Stilbenoid compounds inhibit NF-κB-mediated inflammatory responses in the intestine.

Introduction: Stilbenoid compounds have been described to have anti-inflammatory properties in animal models , and have been shown to inhibit Ca2+-influx through the transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 (TrpA1).

Methods: To study how stilbenoid compounds affect inflammatory signaling , we have utilized the fruit fly, , as a model system. To induce intestinal inflammation in the fly, we have fed flies with the intestinal irritant dextran sodium sulphate (DSS).

Drosophila caspases as guardians of host-microbe interactions.

An intact cell death machinery is not only crucial for successful embryonic development and tissue homeostasis, but participates also in the defence against pathogens and contributes to a balanced immune response. Centrally involved in the regulation of both cell death and inflammatory immune responses is the evolutionarily conserved family of cysteine proteases named caspases. The Drosophila melanogaster genome encodes for seven caspases, several of which display dual functions, participating in apoptotic signalling and beyond.

Core@shell structured ceria@mesoporous silica nanoantibiotics restrain bacterial growth in vitro and in vivo.

Due to its modular and flexible design options, mesoporous silica provides ample opportunities when developing new strategies for combinatory antibacterial treatments. In this study, antibacterial ceria (CeO) nanoparticles (NP) were used as core material, and were further coated with a mesoporous silica shell (mSiO) to obtain a core@shell structured nanocomposite (CeO@mSiO). The porous silica shell was utilized as drug reservoir, whereby CeO@mSiO was loaded with the antimicrobial agent capsaicin (CeO@mSiO/Cap).

M1-linked ubiquitination facilitates NF-κB activation and survival during sterile inflammation.

Methionine 1 (M1)-linked ubiquitination plays a key role in the regulation of inflammatory nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signalling and is important for clearance of pathogen infection in Drosophila melanogaster. M1-linked ubiquitin (M1-Ub) chains are assembled by the linear ubiquitin E3 ligase (LUBEL) in flies. Here, we have studied the role of LUBEL in sterile inflammation induced by different types of cellular stresses.

Drice restrains Diap2-mediated inflammatory signalling and intestinal inflammation.

The Drosophila IAP protein, Diap2, is a key mediator of NF-κB signalling and innate immune responses. Diap2 is required for both local immune activation, taking place in the epithelial cells of the gut and trachea, and for mounting systemic immune responses in the cells of the fat body. We have found that transgenic expression of Diap2 leads to a spontaneous induction of NF-κB target genes, inducing chronic inflammation in the Drosophila midgut, but not in the fat body.

M1-linked ubiquitination by LUBEL is required for inflammatory responses to oral infection in Drosophila.

Post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination play a key role in regulation of inflammatory nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signalling. The Drosophila IκB kinase γ (IKKγ) Kenny is a central regulator of the Drosophila Imd pathway responsible for activation of the NF-κB Relish. We found the Drosophila E3 ligase and HOIL-1L interacting protein (HOIP) orthologue linear ubiquitin E3 ligase (LUBEL) to catalyse formation of M1-linked linear ubiquitin (M1-Ub) chains in flies in a signal-dependent manner upon bacterial infection.

Generating Germ-Free Drosophila to Study Gut-Microbe Interactions: Protocol to Rear Drosophila Under Axenic Conditions.

As several diseases have been linked to dysbiosis of the human intestinal microflora, manipulation of the microbiota has emerged as an exciting new strategy for potentially treating and preventing diseases. However, the human microbiota consists of a plethora of different species, and distinguishing the impact of a specific bacterial species on human health is challenging. In tackling this challenge, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, with its far simpler microbial composition, has emerged as a powerful model for unraveling host-microbe interactions.