The effect of infection with the entomopathogenic fungus Conidiobolus coronatus (Entomopthorales) on eighteen cytokine-like proteins in Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera) larvae

• Published in: Frontiers in immunology Vol. 15; p. 1385863
• Main Authors: Wrońska, Anna Katarzyna, Kaczmarek, Agata, Sobich, Justyna, Boguś, Mieczysława Irena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 07.05.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Conidiobolus - immunology; Conidiobolus coronatus; cytokines; Cytokines - immunology; Cytokines - metabolism; fungal infection; Galleria mellollella; Hemocytes - immunology; Hemocytes - metabolism; Hemocytes - microbiology; Immunology; Insect Proteins - immunology; Insect Proteins - metabolism; insects hemocytes; Larva - immunology; Larva - microbiology; model in immunological research; Moths - immunology; Moths - microbiology; Zygomycosis - immunology; Zygomycosis - metabolism; Galleria mellollella; insects hemocytes; fungal infection; cytokines; Conidiobolus coronatus; model in immunological research
• ISSN: 1664-3224; 1664-3224
• DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1385863

In response to the replace mammal research models with insects in preliminary immunological studies, interest has grown in invertebrate defense systems. The immunological response is regulated by cytokines; however, while their role in mammals is well understood, little is known of their function in insects. A suitable target for studies into insect immunology is (Lepidoptera), the wax moth: a common host for human fungal and bacterial pathogens. is also a perfect subject for studies into the presence of cytokine-like proteins. The main goal of present research was detection in insect immunocompetent cells the 18 mammalian cytokines (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-3, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-12, IL-13, IL-15, IL-17, IL-19, IFN-γ, TNF-α, TNF-β, GM-CSF, M-CSF, G-CSF), which play important role in immunological response and indication how their level change after fungal infection. The changes of cytokine-like proteins level were detected in hemocytes taken from G larvae infected with entomopathogenic fungus, . The presence of cytokine-proteins was confirmed with using fluorescence microscopy (in cultured hemocytes) and flow cytometry (in freshly collected hemolymph). The ELISA test was used to detect changes in concentration of examined cytokine-like proteins. Our findings indicated the presence of eighteen cytokine-like molecules in hemocytes during infection with . The hemocytes taken from infected larvae demonstrated higher fluorescence intensity for six cytokine-like proteins (GM-CSF, M-CSF, IL-3, IL-15, IL-1β and IL-19) compared to untreated controls. ELISA test indicated significantly higher IL-3 and IL-15. M-CSF, IL-1α and IL-19 concentration in the hemolymph after fungal infection, and significantly lower TNF-β and G-CSF. Our findings confirm that the selected cytokine-like molecules are present in insect hemocytes and that their concentrations change after fungal infection, which might suggest that they play a role in the anti-fungal immunological response.