title: Ciona intestinalis galectin (CiLgals-a and CiLgals-b) genes are differentially expressed in endostyle zones and challenged by LPS.
abstract: Immunohistochemical and in situ hybridization assays were performed to answer the question whether the endostyle, that is the initial gastro-intestinal trait of Ciona intestinalis pharynx, is involved in galectin (CiLgals-a and CiLgals-b) production during the pharynx inflammatory response to LPS inoculation. Specific anti-CiLgal-a and anti-CiLgals-b antibodies, and oligonucleotide probes, that mark inflammatory hemocytes inside the pharynx vessels and vessel epithelium as shown by a previous paper, were assayed on endostyle histological sections. For the first time, we show that galectins are produced by endostyle zones, and both CiLgals-a and -b genes are upregulated by LPS. CiLgals-a and CiLgals-b are constitutively expressed in the endostyle zone 2 and 3, respectively, both genes are upregulated by LPS in the zone 2, and CiLgals-b in the zone 3 and 4. The antibody-reacting material contained in intracellular and extracellular large vesicles suggest an unexpected vesicle-dependent transporting mechanism of galectins not provided with signal peptide. Differential expression and gene upregulation in not-treated and LPS-treated specimens, support the role of endostyle galectins both in filter feeding and defense responses.
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Biological Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Archirafi, 18, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Parrinello
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Biological Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Archirafi, 18, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Maria Antonietta
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sanfratello
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Biological Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Archirafi, 18, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Aiti
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vizzini
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Biological Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Archirafi, 18, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: Nicolò
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Parrinello
authors.affiliation: University of Palermo, Biological Chemical Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, Via Archirafi, 18, Palermo, Italy. Electronic address: matteo.cammarata@unipa.it.
authors.forename: Matteo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cammarata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002938:Ciona intestinalis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D037161:Galectins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017403:In Situ Hybridization; D007558:Italy; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009841:Oligonucleotides / Q000235:genetics; D010614:Pharynx / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D037161:Galectins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D009841:Oligonucleotides
keywords: Ascidian; Ciona intestinalis; Endostyle; Galectin; Inflammation