Drosophila muscles regulate the immune response against wasp infection via carbohydrate metabolism

Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 16;7(1):15713. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-15940-2.

Abstract

We recently found that JAK/STAT signaling in skeletal muscles is important for the immune response of Drosophila larvae against wasp infection, but it was not clear how muscles could affect the immune response. Here we show that insulin signaling is required in muscles, but not in fat body or hemocytes, during larval development for an efficient encapsulation response and for the formation of lamellocytes. This effect requires TOR signaling. We show that muscle tissue affects the immune response by acting as a master regulator of carbohydrate metabolism in the infected animal, via JAK/STAT and insulin signaling in the muscles, and that there is indirect positive feedback between JAK/STAT and insulin signaling in the muscles. Specifically, stimulation of JAK/STAT signaling in the muscles can rescue the deficient immune response when insulin signaling is suppressed. Our results shed new light on the interaction between metabolism, immunity, and tissue communication.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbohydrate Metabolism*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / immunology*
  • Drosophila melanogaster / metabolism
  • Drosophila melanogaster / parasitology*
  • Glycogen / metabolism
  • Insulin / metabolism
  • Janus Kinases / metabolism
  • Muscles / immunology*
  • Muscles / metabolism*
  • Muscles / parasitology
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt / metabolism
  • STAT Transcription Factors / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction
  • Wasps / physiology*

Substances

  • Insulin
  • STAT Transcription Factors
  • Glycogen
  • Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases
  • Janus Kinases
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt