U.S. - U.K. Cooperative Research: Studies of Reactive Oxygen Species in Insect Immunity

这个为期三年的奖项支持洛约拉大学的安东尼·纳皮和威尔士大学的诺曼·拉特克利夫在昆虫免疫和对寄生虫的抗性方面的美英合作研究。他们研究的目的是阐明昆虫产生的细胞毒性成分的性质，这些成分专门针对并摧毁昆虫的内寄生虫。这项研究将确定昆虫的免疫反应是否涉及增加细胞毒性活性氧物种(ROS)的产生，如超氧化物、过氧化氢、羟基自由基和一氧化氮。这些ROS分子的产生将在昆虫寄主-寄生虫系统中进行监测：果蝇、黑腹果蝇和寄生虫--线虫黄蜂、罗氏罗氏吸虫及其寄生虫--锥虫。这位美国研究人员为这项合作带来了活性氧分子方面的专业知识。英国研究人员在昆虫/宿主寄生虫系统方面的丰富经验补充了这一点。细胞毒性分子的鉴定和它们是如何产生的知识将提供关于昆虫免疫识别系统的基础知识。

9872603NappiThis three-year award supports US-UK collaborative research on insect immunity and resistance to parasites between Anthony Nappi of Loyola University and Norman Ratcliffe of the University of Wales. The objective of their research is to elucidate the nature of the cytotoxic components generated by insects that specifically target and destroy their endoparasites. The research will establish whether immune responses in insects involve the enhanced production of such cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) as superoxide, hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radical, and nitric oxide. The production of these ROS molecules will be monitored in insect host-parasite systems: Drosophila melanogaster and the parasite the cnynipid wasp, Leptopilina boulardi, and Rhodnius prolixus and its parasite, the protozoan Trypanosoma rangeli.The US investigator brings to this collaboration expertise in reactive oxygen molecules. This is complemented by the UK investigator's extensive experience with insect/host parasite systems. The identification of cytotoxic molecules and knowledge of how they are produced will provide fundamental knowledge about the immune recognition system in insects.