Induction of antimicrobial peptide synthesis by the fat body cells of maggots of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calliphora vicina</Emphasis> R.-D. (Diptera,Calliphoridae)

Fat body is the major site of peptide antibiotic synthesis in insects. The goal of this work was to search in Calliphora vicina maggot for humoral factors that induce synthesis of antimicrobial peptides by the fat body cells in trauma. The preliminary analysis has shown that the activation factor revealed in hemolymph is a thermostable hydrophilic compound with a molecular mass lower than 3 kDa. The integument epitheliocytes were also found to release the humoral factors directly stimulating synthesis of antimicrobial peptides by the fat body.     

Fat body and hemocyte contribution to the antimicrobial peptide synthesis in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Calliphora vicina</Emphasis> R.-D. (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae

Antimicrobial peptides accumulated in the hemolymph in response to infection are a key element of insect innate immunity. The involvement of the fat body and hemocytes in the antimicrobial peptide synthesis is widely acknowledged, although release of the peptides present in the hemolymph from the immune cells was not directly verified so far. Here, we studied the presence of antimicrobial peptides in the culture medium of fat body cells and hemocytes isolated from the blue blowfly Calliphora vicina using complex of liquid chromatography, mass spectrometry, and antimicrobial activity assays. Both fat body and hemocytes are shown to synthesize and release to culture medium defensin, cecropin, diptericins, and proline-rich peptides. The spectra of peptide antibiotics released by the fat body and hemocytes partially overlap. Thus, the results suggest that insect fat body and blood cells are capable of releasing mature antimicrobial peptides to the hemolymph. It is notable that the data obtained demonstrate dramatic difference in the functioning of insect antimicrobial peptides and their mammalian counterparts localized into blood cells’ phagosomes where they exert their antibacterial activity.     

A drosomycin-GFP reporter transgene reveals a local immune response in Drosophila that is not dependent on the Toll pathway.

A hallmark of the systemic antimicrobial response of Drosophila is the synthesis by the fat body of several antimicrobial peptides which are released into the hemolymph in response to a septic injury. One of these peptides, drosomycin, is active primarily against fungi. Using a drosomycin-green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter gene, we now show that in addition to the fat body, a variety of epithelial tissues that are in direct contact with the external environment, including those of the respiratory, digestive and reproductive tracts, can express the antifungal peptide, suggesting a local response to infections affecting these barrier tissues. As is the case for vertebrate epithelia, insect epithelia appear to be more than passive physical barriers and are likely to constitute an active component of innate immunity. We also show that, in contrast to the systemic antifungal response, this local immune response is independent of the Toll pathway.     

Immune response of Drosophila melanogaster to infection with the flagellate parasite Crithidia spp

Insects are able to recognize invading microorganisms and to mount an immune response to bacterial and fungal infections. Recently, the fruitfly Drosophila melanogaster has emerged as a promising invertebrate model to investigate innate immunity because of its well-characterized genetics. Insects are also vectors of numerous parasites which can trigger an immune response. We have investigated the interaction of Drosophila melanogaster with the flagellate protozoan Crithidia spp. We show that a per os parasitic infection triggers the synthesis of several antimicrobial peptides. By reverse phase HPLC and mass spectrometry, peptides were shown to be present in the hemolymph and not in the gut tissue, suggesting the presence of immune messengers between the site of the infection, namely the gut, and the fat body, the main site of synthesis for antimicrobial peptides. Interestingly, we have identified one molecule which is specifically induced in the hemolymph after infection with Crithidia, but not with bacteria, suggesting that Drosophila can discriminate between pathogens. When flagellates were injected into the hemolymph, a low synthesis of antimicrobial peptides was observed together with phagocytosis of parasites by circulating hemocytes. The data presented here suggest that Drosophila-Crithidia spp. represents an interesting model to study host defense against protozoan parasites.     

