scholarly journals Deleterious Effects of Neonicotinoid Pesticides on Drosophila melanogaster Immune Pathways

mBio ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
John A. Chmiel ◽  
Brendan A. Daisley ◽  
Jeremy P. Burton ◽  
Gregor Reid
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Peroxide ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Neonicotinoid Insecticides ◽  
Content Model ◽  
Sublethal Exposure ◽  
Immune Pathways

ABSTRACT Neonicotinoid insecticides are common agrochemicals that are used to kill pest insects and improve crop yield. However, sublethal exposure can exert unintentional toxicity to honey bees and other beneficial pollinators by dysregulating innate immunity. Generation of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) by the dual oxidase (Duox) pathway is a critical component of the innate immune response, which functions to impede infection and maintain homeostatic regulation of the gut microbiota. Despite the importance of this pathway in gut immunity, the consequences of neonicotinoid exposure on Duox signaling have yet to be studied. Here, we use a Drosophila melanogaster model to investigate the hypothesis that imidacloprid (a common neonicotinoid) can affect the Duox pathway. The results demonstrated that exposure to sublethal imidacloprid reduced H2O2 production by inhibiting transcription of the Duox gene. Furthermore, the reduction in Duox expression was found to be a result of imidacloprid interacting with the midgut portion of the immune deficiency pathway. This impairment led to a loss of microbial regulation, as exemplified by a compositional shift and increased total abundance of Lactobacillus and Acetobacter spp. (dominant microbiota members) found in the gut. In addition, we demonstrated that certain probiotic lactobacilli could ameliorate Duox pathway impairment caused by imidacloprid, but this effect was not directly dependent on the Duox pathway itself. This study is the first to demonstrate the deleterious effects that neonicotinoids can have on Duox-mediated generation of H2O2 and highlights a novel coordination between two important innate immune pathways present in insects. IMPORTANCE Sublethal exposure to certain pesticides (e.g., neonicotinoid insecticides) is suspected to contribute to honey bee (Apis mellifera) population decline in North America. Neonicotinoids are known to interfere with immune pathways in the gut of insects, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We used a Drosophila melanogaster model to understand how imidacloprid (a common neonicotinoid) interferes with two innate immune pathways—Duox and Imd. We found that imidacloprid dysregulates these pathways to reduce hydrogen peroxide production, ultimately leading to a dysbiotic shift in the gut microbiota. Intriguingly, we found that presupplementation with probiotic bacteria could mitigate the harmful effects of imidacloprid. Thus, these observations uncover a novel mechanism of pesticide-induced immunosuppression that exploits the interconnectedness of two important insect immune pathways.

scholarly journals In Vivo Efficacy of Ellagic Acid against Candida albicans in a Drosophila melanogaster Infection Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (12) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aline da Graça Sampaio ◽  
Aline Vidal Lacerda Gontijo ◽  
Helena Marcolla Araujo ◽  
Cristiane Yumi Koga-Ito
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Candida Albicans ◽  
Ellagic Acid ◽  
Antimicrobial Effect ◽  
Infection Model ◽  
Survival Curves ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Content Model ◽  
Promising Tool

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the antifungal activity and the toxicity of ellagic acid (EA) using a Drosophila melanogaster model. Candida albicans bacteria were inoculated into Toll heterozygous flies. Survival curves were obtained for the evaluation of the antimicrobial effect and toxicity of EA. A protective effect of EA against fungal infection in Drosophila melanogaster was observed at nontoxic concentrations. This study showed that EA is a promising tool for the treatment of candidiasis.

scholarly journals Microbiota-Mediated Modulation of Organophosphate Insecticide Toxicity by Species-Dependent Interactions with Lactobacilli in a Drosophila melanogaster Insect Model

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Brendan A. Daisley ◽  
Mark Trinder ◽  
Tim W. McDowell ◽  
Stephanie L. Collins ◽  
Mark W. Sumarah ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Lactobacillus Rhamnosus ◽  
Organophosphate Insecticide ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Biologically Relevant ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Probiotic Lactobacilli

