1
|
Nair T, Weathers BA, Stuhr NL, Nhan JD, Curran SP. Serotonin deficiency from constitutive SKN-1 activation drives pathogen apathy. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.02.10.579755. [PMID: 38405962 PMCID: PMC10888766 DOI: 10.1101/2024.02.10.579755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
When an organism encounters a pathogen, the host innate immune system activates to defend against pathogen colonization and toxic xenobiotics produced. C. elegans employ multiple defense systems to ensure survival when exposed to Pseudomonas aeruginosa including activation of the cytoprotective transcription factor SKN-1/NRF2. Although wildtype C. elegans quickly learn to avoid pathogens, here we describe a peculiar apathy-like behavior towards PA14 in animals with constitutive activation of SKN-1, whereby animals choose not to leave and continue to feed on the pathogen even when a non-pathogenic and healthspan-promoting food option is available. Although lacking the urgency to escape the infectious environment, animals with constitutive SKN-1 activity are not oblivious to the presence of the pathogen and display the typical pathogen-induced intestinal distension and eventual demise. SKN-1 activation, specifically in neurons and intestinal tissues, orchestrates a unique transcriptional program which leads to defects in serotonin signaling that is required from both neurons and non-neuronal tissues. Serotonin depletion from SKN-1 activation limits pathogen defense capacity, drives the pathogen-associated apathy behaviors and induces a synthetic sensitivity to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Taken together, our work reveals new insights into how animals perceive environmental pathogens and subsequently alter behavior and cellular programs to promote survival. KEY POINTS Identify an apathy-like behavioral response for pathogens resulting from the constitutive activation of the cytoprotective transcription factor SKN-1.Uncover the obligate role for serotonin synthesis in both neuronal and non-neuronal cells for the apathy-like state and ability of serotonin treatment to restore normal behaviors.Characterize the timing and tissue specificity of SKN-1 nuclear localization in neurons and intestinal cells in response to pathogen exposure.Define the unique and context-specific transcriptional signatures of animals with constitutive SKN-1 activation when exposed to pathogenic environments.Reveal necessity for both neuronal and non-neuronal serotonin signaling in host survival from pathogen infection.
Collapse
|
2
|
VenkataKrishna LM, Balasubramaniam B, Sushmitha TJ, Ravichandiran V, Balamurugan K. Cronobacter sakazakii infection implicates multifaceted neuro-immune regulatory pathways of Caenorhabditis elegans. Mol Omics 2024; 20:48-63. [PMID: 37818754 DOI: 10.1039/d3mo00167a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
The neural pathways of Caenorhabditis elegans play a crucial role in regulating host immunity and inflammation during pathogenic infections. To understand the major neuro-immune signaling pathways, this study aimed to identify the key regulatory proteins in the host C. elegans during C. sakazakii infection. We used high-throughput label-free quantitative proteomics and identified 69 differentially expressed proteins. KEGG analysis revealed that C. sakazakii elicited host immune signaling cascades primarily including mTOR signaling, axon regeneration, metabolic pathways (let-363 and acox-1.4), calcium signaling (mlck-1), and longevity regulating pathways (ddl-2), respectively. The abrogation in functional loss of mTOR-associated players deciphered that C. sakazakii infection negatively regulated the lifespan of mutant worms (akt-1, let-363 and dlk-1), including physiological aberrations, such as reduced pharyngeal pumping and egg production. Additionally, the candidate pathway proteins were validated by transcriptional profiling of their corresponding genes. Furthermore, immunoblotting showed the downregulation of mTORC2/SGK-1 during the later hours of pathogen exposure. Overall, our findings profoundly provide an understanding of the specificity of proteome imbalance in affecting neuro-immune regulations during C. sakazakii infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - T J Sushmitha
- Department of Biotechnology, Science Campus, Alagappa University, Karaikudi, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - V Ravichandiran
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
Pu L, Wang J, Lu Q, Nilsson L, Philbrook A, Pandey A, Zhao L, Schendel RV, Koh A, Peres TV, Hashi WH, Myint SL, Williams C, Gilthorpe JD, Wai SN, Brown A, Tijsterman M, Sengupta P, Henriksson J, Chen C. Dissecting the genetic landscape of GPCR signaling through phenotypic profiling in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8410. [PMID: 38110404 PMCID: PMC10728192 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44177-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) mediate responses to various extracellular and intracellular cues. However, the large number of GPCR genes and their substantial functional redundancy make it challenging to systematically dissect GPCR functions in vivo. Here, we employ a CRISPR/Cas9-based approach, disrupting 1654 GPCR-encoding genes in 284 strains and mutating 152 neuropeptide-encoding genes in 38 strains in C. elegans. These two mutant libraries enable effective deorphanization of chemoreceptors, and characterization of receptors for neuropeptides in various cellular processes. Mutating a set of closely related GPCRs in a single strain permits the assignment of functions to GPCRs with functional redundancy. Our analyses identify a neuropeptide that interacts with three receptors in hypoxia-evoked locomotory responses, unveil a collection of regulators in pathogen-induced immune responses, and define receptors for the volatile food-related odorants. These results establish our GPCR and neuropeptide mutant libraries as valuable resources for the C. elegans community to expedite studies of GPCR signaling in multiple contexts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Longjun Pu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Jing Wang
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Qiongxuan Lu
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Lars Nilsson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Alison Philbrook
- Department of Biology, MS 008, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Anjali Pandey
- Department of Biology, MS 008, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Lina Zhao
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Robin van Schendel
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Alan Koh
- MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, London, W12 0HS, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Tanara V Peres
- MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, London, W12 0HS, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Weheliye H Hashi
- MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, London, W12 0HS, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Si Lhyam Myint
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Chloe Williams
- Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | | | - Sun Nyunt Wai
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
- The Laboratory for Molecular Infection Medicine Sweden (MIMS), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Andre Brown
- MRC Laboratory of Medical Sciences, London, W12 0HS, UK
- Institute of Clinical Sciences, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Marcel Tijsterman
- Department of Human Genetics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Piali Sengupta
- Department of Biology, MS 008, Brandeis University, 415 South Street, Waltham, MA, 02454, USA
| | - Johan Henriksson
