The presence and effects of mammalian signal molecules in immunocytes of the insect Leucophaea maderae

Cell and Tissue Research
B ScharrerG B Stefano

Abstract

Opioid peptides activate immunocytes and opiate alkaloids inhibit this activation in the mussel, Mytilus edulis. Here we present evidence that cells of another invertebrate, Leucophaea maderae, can be influenced in a similar way by the Met-enkephalin analogue D-Ala2-Met5-enkephalin (DAMA) and morphine. Effects of different signal molecules on Leucophaea hemocytes were evaluated by computer-assisted image analysis of their conformational state. A small percentage of the untreated cells were found to display spontaneous conformational changes after 25 min of incubation without pharmacological agents which was noted as a decrease in both circularity factor and shape factor values. Activation caused the cells to become elliptical, a feature that appears to be characteristic of Leucophaea immunocytes. Administration of DAMA induced a similar activation of most of the cells. After 30 min these DAMA-activated cells started to display distinct locomotory activity not seen in the controls. alpha-Melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH, 10(-7)) added to the incubation medium after DAMA-activation caused the cells to return to their original "rounded" conformation. In addition, the presence of immunoreactive interleukin (IL-1), adrenocorticot...Continue Reading

Citations

Oct 17, 2001·Developmental and Comparative Immunology·B G Magor, K E Magor
Jun 24, 2003·Developmental and Comparative Immunology·J ZouC J Secombes
May 23, 2015·Medical Science Monitor : International Medical Journal of Experimental and Clinical Research·George B Stefano, Richard M Kream
Aug 8, 2006·Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience Reviews·Shelley A Adamo
Oct 12, 2012·Cell and Tissue Research·Annalisa GrimaldiMagda de Eguileor

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