Transgenerational Immune Priming in Insects: Molecular Mechanisms and Future Directions

The prevailing view has always been that insects only have innate immune defenses and do not have acquired immune defenses. However, recent studies have shown that some insects exhibit immune priming, which means they can initiate an effective immune response upon secondary pathogen infection, thereby protecting themselves from reinfection. Interestingly, this immune protection effect can not only be generated in the parent generation but also be transmitted to the offspring, thus protecting the offspring from the same pathogen infection. This phenomenon is known as transgenerational immune priming (TGIP). However, research on TGIP in insects is still in its infancy, and many unknown questions do not have perfect answers. In this review, we will systematically review the factors that induce TGIP in insects, analyze the molecular mechanisms that induce TGIP, and ultimately expect to provide theoretical support and development directions for the study of TGIP in insects.