scholarly journals The neuropeptide receptor NMUR-1 regulates the specificity of C. elegans innate immunity against pathogen infection

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phillip Wibisono ◽  
Shawndra Wibisono ◽  
Jan Watteyne ◽  
Chia-Hui Chen ◽  
Durai Sellegounder ◽  
...  

A key question in current immunology is how the innate immune system generates high levels of specificity. Like most invertebrates, Caenorhabditis elegans does not have an adaptive immune system and relies solely on innate immunity to defend itself against pathogen attacks, yet it can still differentiate different pathogens and launch distinct innate immune responses. Here, we have found that functional loss of NMUR-1, a neuronal GPCR homologous to mammalian receptors for the neuropeptide neuromedin U, has diverse effects on C. elegans survival against various bacterial pathogens. Transcriptomic analyses and functional assays revealed that NMUR-1 modulates C. elegans transcription activity by regulating the expression of transcription factors, which, in turn, controls the expression of distinct immune genes in response to different pathogens. Our study has uncovered a molecular basis for the specificity of C. elegans innate immunity that could provide mechanistic insights into understanding the specificity of vertebrate innate immunity.

2016 ◽  
Vol 9 (410) ◽  
pp. ra4-ra4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew N. Hotson ◽  
Smita Gopinath ◽  
Monica Nicolau ◽  
Anna Khasanova ◽  
Rachel Finck ◽  
...  

Cells ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 1510
Author(s):  
Olga Yajuk ◽  
Maya Baron ◽  
Sapir Toker ◽  
Tamir Zelter ◽  
Tanya Fainsod-Levi ◽  
...  

The PD-L1/PD-1 axis mediates immune tolerance and promotes tumor growth and progression via the inhibition of anti-tumor immunity. Blocking the interaction between PD-L1 and PD-1 was clinically shown to be beneficial in maintaining the anti-tumor functions of the adaptive immune system. Still, the consequences of blocking the PD-L1/PD-1 axis on innate immune responses remain largely unexplored. In this context, neutrophils were shown to consist of distinct subpopulations, which possess either pro- or anti-tumor properties. PD-L1-expressing neutrophils are considered pro-tumor as they are able to suppress cytotoxic T cells and are propagated with disease progression. That said, we found that PD-L1 expression is not limited to tumor promoting neutrophils, but is also evident in anti-tumor neutrophils. We show that neutrophil cytotoxicity is effectively and efficiently blocked by tumor cell-expressed PD-1. Furthermore, the blocking of either neutrophil PD-L1 or tumor cell PD-1 maintains neutrophil cytotoxicity. Importantly, we show that tumor cell PD-1 blocks neutrophil cytotoxicity and promotes tumor growth via a mechanism independent of adaptive immunity. Taken together, these findings highlight the therapeutic potential of enhancing anti-tumor innate immune responses via blocking of the PD-L1/PD-1 axis.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shouyong Ju ◽  
Hanqiao Chen ◽  
Shaoying Wang ◽  
Jian Lin ◽  
Raffi V Aroian ◽  
...  

AbstractPathogen recognition and triggering pattern of host innate immune system is critical to understanding pathogen-host interaction. It is generally accepted that the microbial infection can be recognized by host via pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) or effector-triggered immunity (ETI) responses. Recently, non-PRR-mediated cellular surveillance systems have been reported as an important supplement strategy to PTI and ETI responses. However, the mechanism of how surveillance systems sense pathogens and trigger innate immune responses is largely unknown. In the present study, using Bacillus thuringiensis-Caenorhabditis elegans as a model, we found a new approach for surveillance systems to sense the pathogens through no-PPRs patterns. We reported C. elegans can monitor intracellular energy status through the mitochondrial surveillance system to triggered innate immune responses against pathogenic attack via AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Consider that the mitochondria surveillance systems and AMPK are conserved components from worms to mammals, our study suggests that disrupting mitochondrial homeostasis to activate the immune system through AMPK-dependent pathways may widely existing in animals.


Microbiology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 152 (2) ◽  
pp. 285-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gavin K. Paterson ◽  
Tim J. Mitchell

The innate immune system provides a non-specific first line of defence against microbes and is crucial both in the development and effector stages of subsequent adaptive immune responses. Consistent with its importance, study of the innate immune system is a broad and fast-moving field. Here we provide an overview of the recent key advances made in this area with relation to the important pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumococcus).


2020 ◽  
pp. 307-314
Author(s):  
Paul Bowness

The innate immune system comprises evolutionarily ancient mechanisms that mediate first-line responses against microbial pathogens, and are also important in priming and execution of adaptive immune responses, and in defence against tumours. These responses, which recognize microbial non-self, damaged self, and absent self, are characterized by rapidity of action and they involve various different cell types, cell-associated receptors, and soluble factors. Previously thought to lack plasticity or memory, certain innate immune responses have recently been shown to be capable of ‘learning’ or ‘training’. Most cells of the innate immune system are derived from the myeloid precursors in the bone marrow. These include monocytes and their derivatives—macrophages and dendritic cells, blood granulocytes (neutrophils, basophils, and eosinophils), and tissue mast cells.


