Expression of Human Mutant Huntingtin Protein in Drosophila Hemocytes Impairs Immune Responses.

ABSTRACT: The pathogenic effect of mutant HTT (mHTT) which causes Huntington disease (HD) are not restricted to nervous system. Such phenotypes include aberrant immune responses observed in the HD models. However, it is still unclear how this immune dysregulation influences the innate immune response against pathogenic infection. In the present study, we used transgenic Drosophila melanogaster expressing mutant HTT protein (mHTT) with hemocyte-specific drivers and examined the immune responses and hemocyte function. We found that mHTT expression in the hemocytes did not affect fly viability, but the numbers of circulating hemocytes were significantly decreased. Consequently, we observed that the expression of mHTT in the hemocytes compromised the immune responses including clot formation and encapsu

SUBMITTER: Lin YH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6805700 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature