| Summary: | During phylogenesis different types of immunocytes such as amoebocytes and eleocytes have developed in earthworms to defend the host against microbial pathogens. Previously we applied a cell sorting-based approach to untangle the morphological and functional properties of these aforementioned coelomocyte subsets. In order to compare their constitutive gene expression patterns, cell-sorting was performed and followed by semiquantitative RT-PCR in the distinct, separated coelomocyte subpopulations of unmanipulated Eisenia andrei earthworms. We targeted a variety of genes with diverse functions ranging from pattern recognition through intracellular signaling to oxidative stress. Several immune-related genes (CCF, TLR, lumbricin, LuRP, MyD88) were only manifested in the amoebocytes. In contrast, other immune response genes (lysozyme, lysenin), lysosomal hydrolases (cathepsin L and cathepsin C) and cystatin B were expressed in both subpopulations. In addition, cell signaling molecules (MyD88, PKC1) and oxidative stress-related genes (Cu/ZnSOD, MnSOD) were mainly observed in amoebocytes, while other stress-related genes (Cd-metallothionein, catalase) were apparent in both subsets. We conclude that these characteristic differences of the molecular signatures manifest in the functional heterogeneity of distinct coelomocyte subtypes.
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