2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Hui Yen Chng ◽  
Michael N. Alonso ◽  
Sarah E. Barnes ◽  
Khoa D. Nguyen ◽  
Edgar G. Engleman

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is a metabolic disease that is strongly tied to obesity and often preceded by insulin resistance (IR). It has been established that chronic inflammation of hypertrophic adipose tissue depots in obese individuals leads to obesity-associated IR and is mediated by cells of the innate immune system, particularly macrophages. More recently, cells of the adaptive immune system, B and T lymphocytes, have also emerged as important regulators of glucose homeostasis, raising the intriguing possibility that antigen-driven immune responses play a role in disease. In this review, we critically evaluate the roles that various B and T cell subsets play in IR, and then we examine the data suggesting that antigen-driven mechanisms, such as antigen presentation and costimulation, may drive the activity of these lymphocytes.


2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 307-314 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenneth L Rosenthal

New and exciting insights into the importance of the innate immune system are revolutionizing our understanding of immune defense against infections, pathogenesis, and the treatment and prevention of infectious diseases. The innate immune system uses multiple families of germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) to detect infection and trigger a variety of antimicrobial defense mechanisms. PRRs are evolutionarily highly conserved and serve to detect infection by recognizing pathogen-associated molecular patterns that are unique to microorganisms and essential for their survival. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are transmembrane signalling receptors that activate gene expression programs that result in the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, type I interferons and antimicrobial factors. Furthermore, TLR activation facilitates and guides activation of adaptive immune responses through the activation of dendritic cells. TLRs are localized on the cell surface and in endosomal/lysosomal compartments, where they detect bacterial and viral infections. In contrast, nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain proteins and RNA helicases are located in the cell cytoplasm, where they serve as intracellular PRRs to detect cytoplasmic infections, particularly viruses. Due to their ability to enhance innate immune responses, novel strategies to use ligands, synthetic agonists or antagonists of PRRs (also known as 'innate immunologicals') can be used as stand-alone agents to provide immediate protection or treatment against bacterial, viral or parasitic infections. Furthermore, the newly appreciated importance of innate immunity in initiating and shaping adaptive immune responses is contributing to our understanding of vaccine adjuvants and promises to lead to improved next-generation vaccines.


2017 ◽  
Vol 23 (8) ◽  
pp. 656-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yi Xiao ◽  
Fang Liu ◽  
Pei-ji Zhao ◽  
Cheng-Gang Zou ◽  
Ke-Qin Zhang

The genetically tractable organism Caenorhabditis elegans is a powerful model animal for the study of host innate immunity. Although the intestine and the epidermis of C. elegans that is in contact with pathogens are likely to function as sites for the immune function, recent studies indicate that the nervous system could control innate immunity in C. elegans. In this report, we demonstrated that protein kinase A (PKA)/KIN-1 in the neurons contributes to resistance against Salmonella enterica infection in C. elegans. Microarray analysis revealed that PKA/KIN-1 regulates the expression of a set of antimicrobial effectors in the non-neuron tissues, which are required for innate immune responses to S. enterica. Furthermore, PKA/KIN-1 regulated the expression of lysosomal genes during S. enterica infection. Our results suggest that the lysosomal signaling molecules are involved in autophagy by controlling autophagic flux, rather than formation of autophagosomes. As autophagy is crucial for host defense against S. enterica infection in a metazoan, the lysosomal pathway also acts as a downstream effector of the PKA/KIN-1 signaling for innate immunity. Our data indicate that the PKA pathway contributes to innate immunity in C. elegans by signaling from the nervous system to periphery tissues to protect the host against pathogens.


2005 ◽  
Vol 110 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven E. Williams ◽  
Thomas I. Brown ◽  
Ali Roghanian ◽  
Jean-Michel Sallenave

Elafin and SLPI (secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor) have multiple important roles both in normal homoeostasis and at sites of inflammation. These include antiprotease and antimicrobial activity as well as modulation of the response to LPS (lipopolysaccharide) stimulation. Elafin and SLPI are members of larger families of proteins secreted predominantly at mucosal sites, and have been shown to be modulated in multiple pathological conditions. We believe that elafin and SLPI are important molecules in the controlled functioning of the innate immune system, and may have further importance in the integration of this system with the adaptive immune response. Recent interest has focused on the influence of inflamed tissues on the recruitment and phenotypic modulation of cells of the adaptive immune system and, indeed, the local production of elafin and SLPI indicate that they are ideally placed in this regard. Functionally related proteins, such as the defensins and cathelicidins, have been shown to have direct effects upon dendritic cells with potential alteration of their phenotype towards type I or II immune responses. This review addresses the multiple functions of elafin and SLPI in the inflammatory response and discusses further their roles in the development of the adaptive immune response.


2017 ◽  
Vol 214 (6) ◽  
pp. 1769-1785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Cerboni ◽  
Nadia Jeremiah ◽  
Matteo Gentili ◽  
Ulf Gehrmann ◽  
Cécile Conrad ◽  
...  

Activation of the cyclic dinucleotide sensor stimulator of interferon (IFN) genes (STING) is critical for IFN and inflammatory gene expression during innate immune responses. However, the role of STING in adaptive immunity is still unknown. In this study, we show that STING activation reduces the proliferation of T lymphocytes. This activity was independent of TBK1 and IRF3 recruitment and of type I IFN but required a distinct C-terminal domain of STING that activates NF-κB. Inhibition of cell proliferation by STING required its relocalization to the Golgi apparatus and caused mitotic errors. T lymphocytes from patients carrying constitutive active mutations in TMEM173 encoding STING showed impaired proliferation and reduced numbers of memory cells. Endogenous STING inhibited proliferation of mouse T lymphocytes. Therefore, STING, a critical innate sensor, also functions intrinsically in cells of the adaptive immune system to inhibit proliferation.


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