title: The functions of serpin-3, a negative-regulator involved in prophenoloxidase activation and antimicrobial peptides expression of Chinese oak silkworm, Antheraea pernyi.
abstract: Serpins are a superfamily of proteins engaged in various physiological processes in all kingdoms of life. To date, many striking results have demonstrated serpins are involved in the invertebrate immune system by regulating the proteolytic cascades. However, in most insect species, the immune functions of serpins in response against pathogen invasion remain obscure. In this study, we identified a full-length cDNA sequence of serpin, named serpin-3, from the Chinese oak silkworm Antheraea pernyi. Sequence alignments have indicated that Apserpin-3 might regulate the melanization reaction via inhibiting prophenoloxidases-activating protease(s) in plasma. Furthermore, it was detected to be primarily transcribed within the fat body, epidermis and hemocytes with significant induction following immune-challenge. Further studies have shown that the knockdown of serpin-3 up-regulated the prophenoloxidases cascade stimulated by pathogen in hemolymph, while the addition of recombinant serpin-3 along with the same elicitor led to the suppressed activation of prophenoloxidase. Besides, the injection of dsRNA of serpin-3 caused the elevated expression of antimicrobial peptides. Altogether, we arrived at a conclusion that serpin-3 might act as a negative-regulator in prophenoloxidases activation and inhibit the production of antimicrobial peptides in Antheraea pernyi larvae.
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Devices, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Xialu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Bio-pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Kailin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Bio-pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Yuanyuan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Bio-pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Xinrui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Bio-pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Daihua
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wen
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Bio-pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Chunfu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Medical Devices, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China.
authors.forename: Jinghai
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: School of Life Science and Bio-pharmaceutics, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, China. Electronic address: zhangrong@syphu.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D004156:Catechol Oxidase / Q000378:metabolism*; D003001:Cloning, Molecular; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D004792:Enzyme Precursors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005216:Fat Body / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006434:Hemocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009036:Moths / Q000276:immunology*; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering / Q000235:genetics; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D015843:Serpins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D004792:Enzyme Precursors; D019476:Insect Proteins; D034741:RNA, Small Interfering; C516148:SERPINA3 protein, human; D015843:Serpins; C038451:pro-phenoloxidase; D004156:Catechol Oxidase
keywords: Antheraea pernyi; Antimicrobial peptides; Humoral immune response; Prophenoloxidase activation; Serpin