ABSTRACT Despite the benefits to the global food supply and agricultural economies, pesticides are believed to pose a threat to the health of both humans and wildlife. Chlorpyrifos (CP), a commonly used organophosphate insecticide, has poor target specificity and causes acute neurotoxicity in a wide range of species via the suppression of acetylcholinesterase. This effect is exacerbated 10- to 100-fold by chlorpyrifos oxon (CPO), a principal metabolite of CP. Since many animal-associated symbiont microorganisms are known to hydrolyze CP into CPO, we used a Drosophila melanogaster insect model to investigate the hypothesis that indigenous and probiotic bacteria could affect CP metabolism and toxicity. Antibiotic-treated and germfree D. melanogaster insects lived significantly longer than their conventionally reared counterparts when exposed to 10 μM CP. Drosophila melanogaster gut-derived Lactobacillus plantarum , but not Acetobacter indonesiensis , was shown to metabolize CP. Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry confirmed that the L. plantarum isolate preferentially metabolized CP into CPO when grown in CP-spiked culture medium. Further experiments showed that monoassociating germfree D. melanogaster with the L. plantarum isolate could reestablish a conventional-like sensitivity to CP. Interestingly, supplementation with the human probiotic Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (a strain that binds but does not metabolize CP) significantly increased the survival of the CP-exposed germfree D. melanogaster . This suggests strain-specific differences in CP metabolism may exist among lactobacilli and emphasizes the need for further investigation. In summary, these results suggest that (i) CPO formation by the gut microbiota can have biologically relevant consequences for the host, and (ii) probiotic lactobacilli may be beneficial in reducing in vivo CP toxicity. IMPORTANCE An understudied area of research is how the microbiota (microorganisms living in/on an animal) affects the metabolism and toxic outcomes of environmental pollutants such as pesticides. This study focused specifically on how the microbial biotransformation of chlorpyrifos (CP; a common organophosphate insecticide) affected host exposure and toxicity parameters in a Drosophila melanogaster insect model. Our results demonstrate that the biotransformation of CP by the gut microbiota had biologically relevant and toxic consequences on host health and that certain probiotic lactobacilli may be beneficial in reducing CP toxicity. Since inadvertent pesticide exposure is suspected to negatively impact the health of off-target species, these findings may provide useful information for wildlife conservation and environmental sustainability planning. Furthermore, the results highlight the need to consider microbiota composition differences between beneficial and pest insects in future insecticide designs. More broadly, this study supports the use of beneficial microorganisms to modulate the microbiota-mediated biotransformation of xenobiotics.

scholarly journals Vibrio parahaemolyticus VopA Is a Potent Inhibitor of Cell Migration and Apoptosis in the Intestinal Epithelium of Drosophila melanogaster

2019 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Liping Luo ◽  
Jason D. Matthews ◽  
Brian S. Robinson ◽  
Rheinallt M. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Protein Kinase ◽  
Focal Adhesion ◽  
Vibrio Parahaemolyticus ◽  
Cultured Cells ◽  
Innate Immune ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase ◽  
Effector Protein ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mitogen Activated Protein

ABSTRACT Animal models have played a key role in providing an understanding of the mechanisms that govern the pathophysiology of intestinal diseases. To expand on the repertoire of organisms available to study enteric diseases, we report on the use of the Drosophila melanogaster model to identify a novel function of an effector protein secreted by Vibrio parahaemolyticus, which is an enteric pathogen found in contaminated seafood. During pathogenesis, V. parahaemolyticus secretes effector proteins that usurp the host’s innate immune signaling pathways, thus allowing the bacterium to evade detection by the innate immune system. One secreted effector protein, VopA, has potent inhibitory effects on mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways via the acetylation of critical residues within the catalytic loops of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MAPKKs). Using the Drosophila model and cultured mammalian cells, we show that VopA also has potent modulating activity on focal adhesion complex (FAC) proteins, where VopA markedly reduced the levels of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) phosphorylation at Ser910, whereas the phosphorylation levels of FAK at Tyr397 and Tyr861 were markedly increased. Cultured cells expressing VopA were also impaired in their ability to migrate and repopulate areas subjected to a scratch wound. Consistently, expression of VopA in Drosophila midgut enterocytes disrupted the normal enterocyte arrangement. Finally, VopA inhibited apoptosis in both Drosophila tissues and mammalian cultured cells. Together, our data show that VopA can alter normal intestinal homeostatic processes to facilitate opportunities for V. parahaemolyticus to prolong infection within the host.

scholarly journals Interspecies Interactions Determine the Impact of the Gut Microbiota on Nutrient Allocation in Drosophila melanogaster

2013 ◽  
Vol 80 (2) ◽  
pp. 788-796 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter D. Newell ◽  
Angela E. Douglas
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Nutrient Allocation ◽  
Interspecies Interactions ◽  
Glucose Content ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Microbial Taxon ◽  
Triglyceride Content ◽  
The Impact

