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Insects
Special Issues
Insect Immunity and Pathology
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Insect Immunity and Pathology

A special issue of Insects (ISSN 2075-4450).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 January 2020) | Viewed by 26847

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jose L. Ramirez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, USD-ARS, Peoria, IL 61604, USA
Interests: multipartite host-pathogen molecular interactions; arthropod-borne pathogen systems; microbe-based biopesticides, insect immunity and arbovirology
Dr. Ana Beatriz Barletta Ferreira

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
Interests: vector-borne diseases; biochemistry and molecular biology of host-parasite interactions; invertebrate innate immunity against parasites and viruses
Dr. Thiago Luiz Alves da Silva

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20852, USA
Interests: vector-borne diseases; biochemistry and molecular biology of host-parasite interactions; mechanisms of evasion of host immune responses

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The advancement of genomics has accelerated our understanding of insect immunity in relation to host–pathogen interactions. In particular, research in insect immunity has provided a wealth of information on the mechanisms of parasite infection, pathogen recognition, host susceptibility, immune priming, innate immune memory, and tolerance. This has allowed us to have a better understanding of vector–pathogen systems and has led to the development of novel strategies to control vector-borne diseases. This Special Issue of Insects will include original research articles and reviews in insect immunity. Articles will focus on host–parasite–microbiota interactions, immune system interactions with other physiological systems, entomopathogen susceptibility, and the integration of immunological concepts into the development of insect control approaches.

Dr. Jose L. Ramirez
Dr. Ana Beatriz Barletta Ferreira
Dr. Thiago Luiz Alves e Silva
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Insects is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • insect innate immunity
  • host-pathogen interactions
  • insect pathology
  • entomopathogens
  • arbovirus-insect interactions
  • fungi-insect interactions
  • immunity of insect symbiosis

