title: Enhanced antibacterial activity in Hydra polyps lacking nerve cells.
abstract: The nervous system evolved within cnidarians. When assessing antibacterial activity in the freshwater polyp Hydra, we observed a strong correlation between the number of neurons present and the antibacterial activity. Tissue lacking neurons had a drastically enhanced antibacterial activity against Gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and Gram-negative (E. coli) bacteria compared to control tissue. The results indicate direct and strong neural influences on immunity in the phylogenetically oldest animals having a nervous system.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Comparative Immunology, Department of Neurobiology, UCLA Medical Center, 90095-1763, Los Angeles, CA, USA
authors.forename: Shinji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kasahara
authors.forename: Thomas C G
authors.initials: TC
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects*; D006829:Hydra / Q000276:immunology*; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D010455:Peptides / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D010455:Peptides