Abstract
BackgroundInsects have an efficient self-defense system that is based on innate immunity. Recent findings have disclosed many parallels between human and insect innate immunity, and simultaneously fine differences in the processes between various species have been revealed. Studies on the immune systems of various insect species may uncover the differences in their host defense strategies.ResultsWe analyzed the proteomes of the hemocytes and fat bodies of Sarcophaga bullata larvae after infection by Escherichia coli. The 2-DE gels of the hemocytes and fat bodies of infected larvae were compared with those of aseptically injured larvae. Our analysis included the construction of protein maps of the hemocyte cells and cells from fat bodies, the identification of the changed proteins, in response to infection, using LC-MS/MS, and the estimation of the trends in expression of these proteins at three time points (30 min, 6 hours and 22 hours) after infection. In total, seven changed spots were found in the hemocytes, and four changed spots were found in the fat bodies. Three types of trends in protein expression were observed. Cofilin and transgelin were undetectable at 30 min after infection but were continuously up-regulated in the induced larvae after 22 hours. A prophenoloxidase isoform and lectin subunit α were slightly up-regulated at 30 min after infection, and their protein levels reached the highest points after 6 hours but decreased after 22 hours. T-Complex subunit α, GST, ferritin-like protein and an anterior fat body protein (regucalcin homologue) were down-regulated at 22 hours after infection.ConclusionsMany proteins identified in our study corresponded to the proteins identified in other insects. Compared to the former studies performed in insects, we presented 2-D protein maps of the hemocytes and fat bodies and showed the trends in expression of the immune-elicited proteins.
Highlights
Insects have an efficient self-defense system that is based on innate immunity
All proteins that were identified from the 2-D protein maps of the S. bullata larvae hemocytes and fat bodies are described in Additional file 1
Seven changed spots were found in the hemocytes, and four changed spots were found in the fat bodies
Summary
Recent findings have disclosed many parallels between human and insect innate immunity, and simultaneously fine differences in the processes between various species have been revealed. Studies on the immune systems of various insect species may uncover the differences in their host defense strategies. One of the reasons that insects prosper on Earth is their efficient selfdefense system, which is based on innate immunity [1]. Many parallels between human and insect innate immunity have been disclosed, and simultaneously fine differences in the processes between various species have been revealed [2,3,4]. Further studies on the immune systems of other insect species, such as Lepidoptera, contributed to our understanding of the processes and uncovered the differences in their host defense strategies [8,9]
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