathway, its intracellular signaling mechanisms are not fully understood. We have previously performed a series of ex vivo genome-wide RNAi screenings to identify genes required for the activation of the Toll pathway. In this study, we have conducted an additional genome-wide RNAi screening using the overexpression of Tube, an adapter molecule in the Toll pathway, and have performed a co-immunoprecipitation assay to identify components present in the dMyd88-Tube complex. Based on the results of these assays, we have performed a bioinformatic analysis, and describe candidate molecules and post-translational modifications that could be involved in Drosophila Toll signaling.     

A Novel System for the Launch of Alphavirus RNA Synthesis Reveals a Role for the Imd Pathway in Arthropod Antiviral Response

Alphaviruses are RNA viruses transmitted between vertebrate hosts by arthropod vectors, primarily mosquitoes. How arthropods counteract alphaviruses or viruses per se is not very well understood. Drosophila melanogaster is a powerful model system for studying innate immunity against bacterial and fungal infections. In this study we report the use of a novel system to analyze replication of Sindbis virus (type species of the alphavirus genus) RNA following expression of a Sindbis virus replicon RNA from the fly genome. We demonstrate deficits in the immune deficiency (Imd) pathway enhance viral replication while mutations in the Toll pathway fail to affect replication. Similar results were observed with intrathoracic injections of whole virus and confirmed in cultured mosquito cells. These findings show that the Imd pathway mediates an antiviral response to Sindbis virus replication. To our knowledge, this is the first demonstration of an antiviral role for the Imd pathway in insects.     

Establishment of ex vivo systems to identify compounds acting on innate immune responses and to determine their target molecules using transgenic Drosophila

Innate immunity is an evolutionarily conserved self-defense mechanism against microbial infections. In Drosophila, induction of antimicrobial peptides is a major immune response that is regulated by two distinct signaling pathways called the IMD pathway and the Toll pathway, similar to the tumor necrosis factor-alpha signaling and Toll-like receptor/interleukin-1 signaling pathways, respectively, in mammals. In mammals, innate immunity interacts with adaptive immunity and has a key role in the regulated immune response. Therefore, innate immunity is a pharmaceutical target for the development of immune regulators. Previously, based on the striking conservation between the mechanisms that regulate Drosophila immunity and human innate immunity, we established an ex vivo culture in which compounds acting on innate immunity can be evaluated using a reporter gene that reflects activation of the IMD pathway [Yajima et al. [Yajima, M., Takada, M., Takahashi, N., Kikuchi, H., Natori, S., Oshima, Y., Kurata, S., 2003. A newly established in vitro culture using transgenic Drosophila reveals functional coupling between the phospholipase A2-generated fatty acid cascade and lipopolysaccharide-dependent activation of the immune deficiency (imd) pathway in insect immunity. The Biochemical Journal 371(Pt 1), 205-210] Biochem J 371, 205-210]. Here, we combined the ex vivo culture with a reporter gene that reflects the heat shock response and demonstrated that the resulting systems are useful for screening compounds that act specifically on innate immunity, including mammalian innate immune responses. Identification of target molecules is essential for the development of more potent medicines with fewer side effects. In this study, we also established ex vivo systems capable of identifying target molecules of the identified compounds using targeted activation of the IMD pathway.