Manduca sexta larvae exposed to Bt toxin or DSS
Declining biodiversity is affecting ecosystem health, but non-invasive modalities for detecting underlying disease mechanisms across Bilateria are absent. We present a multinuclear magnetic resonance platform that reveals conserved gut inflammation patterns with five universal in vivo biomarkers—immune cell infiltration, hypoxia, enhanced glycolysis, altered pH, and gut wall thickening—in living invertebrates. Using caterpillars exposed to bacterial or chemical stress, we demonstrate that these imaging readouts recapitulate hallmark features of mammalian gut inflammation and correspond to conserved transcriptomic signatures. This species-independent, transgene-free approach extends inflammation research beyond classical model organisms to ecologically critical keystone species whose health underpins ecosystem stability. Our findings provide a universal framework for comparative physiology, regulatory ecotoxicology, and biodiversity monitoring within a One Health context.
Declining biodiversity is affecting ecosystem health, but non-invasive modalities for detecting underlying disease mechanisms across Bilateria are absent. We present a multinuclear magnetic resonance platform that reveals conserved gut inflammation patterns with five universal in vivo biomarkers—immune cell infiltration, hypoxia, enhanced glycolysis, altered pH, and gut wall thickening—in living invertebrates. Using caterpillars exposed to bacterial or chemical stress, we demonstrate that these imaging readouts recapitulate hallmark features of mammalian gut inflammation and correspond to conserved transcriptomic signatures. This species-independent, transgene-free approach extends inflammation research beyond classical model organisms to ecologically critical keystone species whose health underpins ecosystem stability. Our findings provide a universal framework for comparative physiology, regulatory ecotoxicology, and biodiversity monitoring within a One Health context.