title: Functional analysis of immune response genes in Drosophila identifies JNK pathway as a regulator of antimicrobial peptide gene expression in S2 cells.
abstract: The templates of innate immunity have ancient origins. Thus, such model animals as the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, can be used to identify gene products that also play a key role in the innate immunity in mammals. We have used oligonucleotide microarrays to identify genes that are responsive to gram-negative bacteria in Drosophila macrophage-like S2 cells. In total, 53 genes were induced by greater than threefold in response to Escherichia coli. The induction of all these genes was peptidoglycan recognition protein LC (PGRP-LC) dependent. Twenty-two genes including 10 of the most strongly induced genes are also known to be up-regulated by septic injury in vivo. Importantly, we identified 31 genes that are not known to respond to bacterial challenge. We carried out targeted dsRNA treatments to assess the functional importance of these gene products for microbial recognition, phagocytosis and antimicrobial peptide release in Drosophila S2 cells in vitro. RNAi targeting three of these genes, CG7097, CG15678 and beta-Tubulin 60D, caused altered antimicrobial peptide release in vitro. Our results indicate that the JNK pathway is essential for normal antimicrobial peptide release in Drosophila in vitro.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Medical Technology, 33014 University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Jenni
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kallio
authors.forename: Anni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Leinonen
authors.forename: Johanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ulvila
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Valanne
authors.forename: R Alan
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Ezekowitz
authors.forename: Mika
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rämet
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002460:Cell Line; D004331:Drosophila melanogaster / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000276:immunology; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology*; D017344:Genes, Insect; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000235:genetics; D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000502:physiology*; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D048031:JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases; D048670:MAP Kinase Kinase 4; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases