Search results for " Phenoloxidase"
showing 6 items of 6 documents
Are immune responses gender-related in Carabus lefebvrei (Coleoptera: Carabidae)?
2016
The “live hard, die young” theory predicts the evolution of gender differences in immunocompetence, with males having a weaker immune system than females. To test this hypothesis in Carabus lefebvrei, total and basal phenoloxidase (PO) activities and lysozyme-like enzyme activity were compared among males and females of different reproductive status. The sexual dimorphism occurred only in reproductively active adults and for total and basal PO levels, while no significant differences were recorded between sexes in virgin adults. Differences were not recorded for lytic activity between sexes. Basal PO and lytic activities decreased in both males and females after mating, while the total PO v…
In the ovary of Ciona intestinalis (Type A), immune-related galectin and phenoloxidase genes are differentially expressed by the follicle accessory c…
2017
Abstract Riboprobes (in situ hybridization) and antibodies (immunohistochemistry), previously used to show the upregulation of Ciona intestinalis (Type A) galectins (CiLgals-a, CiLgals-b) and phenoloxidase (CinPO2) immune-related genes, were tested on histological sections of the ovary. The ovarian follicles are composed of oocytes encased by follicular cells (FCs) and test cells (TCs). Results show the transcription upregulation of both CiLgals and CinPO2 genes in the vitellogenic FCs, conversely distinct cytolocalization of the proteins are shown. At vitellogenic stage, the CiLgals are localized in the FCs, in the oocyte cytoplasm, and close to the germinal vesicle (GV), whereas the CinPO…
The Expression of an Immune-Related Phenoloxidase Gene is Modulated in Ciona Intestinalis Ovary, Test Cells, Embryos and Larva
2015
Two distinct Ciona intestinalis phenoloxidases (CinPO1, 2) had previously been cloned and sequenced. The CinPO2 is involved in innate immunity and is expressed by inflammatory hemocytes that populate the tunic and pharynx vessels as a response to LPS inoculation. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry assays on histological section, showed that the expression of this gene and the produced protein are shared with oogenesis, embryogenesis and larval morphogenesis. Intriguingly, upregulation of gene transcription was found in the test cell layer that envelopes the ovary follicle, ovulated egg, and gastrula, as well as it was modulated in the zygotic nucleus of outer balstomers of 32-ce…
Phenoloxidases of different sizes are modulated by LPS inoculation into ciona intestinalis tunic and pharynx
2015
In the present study, to further characterize the pro-phenoloxidase (proPO) and active phenoloxidase (PO) involved in the Ciona intestinalis inflammatory response, tunic and pharynx homogenate supernatants were separated on high pressure liquid chromatography and fractions were assayed for the PO activity before and after LPS inoculation, as well as before and after trypsin treatment which activates proPO. The LPS inoculation per se did not significantly change the basal PO activity of the tunic homogenate supernatant (THS) and pharynx homogenate supernatant (PHS) restricted in two confluent peaks, whereas a significant enhancement was observable after the trypsin treatment. This trypsin ef…
Upregulated transcription of phenoloxidase genes in the pharynx and endostyle of Ciona intestinalis in response to LPS
2015
We investigated the role of phenoloxidases (POs) in ascidians inflammatory reaction, a components of a copper-containing protein family involved in invertebrate immune system. In Ciona intestinalis two phenoloxidases (CinPO-1, CinPO-2) have been sequenced. In the present study, real time PCR analysis showed that both CinPO-1 and CinPO-2 genes were modulated by LPS inoculation suggesting that they are inducible and highly expressed in the inflamed pharynx. In situ hybridization disclosed CinPO-1 and CinPO-2 transcripts in pharynx hemocytes (granulocytes) and, mainly, in unilocular refractile granulocytes (URG) which mainly populated the inflamed tunic matrix. Interestingly, the genes are als…
Gender-related variations in hemolymph parameters of Carabus lefebvrei (Coleoptera: Carabidae): HPLC analysis and phenoloxidase activity
2017
We characterized the enzymatic activity of basal and total phenoloxidase and HLPC and SDS- PAGE profiles in hemolymph of Carabus lefebvrei males and females at different reproductive status. The phenoloxidase activity was activated by trypsin and inhibited by phenoloxidase activity specific inhibitor phenylthiourea. Our results demonstrated that both in males and females, there were no significant differences in the basal phenoloxidase activity between reproductive and virgin beetles, while the total phenoloxidase activity increased significantly in virgin specimens. Thus, resources seem to be invested to increase the humoral response in pre-reproductive phase forming a barrier against path…