• International Journal of Stem Cells
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.51-58
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• 2024

With the activity of intestinal stem cells and continuous turnover, the gut epithelium is one of the most dynamic tissues in animals. Due to its simple yet conserved tissue structure and enteric cell composition as well as advanced genetic and histologic techniques, Drosophila serves as a valuable model system for investigating the regulation of intestinal stem cells. The Drosophila gut epithelium is in constant contact with indigenous microbiota and encounters externally introduced "non-self" substances, including foodborne pathogens. Therefore, in addition to its role in digestion and nutrient absorption, another essential function of the gut epithelium is to control the expansion of microbes while maintaining its structural integrity, necessitating a tissue turnover process involving intestinal stem cell activity. As a result, the microbiome and pathogens serve as important factors in regulating intestinal tissue turnover. In this manuscript, I discuss crucial discoveries revealing the interaction between gut microbes and the host's innate immune system, closely associated with the regulation of intestinal stem cell proliferation and differentiation, ultimately contributing to epithelial homeostasis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.10
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• pp.637-653
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• 2023

The physiology of most organisms, including Drosophila, is heavily influenced by their interactions with certain types of commensal bacteria. Acetobacter and Lactobacillus, two of the most representative Drosophila commensal bacteria, have stimulatory effects on host larval development and growth. However, how these effects are related to host immune activity remains largely unknown. Here, we show that the Drosophila development-promoting effects of commensal bacteria are suppressed by host immune activity. Mono-association of germ-free Drosophila larvae with Acetobacter pomorum stimulated larval development, which was accelerated when host immune deficiency (IMD) pathway genes were mutated. This phenomenon was not observed in the case of mono-association with Lactobacillus plantarum. Moreover, the mutation of Toll pathway, which constitutes the other branch of the Drosophila immune pathway, did not accelerate A. pomorum-stimulated larval development. The mechanism of action of the IMD pathway-dependent effects of A. pomorum did not appear to involve previously known host mechanisms and bacterial metabolites such as gut peptidase expression, acetic acid, and thiamine, but appeared to involve larval serum proteins. These findings may shed light on the interaction between the beneficial effects of commensal bacteria and host immune activity.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2001

To understand the late gut development and differentiation, identification and characterization of target genes of homeotic genes involved in gut development are required. We have previously reported that homeodomain proteins can regulate expression of the cell proliferation-related genes. We investigated here the expression of the Drosophila proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA) and E2F(dE2F) genes in larval and adult guts using transgenic flies bearing lacz reporter genes. Both PCNA and dE2F genes were expressed strongly in whole regions of the larval and adult guts including the esophagus, proventriculus, midgut and hindgut, showing higher expression in foregut and hindgut imaginal rings of larva. Nitric Oxide(NO) has been known to be involved in cell proliferation and tumor growth and also to have an antiproliferative activity. Therefore, we also investigated effects of NO on the expression of PCNA and dE2F genes in gut through analyses of lacz reporter expression level in the SNP (NO donor)-treated larval guts. Expressions of both PCNA and dE2F were greatly declined by SNP. The inhibitory effect of NO was shown in whole regions of the gut, especially in hindgut, while the internal region of proventriculus, esophagus, foregut imaginal ring and hindgut imaginal ring was resistant. Our results suggest that this inhibitory effect may be related with the antiproliferative activity of NO.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.621-626
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• 2012

$Drosophila$ $melanogaster$ has been used as a useful model to study development and disease. In this study, we established the primary culture method of $Drosophila$ in the intestine to understand how intestinal stem cells (ISCs) mediate tissue repair during infection and disease. To obtain intestinal cells, we separated intestines from adult flies and isolated single cells by enzymatic treatment. The survival of cultured cells was measured using MTS-analysis. The maximum growth rate of the cells was observed on the 9th day after seeding. In addition, the presence of ISCs and enteroendocrine cells was confirmed by delta and prospero staining. Accordingly, we supposed that $Drosophila$ $melanogaster$ gut cells established in this study are probably useful in studies about intestinal stem cell regulation and various diseases occurring in the intestine.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.68.1-68.1
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• 2007

See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.241.2-241
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• 2000

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2006.09a
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• pp.72.2-72.2
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• 2006