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- Umeå Centre for Microbial Research (UCMR), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- Integrated Science Lab (Icelab), Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| | - Changchun Chen
- Department of Molecular Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- Umeå Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
- Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Liu J, Zhang P, Zheng Z, Afridi MI, Zhang S, Wan Z, Zhang X, Stingelin L, Wang Y, Tu H. GABAergic signaling between enteric neurons and intestinal smooth muscle promotes innate immunity and gut defense in Caenorhabditis elegans. Immunity 2023; 56:1515-1532.e9. [PMID: 37437538 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2023.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2022] [Revised: 03/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
The nervous system is critical for intestinal homeostasis and function, but questions remain regarding its impact on gut immune defense. By screening the major neurotransmitters of C. elegans, we found that γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) deficiency enhanced susceptibility to pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA14 infection. GABAergic signaling between enteric neurons and intestinal smooth muscle promoted gut defense in a PMK-1/p38-dependent, but IIS/DAF-16- and DBL-1/TGF-β-independent, pathway. Transcriptomic profiling revealed that the neuropeptide, FLP-6, acted downstream of enteric GABAergic signaling. Further data determined that FLP-6 was expressed and secreted by intestinal smooth muscle cells and functioned as a paracrine molecule on the intestinal epithelium. FLP-6 suppressed the transcription factors ZIP-10 and KLF-1 that worked in parallel and converged to the PMK-1/p38 pathway in the intestinal epithelia for innate immunity and gut defense. Collectively, these findings uncover an enteric neuron-muscle-epithelium axis that may be evolutionarily conserved in higher organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junqiang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Zhongfan Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Muhammad Irfan Afridi
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Shan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Zhiqing Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Xiumei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Lukas Stingelin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Yirong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China
| | - Haijun Tu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemo/Biosensing and Chemometrics, College of Biology, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, Hunan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Liu Z, Cheng L, Yang B, Cao Z, Sun M, Feng Y, Xu A. Effects of moderate static magnetic fields on the lipogenesis and lipolysis in different genders of Caenorhabditis elegans. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2023; 259:115005. [PMID: 37210995 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2023.115005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
With the rapid development of magnetic technology, the biological effects of moderate static magnetic fields (SMFs) have attracted increasing research interest due to their potential medical diagnosis and treatment application. The present study explored the effects of moderate SMFs on the lipid metabolism of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) in different genders including male, female, and hermaphrodite. We found that the fat content was significantly decreased by moderate SMFs in wild-type N2 worms, which was associated with their development stages. The diameters of lipid droplets in N2 worms, him-5 worms, and fog-2 worms were greatly decreased by 19.23%, 15.38%, and 23.07% at young adult stage under 0.5 T SMF, respectively. The mRNA levels of lipolysis related genes atgl-1 and nhr-76 were significantly up-regulated by SMF exposure, while the mRNA levels of the lipogenesis related genes fat-6, fat-7, and sbp-1 were down-regulated by SMF, whereas the concentration of β-oxidase was increased. There was a slight effect of SMF on the mRNA levels of β-oxidation related genes. Moreover, the insulin and serotonin pathway were regulated by SMF, instead of the TOR pathway. In wild-type worms, we found that their lifespan was prolonged by exposure to 0.5 T SMF. Our data suggested that moderate SMFs could significantly modify the lipogenesis and lipolysis process in C. elegans in a gender and development stage-dependent manner, which could provide a novel insight into understanding the function of moderate SMFs in living organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zicheng Liu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Baolin Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Zhenxiao Cao
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Meng Sun
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - Yu Feng
- Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China
| | - An Xu
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Key Laboratory of High Magnetic Field and Ion Beam Physical Biology, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China; High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, CAS, Hefei, Anhui 230031, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Cheng L, Yang B, Du H, Zhou T, Li Y, Wu J, Cao Z, Xu A. Moderate intensity of static magnetic fields can alter the avoidance behavior and fat storage of Caenorhabditis elegans via serotonin. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:43102-43113. [PMID: 35092591 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-18898-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Man-made static magnetic fields (SMFs) widely exist in human life as a physical environmental factor. However, the biological responses to moderate SMFs exposure and their underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. The present study was focused on exploring the nervous responses to moderate-intensity SMFs at 0.5 T and 1 T in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We found that SMFs at either 0.5 T or 1 T had no statistically significant effects on the locomotor behaviors, while the 1 T magnetic field increased pharyngeal pumping. The avoidance behavior of the pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa was greatly decreased in either 0.5 T or 1 T SMFs exposed nematodes, and the learning index was reducede from 0.52 ± 0.11 to 0.23 ± 0.17 and 0.16 ± 0.11, respectively. The total serotonin level was increased by 17.08% and 16.45% with the treatment of 0.5 T and 1 T SMF, compared to the control group; however, there were minimal effects of SMFs on other three neurotransmitters including choline, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), dopamine. RT-qPCR was used to further investigate the expression of serotonin-related genes, including rate-limiting enzymes, transcription factors and transport receptors. The expression levels of tph-1 and unc-86 genes were increased by SMF exposure, while those of ocr-2, osm-9, ser-1 and mod-1 genes were decreased. With the staining of lipid in either wild-type N2 or tph-1 mutants, we found that 0.5 T and 1 T SMFs decreased fat storage in C. elegans via serotonin pathway. Our study demonstrated that moderate-intensity SMFs induced neurobehavioral disorder and the reduction of fat storage by disturbing the secretion of serotonin in C. elegans, which provided new insights into elucidating nervous responses of C. elegans to moderate-intensity SMFs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lei Cheng
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - Baolin Yang
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - Hua Du
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - Tong Zhou
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - Jiajie Wu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - Zhenxiao Cao
- School of Environmental Science and Optoelectronic Technology, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, Anhui, 230026, PR China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China
| | - An Xu
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Environmental Toxicology and Pollution Control Technology, The Anhui High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, Anhui, 230031, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Rasmussen NR, Reiner DJ. Nuclear translocation of the tagged endogenous MAPK MPK-1 denotes a subset of activation events in C. elegans development. J Cell Sci 2021; 134:272044. [PMID: 34341823 PMCID: PMC8445601 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.258456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs) are mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that are utilized downstream of Ras to Raf to MEK signaling to control activation of a wide array of targets. Activation of ERKs is elevated in Ras-driven tumors and RASopathies, and thus is a target for pharmacological inhibition. Regulatory mechanisms of ERK activation have been studied extensively in vitro and in cultured cells, but little in living animals. In this study, we tagged the Caenorhabditis elegans ERK-encoding gene, mpk-1. MPK-1 is ubiquitously expressed with elevated expression in certain contexts. We detected cytosol-to-nuclear translocation of MPK-1 in maturing oocytes and hence validated nuclear translocation as a reporter of some activation events. During patterning of vulval precursor cells (VPCs), MPK-1 is necessary and sufficient for the central cell, P6.p, to assume the primary fate. Yet MPK-1 translocates to the nuclei of all six VPCs in a temporal and concentration gradient centered on P6.p. This observation contrasts with previous results using the ERK nuclear kinase translocation reporter of substrate activation, raising questions about mechanisms and indicators of MPK-1 activation. This system and reagent promise to provide critical insights into the regulation of MPK-1 activation within a complex intercellular signaling network. Summary: Tagged endogenous C. elegans MPK-1 shows activation-dependent cytosol-to-nuclear translocation. This tool provides novel insights into MPK-1 localization compared with other markers of in vivo ERK activation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neal R Rasmussen
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, 77030, USA
| | - David J Reiner
- Institute of Biosciences and Technology, College of Medicine, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Texas A&M University, Houston, 77030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wibisono P, Sun J. Neuro-immune communication in C. elegans defense against pathogen infection. CURRENT RESEARCH IN IMMUNOLOGY 2021; 2:60-65. [PMID: 34368754 PMCID: PMC8344176 DOI: 10.1016/j.crimmu.2021.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The innate immune system is a complex collection of physical barriers and physiological defense responses to internal and external environmental assaults. Recent studies in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans have highlighted how the nervous system interacts with the innate immune system to generate coordinated protective responses. Indeed, studies on neuro-immune interaction pathways have provided mechanistic insights into the roles of neuro-immune communication in modulating both immune and behavioral responses to pathogen attacks. The nervous system releases a variety of neurotransmitters, peptides, and hormones that regulate the innate immune response, while the innate immune system also relays information to the nervous system to affect learning and behavioral responses. Although these interactions still need further investigation, the knowledge that we have gained thus far has improved our understanding of how separate biological systems can act collectively for the survival and well-being of an organism. Here, we review recent studies on neuro-immune communication related to the survival and defense of C. elegans against pathogens. Neuro-immune communication is essential for generating coordinated defense against pathogen infection to improve host survival. Neuro-immune communication modulates both immune and behavioral responses to pathogen attacks. C.elegans is an excellent model system for studying neuro-immune communication.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Phillip Wibisono
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Jingru Sun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Otarigho B, Aballay A. Immunity-longevity tradeoff neurally controlled by GABAergic transcription factor PITX1/UNC-30. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109187. [PMID: 34038721 PMCID: PMC8227953 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
A body of evidence indicates that metazoan immune and aging pathways are largely interconnected, but the mechanisms involved in their homeostatic control remain unclear. In this study, we find that the PITX (paired-like homeodomain) transcription factor UNC-30 controls the tradeoff between immunity and longevity from the nervous system in Caenorhabditis elegans. PITX/UNC-30 functional loss enhances immunity in a GATA/ELT-2- and p38 MAPK/PMK-1-dependent manner and reduced longevity by activating MXD/MDL-1 and the C2H2-type zinc finger transcription factor PQM-1. The immune inhibitory and longevity stimulatory functions of PITX/UNC-30 require the sensory neuron ASG and a signaling pathway controlled by NPR-1, which is a G protein-coupled receptor related to mammalian neuropeptide Y receptors. Our findings uncover a suppressive role of GABAergic signaling in the neural control of a biological tradeoff where energy is allocated toward immunity at the expense of longevity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Benson Otarigho
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
Although Caenorhabditis elegans has been used as a model host for studying host-pathogen interactions for more than 20 years, the mechanisms by which it identifies pathogens are not well understood. This is largely due to its lack of most known pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize pathogen-derived molecules. Although Caenorhabditis elegans has been used as a model host for studying host-pathogen interactions for more than 20 years, the mechanisms by which it identifies pathogens are not well understood. This is largely due to its lack of most known pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize pathogen-derived molecules. Recent behavioral research in C. elegans indicates that its nervous system plays a major role in microbe sensing. With the increasing integration of neurobiology in immunological research, future studies may find that neuronal detection of pathogens is an integral part of C. elegans-pathogen interactions. Similar to that of mammals, the C. elegans nervous system regulates its immune system to maintain immunological homeostasis. Studies in the nematode have revealed unprecedented details regarding the molecules, cells, and signaling pathways involved in neural regulation of immunity. Notably, some of the studies indicate that some neuroimmune regulatory circuits need not be “activated” by pathogen infection because they are tonically active and that there could be a predetermined set point for internal immunity, around which the nervous system adjusts immune responses to internal or external environmental changes. Here, we review recent progress on the roles of the C. elegans nervous system in pathogen detection and immune regulation. Because of its advantageous characteristics, we expect that the C. elegans model will be critical for deciphering complex neuroimmune signaling mechanisms that integrate and process multiple sensory cues.
