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Measurement of Metabolic Rate in Drosophila using Respirometry
Published on: June 24, 2014
Regulating metabolism to shape immune function: Lessons from Drosophila
1Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, 22908, United States.
Abstract:
Infection with pathogenic microbes is a severe threat that hosts manage by activating the innate immune response. In Drosophila melanogaster, the Toll and Imd signaling pathways are activated by pathogen-associated molecular patterns to initiate cellular and humoral immune processes that neutralize and kill invaders. The Toll and Imd signaling pathways operate in organs such as fat body and gut that control host nutrient metabolism, and infections or genetic activation of Toll and Imd signaling also induce wide-ranging changes in host lipid, carbohydrate and protein metabolism. Metabolic regulation by immune signaling can confer resistance to or tolerance of infection, but it can also lead to pathology and susceptibility to infection. These immunometabolic phenotypes are described in this review, as are changes in endocrine signaling and gene regulation that mediate survival during infection. Future work in the field is anticipated to determine key variables such as sex, dietary nutrients, life stage, and pathogen characteristics that modify immunometabolic phenotypes and, importantly, to uncover the mechanisms used by the immune system to regulate metabolism.
Insights
The innate immune response in Drosophila melanogaster, involving Toll and Imd pathways, significantly alters host metabolism. Understanding these immunometabolic changes is crucial for host survival during infection.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Metabolism
- Drosophila melanogaster research
Background:
- Pathogenic microbes pose severe threats to hosts, necessitating robust innate immune responses.
- The Toll and Imd signaling pathways in Drosophila are key mediators of cellular and humoral immunity against invaders.
- These immune pathways are intricately linked with host nutrient metabolism in organs like the fat body and gut.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the immunometabolic phenotypes resulting from innate immune activation.
- To explore how metabolic regulation by immune signaling impacts host resistance and susceptibility to infection.
- To discuss endocrine signaling and gene regulation mechanisms involved in host survival during infection.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on innate immunity and metabolism in Drosophila.
- Analysis of how Toll and Imd pathway activation affects lipid, carbohydrate, and protein metabolism.
- Examination of endocrine and gene regulatory changes during infection.
Main Results:
- Innate immune activation via Toll and Imd pathways induces significant metabolic alterations.
- Metabolic regulation by immune signaling can lead to both beneficial resistance/tolerance and detrimental pathology.
- Changes in endocrine signaling and gene regulation are critical for mediating survival.
Conclusions:
- Immunometabolic phenotypes are complex, influencing host-pathogen interactions.
- Future research should focus on factors like sex, diet, and pathogen type in modifying these phenotypes.
- Uncovering the precise mechanisms of immune-mediated metabolic regulation is a key future direction.