ABSTRACTThe animal gut is perpetually exposed to microorganisms, and this microbiota affects development, nutrient allocation, and immune homeostasis. A major challenge is to understand the contribution of individual microbial species and interactions among species in shaping these microbe-dependent traits. Using theDrosophila melanogastergut microbiota, we tested whether microbe-dependent performance and nutritional traits ofDrosophilaare functionally modular, i.e., whether the impact of each microbial taxon on host traits is independent of the presence of other microbial taxa. Gnotobiotic flies were constructed with one or a set of five of theAcetobacterandLactobacillusspecies which dominate the gut microbiota of conventional flies (Drosophilawith untreated microbiota). Axenic (microbiota-free) flies exhibited prolonged development time and elevated glucose and triglyceride contents. The low glucose content of conventional flies was recapitulated in gnotobioticDrosophilaflies colonized with any of the 5 bacterial taxa tested. In contrast, the development rates and triglyceride levels in monocolonized flies varied depending on the taxon present:Acetobacterspecies supported the largest reductions, while mostLactobacillusspecies had no effect. Only flies with bothAcetobacterandLactobacillushad triglyceride contents restored to the level in conventional flies. This could be attributed to two processes:Lactobacillus-mediated promotion ofAcetobacterabundance in the fly and a significant negative correlation between fly triglyceride content andAcetobacterabundance. We conclude that the microbial basis of host traits varies in both specificity and modularity; microbe-mediated reduction in glucose is relatively nonspecific and modular, while triglyceride content is influenced by interactions among microbes.

scholarly journals Thorax Injury Lowers Resistance to Infection in Drosophila melanogaster

2014 ◽  
Vol 82 (10) ◽  
pp. 4380-4389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Moria C. Chambers ◽  
Eliana Jacobson ◽  
Sarah Khalil ◽  
Brian P. Lazzaro
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
High Mortality ◽  
Bacterial Load ◽  
Systemic Infection ◽  
Bacterial Inoculation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Bacterial Proliferation ◽  
Immune Pathways ◽  
Resistance To Infection

ABSTRACTThe route of infection can profoundly affect both the progression and outcome of disease. We investigated differences inDrosophila melanogasterdefense against infection after bacterial inoculation into two sites—the abdomen and the thorax. Thorax inoculation results in increased bacterial proliferation and causes high mortality within the first few days of infection. In contrast, abdomen inoculation results in minimal mortality and lower bacterial loads than thorax inoculation. Inoculation into either site causes systemic infection. Differences in mortality and bacterial load are due to injury of the thorax and can be recapitulated by abdominal inoculation coupled with aseptic wounding of the thorax. This altered resistance appears to be independent of classical immune pathways and opens new avenues of research on the role of injury during defense against infection.

Synergistic action of propolis with levodopa in the management of Parkinsonism in Drosophila melanogaster

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Emmanuel Tiyo Ayikobua ◽  
Josephine Kasolo ◽  
Keneth Iceland Kasozi ◽  
Ejike Daniel Eze ◽  
Abass Safiriyu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Antioxidant Activity ◽  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Side Effects ◽  
Motor Activity ◽  
Ethanolic Extract ◽  
Synergistic Action ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Treatment Groups ◽  
Ethanolic Extract Of Propolis ◽  
Different Doses

AbstractBackgroundThe Phosphatase and tensin-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1B9) mutant for Drosophila melanogaster is a key tool that has been used in assessing the pathology of Parkinsonism and its possible remedy. This research was targeted toward determining the effects of ethanolic extract of propolis, with levodopa therapy in the management of Parkinsonism.MethodThe PINK1B9 flies were divided into groups and fed with the different treatment doses of ethanoic extract of propolis. The treatment groups were subjected to 21 days of administration of propolis and the levodopa at different doses after which percentage climbing index, antioxidant activity and lifespan studies were done.ResultsPropolis alone improved motor activity, antioxidant and lifespan in Drosophila melanogaster than in PINK1 flies. Propolis in combination with levodopa significantly (P<0.05) improved physiological parameters at higher than lower concentrations in Parkinsonism Drosophila melanogaster demonstrating its importance in managing side effects associated with levodopa.ConclusionPropolis is a novel candidate as an alternative and integrative medicinal option to use in the management of Parkinsonism in both animals and humans at higher concentrations.

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