Collapse
|
11
|
Kunz N, Kemper C. Complement Has Brains-Do Intracellular Complement and Immunometabolism Cooperate in Tissue Homeostasis and Behavior? Front Immunol 2021; 12:629986. [PMID: 33717157 PMCID: PMC7946832 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.629986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The classical liver-derived and serum-effective complement system is well appreciated as a key mediator of host protection via instruction of innate and adaptive immunity. However, recent studies have discovered an intracellularly active complement system, the complosome, which has emerged as a central regulator of the core metabolic pathways fueling human immune cell activity. Induction of expression of components of the complosome, particularly complement component C3, during transmigration from the circulation into peripheral tissues is a defining characteristic of monocytes and T cells in tissues. Intracellular complement activity is required to induce metabolic reprogramming of immune cells, including increased glycolytic flux and OXPHOS, which drive the production of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IFN-γ. Consequently, reduced complosome activity translates into defects in normal monocyte activation, faulty Th1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte responses and loss of protective tissue immunity. Intriguingly, neurological research has identified an unexpected connection between the physiological presence of innate and adaptive immune cells and certain cytokines, including IFN-γ, in and around the brain and normal brain function. In this opinion piece, we will first review the current state of research regarding complement driven metabolic reprogramming in the context of immune cell tissue entry and residency. We will then discuss how published work on the role of IFN-γ and T cells in the brain support a hypothesis that an evolutionarily conserved cooperation between the complosome, cell metabolism and IFN-γ regulates organismal behavior, as well as immunity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Kunz
- Complement and Inflammation Research Section (CIRS), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Claudia Kemper
- Complement and Inflammation Research Section (CIRS), National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, Bethesda, MD, United States.,Institute for Systemic Inflammation Research, University of Lübeck, Lübeck, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Venkatesh SR, Singh V. G protein-coupled receptors: The choreographers of innate immunity in Caenorhabditis elegans. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1009151. [PMID: 33476324 PMCID: PMC7819600 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Siddharth R. Venkatesh
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
| | - Varsha Singh
- Department of Molecular Reproduction, Development and Genetics, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India
- * E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Yan J, Zhao N, Yang Z, Li Y, Bai H, Zou W, Zhang K, Huang X. A trade-off switch of two immunological memories in Caenorhabditis elegans reinfected by bacterial pathogens. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:17323-17336. [PMID: 33051209 PMCID: PMC7863904 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra120.013923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that innate immune responses exhibit characteristics associated with memory linked to modulations in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the diverse evolutionary paths taken, particularly within the invertebrate taxa, should lead to similarly diverse innate immunity memory processes. Our understanding of innate immune memory in invertebrates primarily comes from studies of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, the generality of which is unclear. Caenorhabditis elegans typically inhabits soil harboring a variety of fatal microbial pathogens; for this invertebrate, the innate immune system and aversive behavior are the major defensive strategies against microbial infection. However, their characteristics of immunological memory remains infantile. Here we discovered an immunological memory that promoted avoidance and suppressed innate immunity during reinfection with bacteria, which we revealed to be specific to the previously exposed pathogens. During this trade-off switch of avoidance and innate immunity, the chemosensory neurons AWB and ADF modulated production of serotonin and dopamine, which in turn decreased expression of the innate immunity-associated genes and led to enhanced avoidance via the downstream insulin-like pathway. Therefore, our current study profiles the immune memories during C. elegans reinfected by pathogenic bacteria and further reveals that the chemosensory neurons, the neurotransmitter(s), and their associated molecular signaling pathways are responsible for a trade-off switch between the two immunological memories.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jinyuan Yan
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China; Center Laboratory of the Second Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Ninghui Zhao
- Neurosurgery of the Second Hospital, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Zhongshan Yang
- Faculty of Basic Medicine, Yunnan University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Yuhong Li
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Hua Bai
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China; School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Wei Zou
- School of Public Health, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Keqin Zhang
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China
| | - Xiaowei Huang
- State Key Lab for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources, Yunnan University, Kunming, Yunnan, China.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
How Bacteria Impact Host Nervous System and Behaviors: Lessons from Flies and Worms. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:998-1010. [PMID: 33051027 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Behavior is the neuronally controlled, voluntary or involuntary response of an organism to its environment. An increasing body of evidence indicates that microbes, which live closely associated with animals or in their immediate surroundings, significantly influence animals' behavior. The extreme complexity of the nervous system of animals, combined with the extraordinary microbial diversity, are two major obstacles to understand, at the molecular level, how microbes modulate animal behavior. In this review, we discuss recent advances in dissecting the impact that bacteria have on the nervous system of two genetically tractable invertebrate models, Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans.
Collapse
|
15
|
Liu X, Jiang L, Li L, Yu H, Nie S, Xie M, Gong J. The Role of Neurotransmitters in the Protection of Caenorhabditis Elegans for Salmonella Infection by Lactobacillus. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:554052. [PMID: 33134188 PMCID: PMC7550654 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.554052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Salmonellosis is a common foodborne disease. We previously reported the protection of Caenorhabditis elegans from Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 infection by Lactobacillus zeae LB1. However, the mechanism is not fully understood. C. elegans exhibits behavior plasticity when presented with diverse pathogenic or commensal bacteria. Whether it can exert approach avoidance to S. Typhimurium through altering its neurological activity remains to be determined. In the current study, both the wild type and mutants defective in serotonin or dopamine production of C. elegans were used to investigate olfactory preference of the nematode to L. zeae LB1, DT104, and Escherichia coli OP50 by choice assays, and its resistance to DT104 infection and the protection offered by L. zeae LB1 using a life-span assay. The expression of target genes in C. elegans was also examined by real-time quantitative PCR. Results showed that pre-exposure to L. zeae LB1 did not elicit aversive olfactory behavior of the nematode toward DT104. Both mutants tph-1 and cat-2 succumbed faster than the wild type when infected with DT104. While pre-exposure to L. zeae LB1 significantly increased the survival of both the wild type and mutant tph-1, it provided no protection to mutant cat-2. Supplementation of dopamine resulted in both the resistance of mutant cat-2 to S. Typhimurium infection and the protection from L. zeae LB1 to the same mutant. Gene expression data also supported the observations in the life-span assay. These results suggest that both serotonin and dopamine play a positive role in the host defense of C. elegans to S. Typhimurium infection and that the L. zeae LB1 protection is not dependent on modifying olfactory preference of the nematode but mediated by dopamine that may have involved the regulation of p38-mitogen-activated protein kinase and insulin/insulin-like growth factor signaling pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaozhen Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Health Food Design & Nutrition Regulation, School of Chemical Engineering and Energy Technology, Dongguan University of Technology, Dongguan, China.,Guelph Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.,State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Leming Jiang
- Guelph Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.,State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Linyan Li
- Guelph Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada.,State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Hai Yu
- Guelph Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Shaoping Nie
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Mingyong Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Technology, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China.,National R&D Center for Freshwater Fish Processing, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, China
| | - Joshua Gong
