Characterization of the serosal cells surrounding Cotesia kariyai larvae and their role in host immunosuppression

Abstract

About half of the serosal cells (Scs) of Cotesia kariyai (Ck) eggs are released as teratocytes into the host body cavity after hatching, and another half remain attached to the larval epidermis until the 1st instar larvae of Ck ecdysis to 2nd instars. To investigate the role of the serosal cells surrounding Ck 1st instar larvae (1st Scs) in immune avoidance, Ck 1st instar larvae with and without Scs removed using dispase were transplanted into Mythimna separata larvae (MsLrv), respectively. As a result, Ck 1st instar larvae surrounded by Scs were less susceptible to the MsL encapsulation than Ck 1st instar larvae without the Scs, suggesting that the Scs are involved in suppressing the encapsulation of the MsL. Furthermore, when the granular cells and plasmatocytes of the MsL involved in the encapsulation were incubated in a medium supplemented with proteins extracted from 1st Scs, the plasmatocytes failed to adhere to glass slides, and did not spread their filopodium and lamellipodium. These findings suggest that 1st Scs express proteins that inhibit filopodium and lamellipodium spreading to prevent the MsL plasmatocytes from adhering to Ck larvae.