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Comparison of cellular encapsulation with nematodes in two lepidopteran insects

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Abstract

Encapsulation is an effective cellular immunity feature in insects, but the mechanism by which hemocytes recognize and encapsulate invading nematodes remains unclear. In addition, insect susceptibility to nematodes differs, indicating differences in immunity. We compared cellular encapsulation with non-parasitic and parasitic nematodes in two lepidopteran insects in vivo and ex vivo. The percentage of the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans (Maupas) (Rhabditida: Rhabditidae) encapsulated following injection into Galleria mellonella Linnaeus (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) larvae in vivo was low, whereas most larvae were encapsulated in Mythimna separata walker (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Similarly, the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae) was rarely encapsulated in G. mellonella, but > 50% were encapsulated in M. separata. Adhesion of G. mellonella hemocytes on the surface of live C. elegans was infrequently observed ex vivo, whereas dead nematodes were partially covered with hemocytes. A significantly higher percentage of live nematodes was covered with hemocytes in M. separata in the presence and absence of insect plasma compared with G. mellonella. These results indicate that there is a difference in immunity against nematodes between the two insects and that the difference largely depends on the capabilities of the hemocytes.

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Funding

This study was funded by Challenging Exploratory Reserch (Grant No. 23658051) and Scientific Research (Grant No. 18K05676).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Applied Biological Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Saga University, Saga, Japan

    Masaya Ono, Chisato Arimatsu, Ayane Kakinoki, Kazusa Matsunaga & Toyoshi Yoshiga

  2. The United Graduate School of Agricultural Sciences, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan

    Masaya Ono & Toyoshi Yoshiga

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  1. Masaya Ono
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  2. Chisato Arimatsu
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  4. Kazusa Matsunaga
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Correspondence to Toyoshi Yoshiga.

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13355_2020_687_MOESM1_ESM.pdf

Supplement 1. Modified Baermann method. A) Components for separation of nematodes. Lid of a 50 ml conical tube whose top was removed. A 50 ml conical tube that was cut at the center and the bottom part was removed. Two square-shaped pieces of Kimwipes (about 6 × 6 cm). B) Assembly: The Kimwipes pieces were placed at the top end of the 50 ml conical tube and fixed at the top with the lid of the conical tube. C) The assembled equipment was placed in a 100 ml beaker with 20 ml water. To sterilize the system, the equipment (C) was placed in a 50 ml glass beaker, and the beaker was wrapped with aluminum foil and autoclaved (120 °C, 1.2 atm, for 20 min) (PDF 2080 kb)

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Ono, M., Arimatsu, C., Kakinoki, A. et al. Comparison of cellular encapsulation with nematodes in two lepidopteran insects. Appl Entomol Zool 55, 337–344 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-020-00687-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13355-020-00687-6

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