Vertebrate cytokines interleukin 12 and gamma interferon, but not interleukin 10, enhance phagocytosis in the annelid Eisenia hortensis.
Phagocytosis assays employing class I [interleukin 12 (IL-12)], and class II [gamma interferon (gIFN) and IL-10] human recombinant cytokines were carried out to determine the biological effects of these molecules on innate immune responses in the earthworm Eisenia hortensis. Coelomocytes from E. hortensis were pre-incubated with the cytokines for 16-20h in vitro followed by introduction of Escherichia coli expressing green fluorescent protein (E. coli/GFP). The pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-12 and gIFN stimulated statistically significant (p0.05) enhanced phagocytosis of E. coli/GFP by hyaline amoebocytes as determined by flow cytometry; 10 out of 21 earthworms (48%) responded to IL-12, while eight out of 21 (38%) responded to gIFN. In contrast, the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 neither stimulated nor inhibited phagocytosis in nine earthworms tested. These results demonstrate that vertebrate pro-inflammatory cytokines influence invertebrate cellular responses of immune cells causing enhanced phagocytic activity in earthworm coelomocytes.
Fuller-Espie
Sheryl L
SL
Science Department, Cabrini College, Iadarola Center for Science, Education and Technology, Radnor, PA 19087-3698, USA. sfuller-espie@cabrini.edu
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000276:immunology*; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology*; D009835:Oligochaeta / Q000276:immunology*; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000502:physiology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016753:Interleukin-10; D018664:Interleukin-12; D007371:Interferon-gamma