JAK/STAT signaling in Drosophila muscles controls the cellular immune response against parasitoid infection

EMBO Rep. 2015 Dec;16(12):1664-72. doi: 10.15252/embr.201540277. Epub 2015 Sep 27.

Abstract

The role of JAK/STAT signaling in the cellular immune response of Drosophila is not well understood. Here, we show that parasitoid wasp infection activates JAK/STAT signaling in somatic muscles of the Drosophila larva, triggered by secretion of the cytokines Upd2 and Upd3 from circulating hemocytes. Deletion of upd2 or upd3, but not the related os (upd1) gene, reduced the cellular immune response, and suppression of the JAK/STAT pathway in muscle cells reduced the encapsulation of wasp eggs and the number of circulating lamellocyte effector cells. These results suggest that JAK/STAT signaling in muscles participates in a systemic immune defense against wasp infection.

Keywords: Drosophila; JAK/STAT signaling; innate immunity; muscles.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Drosophila / genetics
  • Drosophila / immunology*
  • Drosophila / parasitology*
  • Drosophila Proteins / genetics
  • Drosophila Proteins / metabolism*
  • Hemocytes / immunology
  • Host-Parasite Interactions
  • Immunity, Cellular*
  • Immunity, Innate
  • Janus Kinase 1 / metabolism
  • Janus Kinases / genetics
  • Janus Kinases / metabolism*
  • Larva / genetics
  • Larva / immunology
  • Larva / parasitology
  • Muscles / metabolism
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • STAT Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Signal Transduction* / immunology
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Wasps

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Drosophila Proteins
  • STAT Transcription Factors
  • Transcription Factors
  • Upd2 protein, Drosophila
  • Upd3 protein, Drosophila
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • Janus Kinase 1
  • Janus Kinases