title: Characterization of a conserved apoptotic marker expressed in Caenorhabditis elegans phagocytic cells.
abstract: We have identified and characterized a monoclonal antibody, F2-P3E3, that recognizes a Caenorhabditis elegans apoptotic epitope expressed within phagocytic cells, which is conserved in four other nematode species. In C. elegans, F2-P3E3 staining requires both programmed cell death and phagocytosis. We show that the F2-P3E3 epitope is expressed within embryonic intestinal cells, which act as phagocytes but do not undergo programmed cell death. F2-P3E3 staining is present within LMP-1::GFP labeled organelles in the intestinal primordium and is coincident with persistent DNA that has been phagocytosed in nuc-1(-) embryos, suggesting that it labels phagosomes. While apoptotic events are typically isolated in C. elegans, F2-P3E3 staining is commonly found within adjacent cells. This observation suggests that F2-P3E3 might recognize an epitope expressed in multiple cells in response to signals from a single corpse. F2-P3E3 represents a new tool for studying cell death in C. elegans.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Lewis and Clark College, Portland, OR 97219, USA.
authors.forename: Robin J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Eisenhut
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Knox
authors.forename: Greg J
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Hermann
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000378:metabolism; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D017173:Caenorhabditis elegans / Q000378:metabolism*; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D017124:Conserved Sequence; D010586:Phagocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D015415:Biomarkers; D029742:Caenorhabditis elegans Proteins