- Guelph Research and Development Center, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Guelph, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Prahlad V. The discovery and consequences of the central role of the nervous system in the control of protein homeostasis. J Neurogenet 2020; 34:489-499. [PMID: 32527175 PMCID: PMC7736053 DOI: 10.1080/01677063.2020.1771333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Organisms function despite wide fluctuations in their environment through the maintenance of homeostasis. At the cellular level, the maintenance of proteins as functional entities at target expression levels is called protein homeostasis (or proteostasis). Cells implement proteostasis through universal and conserved quality control mechanisms that surveil and monitor protein conformation. Recent studies that exploit the powerful ability to genetically manipulate specific neurons in C. elegans have shown that cells within this metazoan lose their autonomy over this fundamental survival mechanism. These studies have uncovered novel roles for the nervous system in controlling how and when cells activate their protein quality control mechanisms. Here we discuss the conceptual underpinnings, experimental evidence and the possible consequences of such a control mechanism. PRELUDE: Whether the detailed examination of parts of the nervous system and their selective perturbation is sufficient to reconstruct how the brain generates behavior, mental disease, music and religion remains an open question. Yet, Sydney Brenner's development of C. elegans as an experimental organism and his faith in the bold reductionist approach that 'the understanding of wild-type behavior comes best after the discovery and analysis of mutations that alter it', has led to discoveries of unexpected roles for neurons in the biology of organisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Veena Prahlad
- Department of Biology, Aging Mind and Brain Initiative, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
- Iowa Neuroscience Institute, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Dierking K, Pita L. Receptors Mediating Host-Microbiota Communication in the Metaorganism: The Invertebrate Perspective. Front Immunol 2020; 11:1251. [PMID: 32612612 PMCID: PMC7308585 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2020.01251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Multicellular organisms live in close association with a plethora of microorganism, which have a profound effect on multiple host functions. As such, the microbiota and its host form an intimate functional entity, termed the metaorganism or holobiont. But how does the metaorganism communicate? Which receptors recognize microbial signals, mediate the effect of the microbiota on host physiology or regulate microbiota composition and homeostasis? In this review we provide an overview on the function of different receptor classes in animal host-microbiota communication. We put a special focus on invertebrate hosts, including both traditional invertebrate models such as Drosophila melanogaster and Caenorhabditis elegans and “non-model” invertebrates in microbiota research. Finally, we highlight the potential of invertebrate systems in studying mechanism of host-microbiota interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katja Dierking
- Department of Evolutionary Ecology and Genetics, Zoological Institute, Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Lucía Pita
- RD3 Marine Symbioses, GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research, Kiel, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Flynn SM, Chen C, Artan M, Barratt S, Crisp A, Nelson GM, Peak-Chew SY, Begum F, Skehel M, de Bono M. MALT-1 mediates IL-17 neural signaling to regulate C. elegans behavior, immunity and longevity. Nat Commun 2020; 11:2099. [PMID: 32350248 PMCID: PMC7190641 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15872-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Besides pro-inflammatory roles, the ancient cytokine interleukin-17 (IL-17) modulates neural circuit function. We investigate IL-17 signaling in neurons, and the extent it can alter organismal phenotypes. We combine immunoprecipitation and mass spectrometry to biochemically characterize endogenous signaling complexes that function downstream of IL-17 receptors in C. elegans neurons. We identify the paracaspase MALT-1 as a critical output of the pathway. MALT1 mediates signaling from many immune receptors in mammals, but was not previously implicated in IL-17 signaling or nervous system function. C. elegans MALT-1 forms a complex with homologs of Act1 and IRAK and appears to function both as a scaffold and a protease. MALT-1 is expressed broadly in the C. elegans nervous system, and neuronal IL-17-MALT-1 signaling regulates multiple phenotypes, including escape behavior, associative learning, immunity and longevity. Our data suggest MALT1 has an ancient role modulating neural circuit function downstream of IL-17 to remodel physiology and behavior.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sean M Flynn
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Changchun Chen
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
- Umeå Center for Molecular Medicine, Wallenberg Center for Molecular Medicine, Umeå University, SE-901 87, Umeå, Sweden
| | - Murat Artan
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen Barratt
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Alastair Crisp
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Geoffrey M Nelson
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Sew-Yeu Peak-Chew
- Biological Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Farida Begum
- Biological Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Skehel
- Biological Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom
| | - Mario de Bono
- Cell Biology Division, Medical Research Council Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, CB2 0QH, United Kingdom.
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria), Am Campus 1, 3400, Klosterneuburg, Austria.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Sellegounder D, Liu Y, Wibisono P, Chen CH, Leap D, Sun J. Neuronal GPCR NPR-8 regulates C. elegans defense against pathogen infection. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2019; 5:eaaw4717. [PMID: 31799388 PMCID: PMC6867885 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aaw4717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2018] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Increasing evidence indicates that infection-triggered host defenses are regulated by the nervous system. However, the precise mechanisms of this regulation are not well understood. Here, we demonstrate that neuronal G protein-coupled receptor NPR-8 negatively regulates Caenorhabditis elegans defense against pathogen infection by suppressing cuticular collagen expression. NPR-8 controls the dynamics of cuticle structure in response to infection, likely through its regulation of cuticular collagen genes which, in turn, affects the nematode's defense. We further show that the defense activity of NPR-8 is confined to amphid sensory neurons AWB, ASJ, and AWC. It is generally believed that physical barrier defenses are not a response to infections but are part of the body's basic innate defense against pathogens. Our results challenge this view by showing not only that C. elegans cuticle structure dynamically changes in response to infection but also that the cuticle barrier defense is regulated by the nervous system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Durai Sellegounder
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Yiyong Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
- Genomics Core, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Phillip Wibisono
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Chia-Hui Chen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - David Leap
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| | - Jingru Sun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, WA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hoffman C, Aballay A. Role of neurons in the control of immune defense. Curr Opin Immunol 2019; 60:30-36. [PMID: 31117013 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2019.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2019] [Revised: 04/11/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Studies in recent years have strengthened the notion that neural mechanisms are involved in the control of immune responses. From initial studies that highlighted the vagus nerve control of inflammatory responses in vertebrates, many advances have been made, including the dissection of specific neural circuits that are involved in controlling immunity. Part of this has been facilitated by the use of a tractable model animal, Caenorhabditis elegans, in which individual neurons involved in sensing pathogens and controlling the immune response have been identified. Importantly, some of the underlying mechanisms involved in the neural control of immune pathways appear to be present in evolutionarily diverse species. This review focuses on some major developments in vertebrates and C. elegans, and how these discoveries may lead to advances in understanding neural-immune connections that govern inflammatory responses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Casandra Hoffman
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, 6351 Richard Jones Hall, Mail Code: L220, Portland, OR 97239, United States
| | - Alejandro Aballay
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Oregon Health and Science University, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, 6351 Richard Jones Hall, Mail Code: L220, Portland, OR 97239, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Anderson A, McMullan R. Neuronal and non-neuronal signals regulate Caernorhabditis elegans avoidance of contaminated food. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 373:rstb.2017.0255. [PMID: 29866922 PMCID: PMC6000145 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2017.0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
One way in which animals minimize the risk of infection is to reduce their contact with contaminated food. Here, we establish a model of pathogen-contaminated food avoidance using the nematode worm Caernorhabditis elegans. We find that avoidance of pathogen-contaminated food protects C. elegans from the deleterious effects of infection and, using genetic approaches, demonstrate that multiple sensory neurons are required for this avoidance behaviour. In addition, our results reveal that the avoidance of contaminated food requires bacterial adherence to non-neuronal cells in the tail of C. elegans that are also required for the cellular immune response. Previous studies in C. elegans have contributed significantly to our understanding of molecular and cellular basis of host–pathogen interactions and our model provides a unique opportunity to gain basic insights into how animals avoid contaminated food. This article is part of the Theo Murphy meeting issue ‘Evolution of pathogen and parasite avoidance behaviours’.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra Anderson
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Rachel McMullan
- School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, The Open University, Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire MK7 2AA, UK
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Liu P, Shao H, Ding X, Yang R, Rui Q, Wang D. Dysregulation of Neuronal Gαo Signaling by Graphene Oxide in Nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Sci Rep 2019; 9:6026. [PMID: 30988375 PMCID: PMC6465305 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-42603-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 03/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to graphene oxide (GO) induced some dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs), such as the increase in mir-247, in nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. We here further identified goa-1 encoding a Gαo and pkc-1 encoding a serine/threonine protein kinase as the targets of neuronal mir-247 in the regulation of GO toxicity. GO exposure increased the expressions of both GOA-1 and PKC-1. Mutation of goa-1 or pkc-1 induced a susceptibility to GO toxicity, and suppressed the resistance of mir-247 mutant to GO toxicity. GOA-1 and PKC-1 could also act in the neurons to regulate the GO toxicity, and neuronal overexpression of mir-247 could not affect the resistance of nematodes overexpressing neuronal goa-1 or pkc-1 lacking 3'-UTR to GO toxicity. In the neurons, GOA-1 acted upstream of diacylglycerol kinase/DGK-1 and PKC-1 to regulate the GO toxicity. Moreover, DGK-1 and GOA-1 functioned synergistically in the regulation of GO toxicity. Our results highlight the crucial role of neuronal Gαo signaling in response to GO in nematodes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peidang Liu
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Huimin Shao
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Xuecheng Ding
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.,College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Ruilong Yang
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.,College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Qi Rui
- College of Life Sciences, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Dayong Wang
- Medical School, Southeast University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kutyrev IA, Franke F, Kurtz J, Scharsack JP. In vitro effects of the neuroactive substances serotonin and γ-aminobutyric acid on leucocytes from sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2019; 87:286-296. [PMID: 30664930 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2019.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
The majority of parasites have evolved strategies to evade the immune responses of their hosts. Neuroactive substances produced by cestodes are possible candidate molecules for regulating host immune responses. The neurons of helminths can synthesize a wide range of molecules that are identical to the ones functioning in their host organisms, and host lymphocytes have receptors for these neuroactive substances. We hypothesized that in teleost fish, antihelminthic immune responses are regulated via 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, or serotonin) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In the present study, we investigated the in vitro influence of serotonin, GABA and Schistocephalus solidus (helminth) antigens on basic characteristics of the three-spined stickleback Schistocephalus solidus cellular immune response. Head kidney leucocytes (HKLs) were analysed by flow cytometry for cell viability and the frequency of leucocyte subsets (the granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio) and by a chemiluminescence assay for the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In short-term (2-h) HKL cultures, 5-HT did not change the total numbers of live HKLs, but the production of ROS decreased significantly with all 5-HT concentrations. In long-term (96-h) cultures, high 5-HT concentrations induced a decrease in leucocyte viability. This coincided with elevated ROS production in cultures with all 5-HT concentrations. In short-term (2-h) HKL cultures, GABA did not change the total numbers of live HKLs, but the production of ROS decreased significantly with high (100 nmol L-1) GABA concentrations. In long-term (96-h) cultures, high and medium concentrations of GABA (100 nmol L-1 and 10 nmol L-1) elevated the numbers of live HKLs compared to controls. The granulocyte-to-lymphocyte ratios generally increased upon exposure to GABA at all concentrations. All concentrations of GABA alone elevated the ROS production of HKLs compared to controls. In the present work, we showed that the neuroactive substances serotonin and GABA regulate the teleost immune system. Our study supports the hypothesis that these substances might be immunomodulators in tapeworm-fish parasite-host interactions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan A Kutyrev
- Institute of General and Experimental Biology, Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Sakhyanovoi st. 6, 670047, Ulan-Ude, Russian Federation; Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, 48149, Münster, Germany.
| | - Frederik Franke
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Joachim Kurtz
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, 48149, Münster, Germany
| | - Jörn P Scharsack
- Institute for Evolution and Biodiversity, Animal Evolutionary Ecology, University of Münster, Hüfferstr. 1, 48149, Münster, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Identification of a Conserved, Orphan G Protein-Coupled Receptor Required for Efficient Pathogen Clearance in Caenorhabditis elegans. Infect Immun 2019; 87:IAI.00034-19. [PMID: 30692178 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00034-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 01/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors contribute to host defense across the animal kingdom, transducing many signals involved in both vertebrate and invertebrate immune responses. While it has become well established that the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans triggers innate immune responses following infection with numerous bacterial, fungal, and viral pathogens, the mechanisms by which C. elegans recognizes these pathogens have remained somewhat more elusive. C. elegans G protein-coupled receptors have been implicated in recognizing pathogen-associated damage and activating downstream host immune responses. Here we identify and characterize a novel G protein-coupled receptor required to regulate the C. elegans response to infection with Microbacterium nematophilum We show that this receptor, which we designate pathogen clearance-defective receptor 1 (PCDR-1), is required for efficient pathogen clearance following infection. PCDR-1 acts upstream of multiple G proteins, including the C. elegans Gαq ortholog, EGL-30, in rectal epithelial cells to promote pathogen clearance via a novel mechanism.
Collapse
|
25
|
Abstract
Insufficient or excessive immune responses to pathogen infection are major causes of disease. Increasing evidence indicates that the nervous system regulates the immune system to help maintain immunological homeostasis. However, the precise mechanisms of this regulation are largely unknown. Here we show the existence of an octopaminergic immunoinhibitory pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans. Our study results indicate that this pathway is tonically active under normal conditions to maintain immunological homeostasis or suppress unwanted innate immune responses but downregulated upon pathogen infection to allow enhanced innate immunity. As excessive innate immune responses have been linked to human health conditions such as Crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and Alzheimer's disease, elucidating octopaminergic neural regulation of innate immunity could be helpful in the development of new treatments for innate immune diseases. Upon pathogen infection, the nervous system regulates innate immunity to confer coordinated protection to the host. However, the precise mechanisms of such regulation remain unclear. Previous studies have demonstrated that OCTR-1, a putative G protein-coupled receptor for catecholamine, functions in the sensory neurons designated “ASH” to suppress innate immune responses in Caenorhabditis elegans. It is unknown what molecules act as OCTR-1 ligands in the neural immune regulatory circuit. Here we identify neurotransmitter octopamine (OA) as an endogenous ligand for OCTR-1 in immune regulation and show that the OA-producing RIC neurons function in the OCTR-1 neural circuit to suppress innate immunity. RIC neurons are deactivated in the presence of pathogens but transiently activated by nonpathogenic bacteria. Our data support a model whereby an octopaminergic immunoinhibitory pathway is tonically active under normal conditions to maintain immunological homeostasis or suppress unwanted innate immune responses but downregulated upon pathogen infection to allow enhanced innate immunity. As excessive innate immune responses have been linked to a myriad of human health concerns, our study could potentially benefit the development of more-effective treatments for innate immune disorders.
Collapse
|
26
|
Gracida X, Dion MF, Harris G, Zhang Y, Calarco JA. An Elongin-Cullin-SOCS Box Complex Regulates Stress-Induced Serotonergic Neuromodulation. Cell Rep 2017; 21:3089-3101. [PMID: 29241538 PMCID: PMC6283282 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2017.11.042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2017] [Revised: 09/15/2017] [Accepted: 11/11/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuromodulatory cells transduce environmental information into long-lasting behavioral responses. However, the mechanisms governing how neuronal cells influence behavioral plasticity are difficult to characterize. Here, we adapted the translating ribosome affinity purification (TRAP) approach in C. elegans to profile ribosome-associated mRNAs from three major tissues and the neuromodulatory dopaminergic and serotonergic cells. We identified elc-2, an Elongin C ortholog, specifically expressed in stress-sensing amphid neuron dual ciliated sensory ending (ADF) serotonergic sensory neurons, and we found that it plays a role in mediating a long-lasting change in serotonin-dependent feeding behavior induced by heat stress. We demonstrate that ELC-2 and the von Hippel-Lindau protein VHL-1, components of an Elongin-Cullin-SOCS box (ECS) E3 ubiquitin ligase, modulate this behavior after experiencing stress. Also, heat stress induces a transient redistribution of ELC-2, becoming more nuclearly enriched. Together, our results demonstrate dynamic regulation of an E3 ligase and a role for an ECS complex in neuromodulation and control of lasting behavioral states.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xicotencatl Gracida
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Michael F Dion
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Gareth Harris
- Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Yun Zhang
- Department of Organismal and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Brain Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.
| | - John A Calarco
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Department of Cell and Systems Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Han Z, Boas S, Schroeder NE. Serotonin Regulates the Feeding and Reproductive Behaviors of Pratylenchus penetrans. PHYTOPATHOLOGY 2017; 107:872-877. [PMID: 28398877 PMCID: PMC6525625 DOI: 10.1094/phyto-11-16-0397-r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The success of all plant-parasitic nematodes is dependent on the completion of several complex behaviors. The lesion nematode Pratylenchus penetrans is an economically important parasite of a diverse range of plant hosts. Unlike the cyst and root-knot nematodes, P. penetrans moves both within and outside of the host roots and can feed from both locations. Adult females of P. penetrans require insemination by actively moving males for reproduction and can lay eggs both within and outside of the host roots. We do not have a complete understanding of the molecular basis for these behaviors. One candidate modulator of these behaviors is the neurotransmitter serotonin. Previous research demonstrated an effect of exogenously applied serotonin on the feeding and male mating behaviors of cyst and root-knot nematodes. However, there are no data on the role of exogenous serotonin on lesion nematodes. Similarly, there are no data on the presence and function of endogenous serotonin in any plant-parasitic nematode. Here, we establish that exogenous serotonin applied to P. penetrans regulates both feeding and sex-specific behaviors. Furthermore, using immunohistochemistry and pharmacological assays, our data suggest that P. penetrans utilizes endogenous serotonin to regulate both feeding and sex-specific behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ziduan Han
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana 61801
| | - Stephanie Boas
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana 61801
| | - Nathan E Schroeder
- Department of Crop Sciences, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana 61801
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Liu Y, Sun J. G protein-coupled receptors mediate neural regulation of innate immune responses in caenorhabditis elegans. RECEPTORS & CLINICAL INVESTIGATION 2017; 4:e1543. [PMID: 30386810 PMCID: PMC6206870 DOI: 10.14800/rci.1543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are a large family of transmembrane proteins that perceive many extracellular signals and transduce them into cellular physiological responses. GPCRs regulate immunity in both vertebrates and invertebrates. However, the mechanisms responsible for such regulation are not fully understood. Recent research using the genetically tractable model organism Caenorhabditis elegans has led to the identification of specific GPCRs, neurotransmitters, neurons and non-neural cells in the regulation of innate immunity. Several neural circuits have been demonstrated to function in GPCR-dependent immuno-regulatory pathways. Besides being essential in neural-immune interactions, GPCRs also regulate innate immune response in non-neural tissues cell-autonomously through mechanisms independent of neural circuits. Here we review GPCR-mediated neural control of innate immunity in C. elegans and briefly discuss GPCR-dependent immune regulation via non-neural mechanisms.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yiyong Liu
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington, 99202, USA
| | - Jingru Sun
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington, 99202, USA
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Lee KS, Iwanir S, Kopito RB, Scholz M, Calarco JA, Biron D, Levine E. Serotonin-dependent kinetics of feeding bursts underlie a graded response to food availability in C. elegans. Nat Commun 2017; 8:14221. [PMID: 28145493 PMCID: PMC5296638 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2016] [Accepted: 12/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Animals integrate physiological and environmental signals to modulate their food uptake. The nematode C. elegans, whose food uptake consists of pumping bacteria from the environment into the gut, provides excellent opportunities for discovering principles of conserved regulatory mechanisms. Here we show that worms implement a graded feeding response to the concentration of environmental bacteria by modulating a commitment to bursts of fast pumping. Using long-term, high-resolution, longitudinal recordings of feeding dynamics under defined conditions, we find that the frequency and duration of pumping bursts increase and the duration of long pauses diminishes in environments richer in bacteria. The bioamine serotonin is required for food-dependent induction of bursts as well as for maintaining their high rate of pumping through two distinct mechanisms. We identify the differential roles of distinct families of serotonin receptors in this process and propose that regulation of bursts is a conserved mechanism of behaviour and motor control.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kyung Suk Lee
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Shachar Iwanir
- Department of Physics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Ronen B. Kopito
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - Monika Scholz
- Department of Physics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - John A. Calarco
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| | - David Biron
- Department of Physics and the James Franck Institute, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
- The Institute for Biophysical Dynamics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
| | - Erel Levine
- Department of Physics, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
- FAS Center for Systems Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Gupta A, Singh V. GPCR Signaling in C. elegans and Its Implications in Immune Response. Adv Immunol 2017; 136:203-226. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.ai.2017.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
|
31
|
