Molecular evidence for the expression of angiotensin converting enzyme in hemocytes of Locusta migratoria: stimulation by bacterial lipopolysaccharide challenge.

Journal article

The presence of angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) in insects has been reported many times, but numerous questions about the functional role of this enzyme in insects remain. Here we show by RT-PCR experiments that ACE has a wide tissue distribution in Locusta migratoria, suggesting diverse roles for this enzyme in the locust. Immune challenge through injection of bacterial lipopolysaccharides resulted in a tenfold increase of ACE gene transcripts in the hemocytes and is suggestive for a role of ACE in the cellular defense of the locust. However, phenotypic knockout experiments with the ACE inhibitor captopril showed that ACE is not essential for the efficient clearance of injected E. coli bacteria.

Authors: Macours, N; Hens, K; Francis, C; De Loof, A; Huybrechts, R

• Journal: Journal of insect physiology
• Volume: 49
• Issue: 8
• Pages: 739-746
• Publication date: 2003-08-01
• DOI: 10.1016/s0022-1910(03)00110-0
• EISSN: 1879-1611
• ISSN: 0022-1910
• Language: English
• Keywords: Hemocytes; Transcription, Genetic; Captopril; Lipopolysaccharides; Grasshoppers; RNA, Messenger; Amino Acid Sequence; Molecular Sequence Data; Renin; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Sequence Alignment; Escherichia coli; Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; Animals