Vertebrate interleukins originated in invertebrates?

Authors

  • S Gerber Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York - College at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY 11568-0210, USA
  • P Cadet Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York - College at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY 11568-0210, USA
  • M Sheehan Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York - College at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY 11568-0210, USA
  • G B Stefano Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York - College at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY 11568-0210, USA
  • J J Mantione Neuroscience Research Institute, State University of New York - College at Old Westbury, Old Westbury, NY 11568-0210, USA

Keywords:

mussel, Mytilus edulis, cytokines, microarray

Abstract

Previous studies have demonstrated that invertebrate immune and neural tissues contain
mammalian-like cytokines, which activate specific cellular functions. Therefore, it was of interest to
attempt to identify these molecules via Applied Biosystems Human Genome Survey Arrays. The array
was used to analyze the transcriptional profiles of Mytilus edulis RNA samples. The Applied
Biosystems Human Genome Survey Array contains 31,700 60-mer oligonucleotides probes
representing a set of 27, 868 individual human genes and more than 1,000 control probes. We show
interleukin-like and tumor necrosis factor-like genes among other cytokine-like genes significantly
expressed in this invertebrate tissue with a signal to noise value greater than 2. In morphine treated
tissue additional cytokine genes were expressed. These cytokine-like genes are directly related to
previously discovered molecules in invertebrates, suggesting that they first appeared earlier in
evolution.

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Published

2007-10-30

Issue

Vol. 4 No. 2 (2007)

Section

Research Reports