The Drosophila systemic immune response: sensing and signalling during bacterial and fungal infections

A hallmark of the potent, multifaceted antimicrobial defence of Drosophila melanogaster is the challenge-induced synthesis of several families of antimicrobial peptides by cells in the fat body. The basic mechanisms of recognition of various types of microbial infections by the adult fly are now understood, often in great detail. We have further gained valuable insight into the infection-induced gene reprogramming by nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) family members under the dependence of complex intracellular signalling cascades. The striking parallels between the adult fly response and mammalian innate immune defences described below point to a common ancestry and validate the relevance of the fly defence as a paradigm for innate immunity.     

Positive and negative regulation of the Drosophila immune response

Insects mount a robust innate immune response against a wide array of microbial pathogens. The hallmark of the Drosophila humoral immune response is the rapid production of antimicrobial peptides in the fat body and their release into the circulation. Two recognition and signaling cascades regulate expression of these antimicrobial peptide genes. The Toll pathway is activated by fungal and many Gram-positive bacterial infections, whereas the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway responds to Gram-negative bacteria. Recent work has shown that the intensity and duration of the Drosophila immune response is tightly regulated. As in mammals, hyperactivated immune responses are detrimental, and the proper down-modulation of immunity is critical for protective immunity and health. In order to keep the immune response properly modulated, the Toll and IMD pathways are controlled at multiple levels by a series of negative regulators. In this review, we focus on recent advances identifying and characterizing the negative regulators of these pathways.     

Molecular characterization of two novel antibacterial peptides inducible upon bacterial challenge in an annelid, the leech Theromyzon tessulatum

Two novel antimicrobial peptides named theromacin and theromyzin were isolated and characterized from the coelomic liquid of the leech Theromyzon tessulatum. Theromacin is a 75-amino acid cationic peptide containing 10 cysteine residues arranged in a disulfide array showing no similarities with other known antimicrobial peptides. Theromyzin is an 86-amino acid linear peptide and constitutes the first anionic antimicrobial peptide observed in invertebrates. Both peptides exhibit activity directed against Gram-positive bacteria. Theromacin and theromyzin cDNAs code precursor molecules containing a putative signal sequence directly followed by the mature peptide. The enhancement of theromacin and theromyzin mRNA levels has been observed after blood meal ingestion and upon bacterial challenge. In situ hybridization revealed that both genes are expressed in large fat cells in contact with coelomic cavities. Gene products were immunodetected in large fat cells, in intestinal epithelia, and at the epidermis level. In addition, a rapid release of the peptides into the coelomic liquid was observed after bacterial challenge. The presence of antimicrobial peptide genes in leeches and their expression in a specific tissue functionally resembling the insect fat body provide evidence for the first time of an antibacterial response in a lophotrochozoan comparable to that of holometabola insects.     

Growth-Blocking Peptides As Nutrition-Sensitive Signals for Insulin Secretion and Body Size Regulation

In Drosophila, the fat body, functionally equivalent to the mammalian liver and adipocytes, plays a central role in regulating systemic growth in response to nutrition. The fat body senses intracellular amino acids through Target of Rapamycin (TOR) signaling, and produces an unidentified humoral factor(s) to regulate insulin-like peptide (ILP) synthesis and/or secretion in the insulin-producing cells. Here, we find that two peptides, Growth-Blocking Peptide (GBP1) and CG11395 (GBP2), are produced in the fat body in response to amino acids and TOR signaling. Reducing the expression of GBP1 and GBP2 (GBPs) specifically in the fat body results in smaller body size due to reduced growth rate. In addition, we found that GBPs stimulate ILP secretion from the insulin-producing cells, either directly or indirectly, thereby increasing insulin and insulin-like growth factor signaling activity throughout the body. Our findings fill an important gap in our understanding of how the fat body transmits nutritional information to the insulin producing cells to control body size.     

