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Published on: November 26, 2018
Plasmatocyte-spreading peptide influences hemocyte behavior via eicosanoids.
Koigoora Srikanth1, Junga Park, David W Stanley
1Department of Bioresource Sciences, Andong National University, Andong, Republic of Korea.
Plasmatocyte-spreading peptide (PSP) triggers insect immune responses by stimulating prostaglandin (PG) production. This research confirms PSP acts through PGs to mediate hemocyte spreading for effective microbial clearance.
Area of Science:
- Insect immunology
- Cellular immunity
- Molecular signaling
Background:
- Hemocyte spreading is crucial for cellular immune responses like nodulation, clearing microbes.
- Plasmatocyte-spreading peptide (PSP) is an insect cytokine mediating plasmatocyte spreading and attachment.
- Prostaglandins (PGs) also mediate plasmatocyte spreading, but PSP-PG pathway interactions are unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if Plasmatocyte-spreading peptide (PSP) acts via prostaglandin (PG) biosynthesis in beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua).
Main Methods:
- Stimulation of plasmatocyte spreading (PS) with PSP and PGE(2).
- Inhibition of PG biosynthesis and assessment of PS.
- RNA interference (RNAi) targeting proPSP gene.
- Rescue experiments with PSP and arachidonic acid (AA).
Main Results:
- PSP and PGE(2) independently induced Ca(++)-dependent PS.
- PG biosynthesis inhibitors blocked PS, which was reversible.
- Silencing proPSP blocked PS; rescue achieved with PSP and AA.
- PSP-stimulated PS was impaired by PG inhibitors but rescued by AA.
Conclusions:
- PSP acts via a plasmatocyte-surface receptor to stimulate PG biosynthesis.
- Prostaglandins are the key mediators of PSP-induced plasmatocyte spreading.
- This pathway is essential for cellular immune responses in insects.
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