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Host response

PO-faced response to SFV

Nature Reviews Microbiology volume 11, pages 4–5 (2013)Cite this article

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U4.4 cells infected with Egf1.0-expressing virus at a low multiplicity of infection ... exhibited a substantial increase in the spread and rate of infection

The PO cascade is an extracellular pathway in insects that is triggered by certain pathogen-associated molecular patterns and consists of a cascade of clip-domain serine proteases that lead to processing of the zymogen pro-PO to produce active PO. When activated, PO converts monophenolic and diphenolic compounds into quinones, which undergo further reactions to produce cytotoxic intermediates and, ultimately, melanin, which has been shown to encapsulate certain pathogens. To determine whether arboviruses activate the PO cascade, the authors began by investigating whether growth medium conditioned with the U4.4 cell line from Aedes albopictus became melanized following exposure to either SFV or Escherichia coli. Using a spectrophotometric assay, the authors observed an increase in PO activity following exposure to each microorganism. They also found that SFV viability decreased substantially following incubation in U4.4-conditioned medium, suggesting that the PO cascade had antiviral activity.

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ORIGINAL RESEARCH PAPER

  1. Rodriguez-Andres, J. et al. Phenoloxidase activity acts as a mosquito innate immune response against infection with Semliki Forest virus. PLoS Pathog. 8, e1002977 (2012)

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  1. Andrew Jermy
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Jermy, A. PO-faced response to SFV. Nat Rev Microbiol 11, 4–5 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro2933

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