JAK/STAT signaling is involved in air sac primordium development of Drosophila melanogaster

Abstract

The dorsal thoracic air sacs in fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster) are functionally and developmentally comparable to human lungs. The progenitors of these structures, air sac primordia (ASPs), invasively propagate into wing imaginal disks, employing mechanisms similar to those that promote metastasis in malignant tumors. We investigated whether Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription JAK/STAT signaling plays a role in the directed morphogenesis of ASPs. We find that JAK/STAT signaling occurs in ASP tip cells and misexpression of core components in the JAK/STAT signaling cascade significantly impedes ASP development. We further identify Upd2 as an activating ligand for JAK/STAT activity in the ASP. Together, these data constitute a considerable step forward in understanding the role of JAK/STAT signaling in ASPs and similar structures in mammalian models.

Maintaining structural and functional homeostasis of theDrosophilarespiratory epithelia requires stress-modulated JAK/STAT activity

“…The JAK/STAT signaling pathway is particularly important for development and maintenance of the DT. Tracheal JAK/STAT signaling is required during development of the adult tracheal system at the pupal stage [34]. This is consistent with our finding that the various interventions induced lethality in the pupal stage at the latest.…”

“…Furthermore, the use of Drosophila allows focusing exclusively on the airway epithelium, a resident cell population playing a central role in the orchestration of organ homeostasis, but also for developing chronic pathologies. In the tracheal system of Drosophila , the lung’s functional equivalent, there is so far only information on the relevance of JAK/STAT signaling during embryonic development and the formation of the adult tracheal system (Brown et al, 2001; Perrimon and Mahowald, 1986; Powers and Srivastava, 2019). A lack of JAK/STAT signaling during very early phases of tracheal development impairs tracheal development including cell movement and elongation, as well as invagination processes that lead to tube formation (Brown et al, 2001; Isaac and Andrew, 1996).…”

“…In the tracheal system of Drosophila, the lung's functional equivalent, there is so far only information on the relevance of JAK/STAT signaling during embryonic development and the formation of the adult tracheal system (Brown et al, 2001;Perrimon and Mahowald, 1986;Powers and Srivastava, 2019). A lack of JAK/STAT signaling during very early phases of tracheal development impairs tracheal development including cell movement and elongation, as well as invagination processes that lead to tube formation (Brown et al, Niu et al JAK/STAT signaling in the larval trachea of Drosophila 7 2001; Isaac and Andrew, 1996).…”