An invertebrate-specific miRNA targeted the ancient cholinergic neuroendocrine system of oyster

Acetylcholine (ACh) is the main neurotransmitter in the cholinergic neuroendocrine system and plays an indispensable role in modulating diverse immune responses. As important transporters in choline uptake, choline transporter-like proteins (CTLs) can control ACh synthesis and release indirectly in...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Open Biology
Main Authors: Chen, Hao, Zhou, Zhi, Wang, Lingling, Wang, Hao, Liu, Rui, Zhang, Huan, Song, Linsheng
Other Authors: Taishan Scholar Program of Shandong, the earmarked fund for Modern Agro-industry Technology Research System, National Natural Science Foundation of China
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: The Royal Society 2016
Subjects:
Crassostrea gigas
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsob.160059
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rsob.160059
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/full-xml/10.1098/rsob.160059
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Summary:Acetylcholine (ACh) is the main neurotransmitter in the cholinergic neuroendocrine system and plays an indispensable role in modulating diverse immune responses. As important transporters in choline uptake, choline transporter-like proteins (CTLs) can control ACh synthesis and release indirectly in multiple organisms. In this study, cgi-miR-2d, an invertebrate-specific miRNA in oyster Crassostrea gigas , is proved to repress the synthesis/release of ACh by targeting CgCTL1 and choline uptake in haemocytes during the early stage of pathogen infection. In short, an opposite expression pattern between CgCTL1 and cgi-miR-2d is observed during Vibrio splendidus infection, accompanied by changes in haemolymph ACh. In addition, the expression level of CgCTL1 is found to be significantly repressed after cgi-miR-2d overexpression in vivo , while both haemocyte choline and haemolymph ACh are also decreased simultaneously, similar to the finding in CgCTL1 knock-down assay. As a result, the expression of two tumour necrosis factor-like proteins and the bacteriostatic activity of oyster haemocytes are found to be altered significantly by either gain-of-function cgi-miR-2d or knock-down of CgCTL1. To our knowledge, this is the first miRNA identified in invertebrates that can target the ancient cholinergic system and augment immune response during infection.

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