Immune and stress response 'cross-talk' in the Drosophila Malpighian tubule

Davies, S.A. , Overend, G. , Sebastian, S., Cundall, M., Cabrero, P. , Dow, J.A.T. and Terhzaz, S. (2012) Immune and stress response 'cross-talk' in the Drosophila Malpighian tubule. Journal of Insect Physiology, 58(4), pp. 488-497. (doi: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.01.008) (PMID:22306292)

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Abstract

The success of insects is in large part due to their ability to survive environmental stress, including heat, cold, and dehydration. Insects are also exposed to infection, osmotic or oxidative stress, and to xenobiotics or toxins. The molecular mechanisms of stress sensing and response have been widely investigated in mammalian cell lines, and the area of stress research is now so vast to be beyond the scope of a single review article. However, the mechanisms by which stress inputs to the organism are sensed and integrated at the tissue and cellular level are less well understood. Increasingly, common molecular events between immune and other stress responses are observed in vivo; and much of this work stems of efforts in insect molecular science and physiology. We describe here the current knowledge in the area of immune and stress signalling and response at the level of the organism, tissue and cell, focussing on a key epithelial tissue in insects, the Malpighian tubule, and drawing together the known pathways that modulate responses to different stress insults. The tubules are critical for insect survival and are increasingly implicated in responses to multiple and distinct stress inputs. Importantly, as tubule function is central to survival, they are potentially key targets for insect control, which will be facilitated by increased understanding of the complexities of stress signalling in the organism.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Cabrero, Mr Pablo and Dow, Professor Julian and Sebastian, Mr Sujith and Cundall, Dr Maria and Terhzaz, Dr Selim and Davies, Professor Shireen and Overend, Dr Gayle
Authors: Davies, S.A., Overend, G., Sebastian, S., Cundall, M., Cabrero, P., Dow, J.A.T., and Terhzaz, S.
College/School:College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Molecular Biosciences
College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Infection & Immunity > Centre for Virus Research
Journal Name:Journal of Insect Physiology
ISSN:0022-1910
ISSN (Online):1879-1611
Published Online:28 January 2012

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Project CodeAward NoProject NamePrincipal InvestigatorFunder's NameFunder RefLead Dept
433611Genetic, proteomic and functional analysis of junctional complexes in DrosophilaJulian DowBiotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC)BB/F021240/1Institute of Molecular Cell and Systems Biology