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 1669 KiB  
Article
Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) Immune Responses with Different Feeding Regimes Following Infection by the Entomopathogenic Fungus Metarhizium anisopliae
by Sara Cabral, Adriano de Paula, Richard Samuels, Rodrigo da Fonseca, Simone Gomes, José Roberto Silva and Flávia Mury
Insects 2020, 11(2), 95; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects11020095 - 01 Feb 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3089
Abstract
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the most notorious vector of illness-causing viruses. The use of entomopathogenic fungi as bioinsecticides is a promising alternative for the development of novel mosquito control strategies. We investigate whether differences in immune responses could be responsible for modifications [...] Read more.
The mosquito Aedes aegypti is the most notorious vector of illness-causing viruses. The use of entomopathogenic fungi as bioinsecticides is a promising alternative for the development of novel mosquito control strategies. We investigate whether differences in immune responses could be responsible for modifications in survival rates of insects following different feeding regimes. Sucrose and blood-fed adult A. aegypti females were sprayed with M. anisopliae 1 × 106 conidia mL−1, and after 48 h, the midgut and fat body were dissected. We used RT-qPCR to monitor the expression of Cactus and REL1 (Toll pathway), IMD, REL2, and Caspar (IMD pathway), STAT and PIAS (JAK-STAT pathway), as well as the expression of antimicrobial peptides (Defensin A, Attacin and Cecropin G). REL1 and REL2 expression in both the midgut and fat body were higher in blood-fed fungus-challenged A. aegypti than in sucrose-fed counterparts. Interestingly, infection of sucrose-fed insects induced Cactus expression in the fat body, a negative regulator of the Toll pathway. The IMD gene was upregulated in the fat body in response to fungal infection after a blood meal. Additionally, we observed the induction of antimicrobial peptides in the blood-fed fungus-challenged insects. This study suggests that blood-fed A. aegypti are less susceptible to fungal infection due to the rapid induction of Toll and IMD immune pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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13 pages, 1221 KiB  
Article
Comparative Proteomic Analysis Reveals Immune Competence in Hemolymph of Bombyx mori Pupa Parasitized by Silkworm Maggot Exorista sorbillans
by Ping-Zhen Xu, Mei-Rong Zhang, Li Gao, Yang-Chun Wu, He-Ying Qian, Gang Li and An-Ying Xu
Insects 2019, 10(11), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10110413 - 18 Nov 2019
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2723
Abstract
The silkworm maggot, Exorista sorbillans, is a well-known larval endoparasitoid of the silkworm Bombyx mori that causes considerable damage to the silkworm cocoon crop. To gain insights into the response mechanism of the silkworm at the protein level, we applied a comparative [...] Read more.
The silkworm maggot, Exorista sorbillans, is a well-known larval endoparasitoid of the silkworm Bombyx mori that causes considerable damage to the silkworm cocoon crop. To gain insights into the response mechanism of the silkworm at the protein level, we applied a comparative proteomic approach to investigate proteomic differences in the hemolymph of the female silkworm pupae parasitized by E. sorbillans. In total, 50 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were successfully identified, of which 36 proteins were upregulated and 14 proteins were downregulated in response to parasitoid infection. These proteins are mainly involved in disease, energy metabolism, signaling pathways, and amino acid metabolism. Eight innate immune proteins were distinctly upregulated to resist maggot parasitism. Apoptosis-related proteins of cathepsin B and 14-3-3 zeta were significantly downregulated in E. sorbillans-parasitized silkworm pupae; their downregulation induces apoptosis. Quantitative PCR was used to further verify gene transcription of five DEPs, and the results are consistent at the transcriptional and proteomic levels. This was the first report on identification of possible proteins from the E. bombycis-parasitized silkworms at the late stage of parasitism, which contributes to furthering our understanding of the response mechanism of silkworms to parasitism and dipteran parasitoid biology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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17 pages, 2151 KiB  
Article
Exposure of Larvae of the Solitary Bee Osmia bicornis to the Honey Bee Pathogen Nosema ceranae Affects Life History
by Kathrin Bramke, Uta Müller, Dino P. McMahon and Jens Rolff
Insects 2019, 10(11), 380; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10110380 - 31 Oct 2019
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 3865
Abstract
Wild bees are important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops and they are threatened by several environmental stressors including emerging pathogens. Honey bees have been suggested as a potential source of pathogen spillover. One prevalent pathogen that has recently emerged as a [...] Read more.
Wild bees are important pollinators of wild plants and agricultural crops and they are threatened by several environmental stressors including emerging pathogens. Honey bees have been suggested as a potential source of pathogen spillover. One prevalent pathogen that has recently emerged as a honey bee disease is the microsporidian Nosema ceranae. While the impacts of N. ceranae in honey bees are well documented, virtually nothing is known about its effects in solitary wild bees. The solitary mason bee Osmia bicornis is a common pollinator in orchards and amenable to commercial management. Here, we experimentally exposed larvae of O. bicornis to food contaminated with N. ceranae and document spore presence during larval development. We measured mortality, growth parameters, and timing of pupation in a semi-field experiment. Hatched individuals were assessed for physiological state including fat body mass, wing muscle mass, and body size. We recorded higher mortality in the viable-spore-exposed group but could only detect a low number of spores among the individuals of this treatment. Viable-spore-treated individuals with higher head capsule width had a delayed pupation start. No impact on the physiological status could be detected in hatched imagines. Although we did not find overt evidence of O. bicornis infection, our findings indicate that exposure of larvae to viable N. ceranae spores could affect bee development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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15 pages, 3880 KiB  
Article
Hemocyte Changes During Immune Melanization in Bombyx Mori Infected with Escherichia coli
by Tian Li, Dengfeng Yan, Xiaohui Wang, Liang Zhang and Ping Chen
Insects 2019, 10(9), 301; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10090301 - 16 Sep 2019
Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5421
Abstract
Hemolymph melanization is a conserved immune response in insects and other arthropods. However, the physiological process of the hemolymph system in the melanization response is hardly studied. Here, alterations of hemocytes in immune melanization were observed by Escherichia coli infection in Bombyx mori [...] Read more.
