Related Experiment Videos
Immunoreactive cytokines in Mytilus edulis nervous and immune interactions
T K Hughes1, E M Smith, M K Leung
1Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
Acta Biologica Hungarica
|January 1, 1992
Abstract:
We review evidence that an immune and nervous system linkage exists in invertebrates similar to that shown in vertebrates. Immunoreactive cytokines appear to play a role in this interaction. We have demonstrated that M. edulis, a marine bivalve mollusc, reacts to the vertebrate monokines interleukin-1, -6 and TNF. We have also demonstrated endogenous immunoreactive interleukin-1, -6 and tumour necrosis factor in M. edulis hemolymph, immunocytes and pedal ganglia. Our findings suggest an important common signalling mechanism that has been conserved over 500 million years of evolution.