<i>Galleria mellonella</i> (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Hemocytes Release Extracellular Traps That Confer Protection Against Bacterial Infection in the Hemocoel

Chen, Robin Y; Keddie, B. A.

doi:10.1093/jisesa/ieab092

Cited by 11 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…A previous study found that another Borrelia species, Borrelia recurrentis, interacts with extracellular DNA traps, a cellular response to pathogen infection carried out by hemocytes in culture [32]. The use of extracellular DNA traps as a pathogen defense is a relatively new finding in insects [17,[55][56][57][58]. They are made of extracellular chromatin and proteins to trap pathogens so that hemocytes can engulf them [32,57,58].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Under the radar: differential responses of bed bugs to an entomopathogen, environmental bacteria, and a human pathogen

Walt,

Bronzato-Badial,

Maedo

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Background: Bed bugs (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) are a widely distributed, obligately blood-feeding insect, but they have never been linked to pathogen transmission in humans. Most other hematophagous insects that frequently bite humans transmit pathogens, and it is unclear why bed bugs do not. One hypothesis is that bed bugs have evolved a highly robust immune system because their mating system, traumatic insemination, exposes females to consistent wounding and bacterial infections. Although this has been proposed, very little is known about the bed bug immune system and how bed bugs respond to microbial challenges. Understanding the bed bug immune system could give insight to why bed bugs are not known to transmit disease and under what circumstances they could, while also facilitating biological control efforts involving microbes. Methods: To investigate the immune response of bed bugs to bacterial challenges, we exposed female bed bugs to three bacterial challenges. 1.) Pseudomonas fluorescens, an entomopathogen known to have harmful effects to bed bugs, 2.) bacteria cultured from a bed bug enclosure likely encountered during traumatic insemination, and 3.) Borrelia duttoni, a human vector-borne pathogen that causes relapsing fever. We compared the transcriptomes of infected bed bugs with uninfected bed bugs, focusing on immune-related genes. We also conducted phylogenetic analyses to understand patterns of gene duplication and function of potentially immune-related genes. Results: We found many known immune effector genes upregulated in response to P. fluorescens and traumatic insemination-associated bacteria, but interestingly, not in response to B. duttoni. Furthermore, we found significant overlap in the genes differentially expressed in response to P. fluorescens and the traumatic insemination associated bacteria, and between P. fluorescens and B. duttoni, but no significant overlap between traumatic insemination bacteria and B. duttoni. We also show that bed bug diptericin-like antimicrobial peptides underwent a lineage-specific gene duplication, and that they may have further functional specialization. Finally, we identify previously overlooked candidates for future study of immune function in bed bugs, including some putative cuticle-associated genes, a laccase-like gene, and a mucin-like gene. Conclusions: By taking comprehensive transcriptomic approach, our study is an important step in understanding how bed bugs respond to diverse immune challenges.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Under the radar: differential responses of bed bugs to an entomopathogen, environmental bacteria, and a human pathogen

Walt,

Bronzato-Badial,

Maedo

et al. 2024

Preprint

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“…The protection of G. mellonella from microbial infection has been under intensive study, and there are some similarities with humans. While the cuticle mimics the skin [ 151 , 152 , 153 , 154 ], the immune response mechanism shows signs related to the innate immunity of vertebrates [ 156 , 157 , 158 , 159 ]. Hemocoel contains hemocytes with a similar function to human neutrophils that participate in phagocytosis, during which reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated [ 160 , 161 , 162 , 163 ].…”

Section: General Characterization Of G Mellonela A...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…IHETs act via hemolymph coagulation and melanization, which contributes to the immobilization and killing of bacteria. These processes are mediated by a significant release of hemocytes in G. mellonella [ 156 ].…”

Section: General Characterization Of G Mellonela A...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Galleria mellonella—A Model for the Study of aPDT—Prospects and Drawbacks

Bugyna,

Kendra,

Bujdáková

2023

Microorganisms

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Galleria mellonella is a promising in vivo model insect used for microbiological, medical, and pharmacological research. It provides a platform for testing the biocompatibility of various compounds and the kinetics of survival after an infection followed by subsequent treatment, and for the evaluation of various parameters during treatment, including the host–pathogen interaction. There are some similarities in the development of pathologies with mammals. However, a limitation is the lack of adaptive immune response. Antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) is an alternative approach for combating microbial infections, including biofilm-associated ones. aPDT is effective against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites, regardless of whether they are resistant to conventional treatment. The main idea of this comprehensive review was to collect information on the use of G. mellonella in aPDT. It provides a collection of references published in the last 10 years from this area of research, complemented by some practical experiences of the authors of this review. Additionally, the review summarizes in brief information on the G. mellonella model, its advantages and methods used in the processing of material from these larvae, as well as basic knowledge of the principles of aPDT.

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“…Groups of microorganisms or parasites can be entrapped in multihemocyte structures called nodules or capsules, respectively ( 2 – 5 ). Quite recently, formation of extracellular traps by G. mellonella haemocytes contributing to immobilisation and finally killing of microbes has been described ( 6 ). Soluble effector molecules contribute to the humoral immune response.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immune priming modulates Galleria mellonella and Pseudomonas entomophila interaction. Antimicrobial properties of Kazal peptide Pr13a

Sułek,

Kordaczuk,

Mak

et al. 2024

Front. Immunol.

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Galleria mellonella larvae repeatedly infected with Pseudomonas entomophila bacteria re-induced their immune response. Its parameters, i.e. the defence activities of cell-free hemolymph, the presence and activity of antimicrobial peptides, and the expression of immune-relevant genes were modulated after the re-challenge in comparison to non-primed infected larvae, resulting in better protection. No enhanced resistance was observed when the larvae were initially infected with other microorganisms, and larvae pre-infected with P. entomophila were not more resistant to further infection with other pathogens. Then, the peptide profiles of hemolymph from primed- and non-primed larvae infected with P. entomophila were compared by quantitative RP-HPLC (Reverse Phase - High Performance Liquid Chromatography). The level of carbonic anhydrase, anionic peptide-1, proline peptide-2, and finally, unknown so far, putative Kazal peptide Pr13a was higher in the primed infected animals than in the larvae infected with P. entomophila for the first time. The expression of the Pr13a gene increased two-fold after the infection, but only in the primed animals. To check whether the enhanced level of Pr13a could have physiological significance, the peptide was purified to homogeneity and checked for its defence properties. In fact, it had antibacterial activity: at the concentration of 15 µM and 7.5 µM it reduced the number of P. entomophila and Bacillus thuringiensis CFU, respectively, to about 40%. The antibacterial activity of Pr13a was correlated with changes observed on the surface of the peptide-treated bacteria, e.g. surface roughness and adhesion force. The presented results bring us closer to finding hemolymph constituents responsible for the effect of priming on the immune response in re-infected insects.

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Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) Hemocytes Release Extracellular Traps That Confer Protection Against Bacterial Infection in the Hemocoel

Cited by 11 publications

References 26 publications

Under the radar: differential responses of bed bugs to an entomopathogen, environmental bacteria, and a human pathogen

Under the radar: differential responses of bed bugs to an entomopathogen, environmental bacteria, and a human pathogen

Galleria mellonella—A Model for the Study of aPDT—Prospects and Drawbacks

Immune priming modulates Galleria mellonella and Pseudomonas entomophila interaction. Antimicrobial properties of Kazal peptide Pr13a

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