title: Molecular evidence for the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme in hemocytes of Locusta migratoria: stimulation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide challenge.
abstract: The presence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in insects has been reported many times, but numerous questions about the functional role of this enzyme in insects remain. Here we show by RT-PCR experiments that ACE has a wide tissue distribution in Locusta migratoria, suggesting diverse roles for this enzyme in the locust. Immune challenge through injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharides resulted in a tenfold increase of ACE gene transcripts in the hemocytes and is suggestive for a role of ACE in the cellular defense of the locust. However, phenotypic knockout experiments with the ACE inhibitor captopril showed that ACE is not essential for the efficient clearance of injected E. coli bacteria.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Developmental Physiology and Molecular Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Z.I. Naamsestraat 59, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium. nathalie.macours@bio.kuleuven.ac.be
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Macours
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hens
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Francis
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: De Loof
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Huybrechts
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002216:Captopril / Q000494:pharmacology; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D006110:Grasshoppers / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000201:enzymology; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D012083:Renin / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D000092502:Renin Inhibitors
chemical_list: D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002216:Captopril; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012083:Renin; D000092502:Renin Inhibitors