Research progress of aphid immunity system: Potential effective target for green pest management

• Published in: Insect science Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 1662 - 1674
• Main Authors: Sun, Li‐Na, Meng, Jian‐Yu, Wang, Zeng, Lin, Shi‐Yang, Shen, Jie, Yan, Shuo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Australia Wiley Subscription Services, Inc 01.12.2024
• Subjects: Animals; Aphids - immunology; Cell-mediated immunity; cellular immunity; Genes; green pest management; Hemocytes; Humoral immunity; immune gene; immune signaling pathway; Immune system; Immunity, Cellular; Immunity, Humoral; Immunity, Innate; Innate immunity; Insect Control - methods; Insects; Introduced species; Microorganisms; Pest control; Pests; Phagocytosis; green pest management; humoral immunity; immune signaling pathway; immune gene; cellular immunity
• ISSN: 1672-9609; 1744-7917; 1744-7917
• DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13345

Due to the absence of acquired immunity, insects primarily rely on their innate immune system to resist pathogenic microorganisms and parasitoids in natural habitats. This innate immune system can be classified into cellular immunity and humoral immunity. Cellular immunity is mediated by hemocytes, which perform phagocytosis, aggregation, and encapsulation to fight against invaders, whereas the humoral immunity primarily activates the immune signaling pathways and induces the generation of immune effectors. Existing studies have revealed that the hemipteran aphids lack some crucial immune genes compared to other insect species, indicating the different immune mechanisms in aphids. The current review summarizes the adverse impacts of pathogenic microorganisms and parasitoids on aphids, introduces the cellular and humoral immune systems in insects, and analyzes the differences between aphids and other insect species. Furthermore, our review also discussed the existing prospects and challenges in aphid immunity research, and proposed the potential application of immune genes in green pest management. Aphid immune system for resisting pathogen infection. Two defensive barriers in aphids. The red arrows represent the first line of immunity defense, and the black arrows represent cellular immunity in the second line of defense.