Insect immunity. Constitutive expression of a cysteine-rich antifungal and a linear antibacterial peptide in a termite insect

Two novel antimicrobial peptides, which we propose to name termicin and spinigerin, have been isolated from the fungus-growing termite Pseudacanthotermes spiniger (heterometabole insect, Isoptera). Termicin is a 36-amino acid residue antifungal peptide, with six cysteines arranged in a disulfide array similar to that of insect defensins. In contrast to most insect defensins, termicin is C-terminally amidated. Spinigerin consists of 25 amino acids and is devoid of cysteines. It is active against bacteria and fungi. Termicin and spinigerin show no obvious sequence similarities with other peptides. Termicin is constitutively present in hemocyte granules and in salivary glands. The presence of termicin and spinigerin in unchallenged termites contrasts with observations in evolutionary recent insects or insects undergoing complete metamorphosis, in which antimicrobial peptides are induced in the fat body and released into the hemolymph after septic injury.     

Antibacterial peptides isolated from insects.

Insects are amazingly resistant to bacterial infections. To combat pathogens, insects rely on cellular and humoral mechanisms, innate immunity being dominant in the latter category. Upon detection of bacteria, a complex genetic cascade is activated, which ultimately results in the synthesis of a battery of antibacterial peptides and their release into the haemolymph. The peptides are usually basic in character and are composed of 20-40 amino acid residues, although some smaller proteins are also included in the antimicrobial repertoire. While the proline-rich peptides and the glycine-rich peptides are predominantly active against Gram-negative strains, the defensins selectively kill Gram-positive bacteria and the cecropins are active against both types. The insect antibacterial peptides are very potent: their IC50 (50% of the bacterial growth inhibition) hovers in the submicromolar or low micromolar range. The majority of the peptides act through disintegrating the bacterial membrane or interfering with membrane assembly, with the exception of drosocin, apidaecin and pyrrhocoricin which appear to deactivate a bacterial protein in a stereospecific manner. In accordance with their biological function, the membrane-active peptides form ordered structures, e.g. alpha-helices or beta-pleated sheets and often cast permeable ion-pores. Their cytotoxic properties were exploited in in vivo studies targeting tumour progression. Although the native peptides degrade quickly in biological fluids other than insect haemolymph, structural modifications render the peptides resistant against proteases without sacrificing biological activity. Indeed, a pyrrhocoricin analogue shows lack of toxicity in vitro and in vivo and protects mice against experimental Escherichia coli infection. Careful selection of lead molecules based on the insect antibacterial peptides may extend their utility and produce viable alternatives to the conventional antimicrobial compounds for mammalian therapy.     

The immune response in Drosophila: pattern of cecropin expression and biological activity.

Cecropins are antibacterial peptides, induced in Drosophila as part of the humoral immune response to a bacterial invasion. We have used the cloned Drosophila cecropin genes CecA1, A2 and B as probes to study the developmental and tissue specific regulation of this response. The genes are strongly expressed in fat body and hemocytes after injection of bacteria, the CecA genes being much more active than CecB in the fat body. All parts of the fat body and 5-10% of the hemocytes are involved in this response. CecA1 and A2 are most active in larvae and adults; CecB is preferentially active in early pupae. A small peak of constitutive cecropin expression in early pupae appears to be caused by bacteria in the food. Cecropin A, the common product of the CecA1 and A2 genes, was identified in the hemolymph of immunized flies at a concentration of 25-50 microM, enough to kill all tested bacteria except Serratia, a Drosophila pathogen. A useful in vitro system to study the immune response has been found in Schneider's line 2 cells which respond to lipopolysaccharide and laminarin by cecropin expression.     

昆虫抗菌肽的生物学特点及药物研发进展

昆虫抗菌肽是由昆虫细胞特定基因编码、由细胞核糖体合成的,具有体液免疫功能的一类碱性多肽,对细菌、真菌、病毒和原虫,甚至癌细胞都具有杀伤作用,有望开发成为新一代的抗菌药物。随着抗菌肽家族的不断扩大,其各方面的研究也日益深入。简要综述了昆虫抗菌肽的种类及结构特点、作用机制、生物活性、构效关系、药物开发情况。     

Hormonal influence on antimicrobial peptide synthesis by fat body cells of a blowfly, Calliphora vicina R.-D. (Diptera, Calliphoridae)