Hemolymph melanization is a conserved immune response in insects and other arthropods. However, the physiological process of the hemolymph system in the melanization response is hardly studied. Here, alterations of hemocytes in immune melanization were observed by Escherichia coli infection in Bombyx mori. Results first showed that there were cells aggregating into clusters. However, it vanished, and only part of clustered hemocytes were melanized during the period of intense immunity. The hemocyte numbers immediately decreased following an immune challenge, slowly increased to a peak, then reduced and finally returned to normalization. Granulocytes participated in cells aggregation at the early and later immune stage, while plasmatocytes were responsible for hemocytes agglomerate and melanization for the longest time, and more oenocytoids appeared at the peak stage of melanization. Moreover, hemocytes played a crucial role in resisting invasion of pathogens by agglomerate and melanization, and the circulatory system maintained higher hemocyte numbers and stronger antibacterial activity in fifth than fourth instar larvae after infection. In vitro immune melanization was most likely preferentially implemented in an independent process. These were the main characteristics reflecting the physiological process of hemolymph immune melanization, which provided an important foundation for further study of the complete mechanisms in the immunity of silkworm. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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19 pages, 3262 KiB  
Article
In Vivo Effects of A Pro-PO System Inhibitor on the Phagocytosis of Xenorhabdus Nematophila in Galleria Mellonella Larvae
by Andrea De Lerma Barbaro, Marzia B. Gariboldi, Maristella Mastore, Maurizio F. Brivio and Stefano Giovannardi
Insects 2019, 10(9), 263; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10090263 - 22 Aug 2019
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3464
Abstract
Xenorhabdus nematophila is a Gram-negative bacterium symbiont of the entomopathogen nematode Steinernema carpocapsae whose immunosuppressive properties over host’s immune response have been thoroughly investigated. In particular, live X. nematophila actively impairs phagocytosis in host’s hemocytes through the secretion of inhibitors of eicosanoids synthesis. [...] Read more.
Xenorhabdus nematophila is a Gram-negative bacterium symbiont of the entomopathogen nematode Steinernema carpocapsae whose immunosuppressive properties over host’s immune response have been thoroughly investigated. In particular, live X. nematophila actively impairs phagocytosis in host’s hemocytes through the secretion of inhibitors of eicosanoids synthesis. In this article we have investigated the cell surface structural features of X. nematophila responsible for the elusion from phagocytosis. To this end we have studied the uptake of heat-killed (hk), fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled X. nematophila by phagocytes from both a host insect and a mammalian species. In vitro dead X. nematophila passively resists engulfment by insect hemocytes without impairing the phagocytosis machinery whereas, unexpectedly, in vivo a significant phagocytosis of dead X. nematophila was observed. X. nematophila in vivo phagocytosis was increased by the co-injection of the specific inhibitor of pro-phenoloxidase (PO) system phenylthiourea (PTU), even if these effects were not observed in in vitro tests. Furthermore, biochemical modifications of X. nematophila cell wall implement in vivo phagocytosis, suggesting that this bacterium avoid phagocytosis because the ligand of phagocytic receptors is somehow buried or disguised in the cell wall. Finally, dead X. nematophila escapes engulfment even by human phagocytes suggesting that X. nematophila could be a useful model to investigate escape from phagocytosis by mammalian macrophages. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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20 pages, 5508 KiB  
Article
Molecular Cloning and Expression Analysis of Three Suppressors of Cytokine Signaling Genes (SOCS5, SOCS6, SOCS7) in the Mealworm Beetle Tenebrio molitor
by Bharat Bhusan Patnaik, Bo Bae Kim, Yong Hun Jo and In Seok Bang
Insects 2019, 10(3), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects10030076 - 16 Mar 2019
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3456
Abstract
Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) influence cytokine and growth factor signaling by negatively regulating the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway to maintain homeostasis during immune responses. However, functional characterization of SOCS family members in invertebrates is limited. Here, [...] Read more.
Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) influence cytokine and growth factor signaling by negatively regulating the Janus kinase (JAK)-signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) pathway to maintain homeostasis during immune responses. However, functional characterization of SOCS family members in invertebrates is limited. Here, we identified and evaluated three SOCS genes (type I sub-family) in the mealworm beetle Tenebrio molitor. The full-length open reading frames (ORFs) of TmSOCS5, TmSOCS6, and TmSOCS7 comprised of 1389, 897, and 1458 nucleotides, encoding polypeptides of 462, 297, and 485 amino acids, respectively. The SH2 and SOCS box domains of the TmSOCS C-terminal region were highly conserved. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these SOCS genes were clustered within the type I subfamily that exhibits the highest amino acid identity with Tribolium castaneum SOCS genes. Contrary to TmSOCS7 expression, the expression levels of TmSOCS5 and TmSOCS6 were lower in the larval, pupal, and adult stages. In larvae and adults, the expression levels of TmSOCS5 and TmSOCS6 were highest in the hemocytes and ovaries, respectively. SOCS transcripts were also highly upregulated in the hemocytes of T. molitor larvae within 3–6 h post-infection with the fungus Candida albicans. Collectively, these results provide valuable information regarding the involvement of TmSOCS type-I subfamily in the host immune response of insects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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8 pages, 868 KiB  
Article
Effect of Different Light Spectrum in Helicoverpa armigera Larvae during HearNPV Induced Tree-Top Disease
by Mandira Katuwal Bhattarai, Upendra Raj Bhattarai, Ji-nian Feng and Dun Wang
Insects 2018, 9(4), 183; https://doi.org/10.3390/insects9040183 - 04 Dec 2018
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4092
Abstract
Lepidopteran larvae upon infection by baculovirus show positive photo-tactic movement during tree-top disease. In light of many insects exploiting specific spectral information for the different behavioral decision, each spectral wavelength of light is an individual parsimonious candidate for such behavior stimulation. Here, we [...] Read more.
Lepidopteran larvae upon infection by baculovirus show positive photo-tactic movement during tree-top disease. In light of many insects exploiting specific spectral information for the different behavioral decision, each spectral wavelength of light is an individual parsimonious candidate for such behavior stimulation. Here, we investigated the responses of third instar Helicoverpa armigera larvae infected by Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearNPV) to white (broad-spectrum), blue (450–490 nm), UVA (320–400 nm), and UVB (290–320 nm) lights for the tree-top disease. Our findings suggest that tree-top phenomenon is induced only when the light is applied from above. Blue, white and UVA lights from above induced tree-top disease, causing infected larvae to die in an elevated position compared to those larvae living in the complete dark. In contrast, UVB from above did not induce tree-top disease. Blue light exerted the maximum photo-tactic response, significantly (p < 0.01) higher than white light. The magnitude of the response decreased with decreasing wavelength to UVA, and no response at UVB. Our results suggested that the spectral wavelength of the light has a significant effect on the induction of the tree-top disease in H. armigera third instar larvae infected with HearNPV. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Insect Immunity and Pathology)
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