Gravato-Nobre MJ, Vaz F, Filipe S, Chalmers R, Hodgkin J. The Invertebrate Lysozyme Effector ILYS-3 Is Systemically Activated in Response to Danger Signals and Confers Antimicrobial Protection in C. elegans. PLoS Pathog 2016; 12:e1005826. [PMID: 27525822 PMCID: PMC4985157 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the relative contributions and importance of antibacterial effectors in the nematode C. elegans, despite extensive work on the innate immune responses in this organism. We report an investigation of the expression, function and regulation of the six ilys (invertebrate-type lysozyme) genes of C. elegans. These genes exhibited a surprising variety of tissue-specific expression patterns and responses to starvation or bacterial infection. The most strongly expressed, ilys-3, was investigated in detail. ILYS-3 protein was expressed constitutively in the pharynx and coelomocytes, and dynamically in the intestine. Analysis of mutants showed that ILYS-3 was required for pharyngeal grinding (disruption of bacterial cells) during normal growth and consequently it contributes to longevity, as well as being protective against bacterial pathogens. Both starvation and challenge with Gram-positive pathogens resulted in ERK-MAPK-dependent up-regulation of ilys-3 in the intestine. The intestinal induction by pathogens, but not starvation, was found to be dependent on MPK-1 activity in the pharynx rather than in the intestine, demonstrating unexpected communication between these two tissues. The coelomocyte expression appeared to contribute little to normal growth or immunity. Recombinant ILYS-3 protein was found to exhibit appropriate lytic activity against Gram-positive cell wall material. Innate immune defenses against bacterial pathogenesis depend on the activation of antibacterial factors. We examined the expression and relative importance of a gene family encoding six invertebrate-type lysozymes in the much-studied nematode C. elegans. The ilys genes exhibit distinct patterns of tissue-specific expression and response to pathogenic challenge and/or starvation. The most abundantly expressed, ilys-3, exhibits constitutive pharyngeal expression, which we show is essential for efficient disruption of bacteria under non-pathogenic growth conditions, and consequently it contributes to normal longevity. ilys-3 is also strongly up-regulated in intestinal cells after starvation or exposure to Gram-positive pathogens such as Microbacterium nematophilum and acts as a ‘slow-effector’ in limiting pathogenic damage from intestinal infections. We show that this induction by pathogens depends on the action of an ERK-MAPK cascade, which acts in pharyngeal rather than intestinal cells; this implies communication between pharynx and intestine. Tagged ILYS-3 protein was detected mainly in recycling endosomes of intestinal cells and in the intestinal lumen after starvation. ILYS-3 was also expressed in coelomocytes (scavenger cells) but we found that these cells make little or no contribution to defense. We examined the enzymatic properties of recombinant ILYS-3 protein, finding that it has lytic activity against M. nematophilum cell-walls.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Filipa Vaz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sergio Filipe
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ronald Chalmers
- Laboratory of Bacterial Cell Surfaces and Pathogenesis, Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica and Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Jonathan Hodgkin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
GPCRs in invertebrate innate immunity. Biochem Pharmacol 2016; 114:82-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2016.05.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
|
33
|
Joshi KK, Matlack TL, Rongo C. Dopamine signaling promotes the xenobiotic stress response and protein homeostasis. EMBO J 2016; 35:1885-901. [PMID: 27261197 DOI: 10.15252/embj.201592524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2015] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Multicellular organisms encounter environmental conditions that adversely affect protein homeostasis (proteostasis), including extreme temperatures, toxins, and pathogens. It is unclear how they use sensory signaling to detect adverse conditions and then activate stress response pathways so as to offset potential damage. Here, we show that dopaminergic mechanosensory neurons in C. elegans release the neurohormone dopamine to promote proteostasis in epithelia. Signaling through the DA receptor DOP-1 activates the expression of xenobiotic stress response genes involved in pathogenic resistance and toxin removal, and these genes are required for the removal of unstable proteins in epithelia. Exposure to a bacterial pathogen (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) results in elevated removal of unstable proteins in epithelia, and this enhancement requires DA signaling. In the absence of DA signaling, nematodes show increased sensitivity to pathogenic bacteria and heat-shock stress. Our results suggest that dopaminergic sensory neurons, in addition to slowing down locomotion upon sensing a potential bacterial feeding source, also signal to frontline epithelia to activate the xenobiotic stress response so as to maintain proteostasis and prepare for possible infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kishore K Joshi
- Department of Genetics, The Waksman Institute Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Tarmie L Matlack
- Department of Genetics, The Waksman Institute Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Christopher Rongo
- Department of Genetics, The Waksman Institute Rutgers The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
Local and long-range activation of innate immunity by infection and damage in C. elegans. Curr Opin Immunol 2015; 38:1-7. [PMID: 26517153 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2015.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/30/2015] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans lends itself naturally to investigation of innate immunity, from the scale of molecules to the whole animal. Numerous studies have begun to reveal the complex interplay of signalling mechanisms that underlie host defence in C. elegans. We discuss here research that illustrates the connection between cell and tissue-level homeostatic mechanisms and the activation of innate immune signalling pathways. These are woven together to provide a comprehensive organismal protection against perceived threats.
Collapse
|
35
|
Anderson A, McMullan R. From head to tail it's a 2 way street for neuro-immune communication. WORM 2014; 3:e959425. [PMID: 26430547 PMCID: PMC4588538 DOI: 10.4161/21624046.2014.959425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2014] [Revised: 06/03/2014] [Accepted: 06/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Animals need to be able to rapidly and effectively respond to changes in their external and internal environment. To achieve this the nervous and immune systems need to coordinate their responses, integrating multiple cues including presence of potential pathogens, and availability of food. In our recent study (1) we demonstrate that signaling by sensory neurons in the head using the classical neurotransmitter serotonin can negatively regulate the rectal epithelial immune response upon infection of C. elegans with the naturally occurring bacterial pathogen Microbacterium nematophilum (M. nematophilum). The complicated nature of the mammalian brain and immune system has made it difficult to identify the molecular mechanisms mediating these interactions. With its simple, well described, nervous system and a rapidly growing understanding of its immune system, C. elegans has emerged as an excellent model to study the mechanisms by which animals recognize pathogens and coordinate behavioral and cellular immune responses to infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- A Anderson
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; South Kensington Campus ; London, UK
| | - R McMullan
- Department of Life Sciences; Imperial College London; South Kensington Campus ; London, UK
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Anderson A, McMullan R. From head to tail it's a two way street for neuro-immune communication. WORM 2014. [DOI: 10.4161/worm.29735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
|