The mechanism of septic induction of antimicrobial peptide synthesis in insects is well reported in current papers. On the contrary, there is little data on aseptic, particularly hormonal, regulation of immune defense. Insect neuroendocrinology traditionally considers hormones as regulators of development and reproduction, focusing less attention on their role in regulation of defense reactions. In the present study, the direct influence of ecdysones, adipokinetic hormone, and biogenic amines on antimicrobial peptide synthesis in isolated fat body cells of Calliphora vicina was studied. According to the results, low concentrations of α- and β-ecdysones and high doses of adipokinetic hormone and octopamine can stimulate the fat body activity in vitro. Thus, these hormones are key mediators of the adaptive syndrome, hormonal activation of endogenic antibiotic synthesis which probably takes place in response to extreme stimuli.     

Physiological actions by hypertrehalosemic hormone and adipokinetic peptides in adult Blaberus discoidalis cockroaches

Members of the adipokinetic hormone/red pigment-concentrating hormone (AKH/RPCH) family characteristically cause metabolite mobilization by the insect fat body. The present study identified several additional physiological actions in adult Blaberus discoidalis cockroaches that were influenced by synthetic Blaberus hypertrehalosemic hormone (HTH) and other AKH/RPCH family peptides. HTH elevated blood carbohydrate by 4-fold and cytochrome heme a + b synthesis of fat body mitochondria by 3-fold. Both carbohydrate and heme synthesis were dose-responsive to HTH. Carbohydrate synthesis was 10 times more sensitive to HTH than heme synthesis. Heme synthesis was also stimulated by Periplaneta cardioacceleratory hormones (CAH)-I and -II and RPCH but not by AKH-I or -II, at the doses tested. HTH showed strong cardioexcitatory activity. Long-term treatment of decapitated female B. discoidalis with juvenile hormone analog (JHA = methoprene) stimulated by 2.6-fold the rate of synthesis of secreted fat body proteins. HTH enhanced the JHA-dependent export protein synthesis by 42% above that observed with JHA alone. SDS-PAGE demonstrated that JHA determined the nature of the newly synthesized polypeptides; HTH enhanced their synthesis rate. Neither AKH-I nor HTH affected protein synthesis when added directly to isolated fat body. These results demonstrate that peptides of the AKH/RPCH family have multiple physiological actions related to fat body energy metabolism.     

Fat body stimulation of ecdysone synthesis in Heliothis zea

Prothoracic glands of Heliothis zea pupae require both a humoral factor and prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) to synthesize ecdysone. The humoral factor is absent when pupae are maintained at diapause-sustaining temperatures. Thus, pupae remain in diapause despite the release of PTTH at or before larval-pupal ecdysis.Tissue implantation experiments revealed that a diapause-terminating factor is present in the fat body of non-diapausing pupae. Other tissue implantation experiments showed that, when diapausing pupae were transferred from 19 to 27°C, diapause-terminating activity appeared first in the fat body and then the fat body into the haemolymph. HPLC separation of the haemolymph and fat body fractions followed by bioassay demonstrated that fractions containing diapause-terminating activity eluted from both tissues within 28–30 min. These results suggest that the factors found in the fat body and haemolymph may be the same compound.Evidence from ecdysone radioimmunoassay experiments ruled out the possibility that the diapauseterminating activity was due to either free or conjugated ecdysteroids. Corresponding in vitro experiments in which the prothoracic glands were cultured with brain extracts versus fat body and haemolymph fractions also indicated that the haemolymph/fat body factor was not PTTH.     

Defensins in the honeybee antiinfectious protection

Specific conditions of the honeybee life honeybee life require the presence of effective mechanisms of antiinfectious protection whose one of the most important components are defensins—the family of antimicrobial peptides. In the honeybee, defensins are present in the form of two different peptides—defensin 1 and 2 that are similar between each other only by 55.8%. Defensin 1 synthesized in salivary glands plays an important role in social immunity, whereas defensin 2 synthesized by cells of fat body and lymph is an important factor in the system of the honeybee individual immunity. Defensins are inducible, are controlled by interaction of Toll and Imd signal pathways and have a large specter of antimicrobial action.