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Hereditas(Beijing) ›› 2025, Vol. 47 ›› Issue (6): 636-649.doi: 10.16288/j.yczz.24-282

• Review • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Progress on the role of eicosanoids in insect immunity

Yimin Zhao1(), Ruixuan Li1(), Ziyi Qin1, Yong Wang1,2()   

  1. 1. College of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Shenyang Agricultural University, Shenyang 110866, China
    2. Insect Resource Innovation Center for Professional Technology of Liaoning Province, Shenyang 110866, China
  • Received:2024-09-26 Revised:2024-12-22 Online:2025-06-20 Published:2025-02-13
  • Contact: Yong Wang E-mail:zhaoyimin19991007@163.com;lirx0412@163.com;yongwang216@163.com
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31902213);Earmarked Fund for China Agricultural Research System(CARS-18);Major Science and Technology Projects of Liaoning Province(2024JH1/11700009)

Abstract:

Eicosanoids are synthesized from arachidonic acid, which are oxygenated metabolites of C20 polyunsaturated fatty acids through cyclooxygenases (COXs) or lipoxygenases (LOXs). Eicosanoids include prostaglandins (PGs), thromboxanes (TXs), epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) and leukotrienes (LTs), etc. Eicosanoids mediate a number of physiological processes in insects, such as Malpighian tubule and ovary development, or immune response. They play the important roles in regulating cellular immune processes to clear bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses by hemocytes and the humoral immune pathways. In this review, we summarize the pathways of eicosanoids synthesis, different types of insect immune response and relationship between eicosanoids and humoral immune system. Understanding the role of eicosanoids in insect immune system, and key enzymes or inhibitors in the pathway of eicosanoids synthesis, will provide theoretical guide for the research in pathogen and insects interaction.

Key words: eicosanoids, insect immunity, arachidonic acid, prostaglandins, immune mediators