CYTOKINES AND INVERTEBRATE IMMUNE-RESPONSES

A profound interrelationship between cytokines and invertebrate (mollu scs) immune responses has been reported. Different cytokines (IL-1 alp ha, IL-2 and TNF-alpha significantly stimulate molluscan hemocyte moti lity, increasing phagocytic activity and provoking the induction of ni tric oxide synthase. As far as cell motility is concerned, the respons e to different cytokines varied between species. These and other recen tly reported findings (Ottaviani et al (1994) FEES Lett 351, 19-21; Ot taviani et al (1995) Biochem Biophys Res Commun 207, 288-292) suggest that cytokines are important, ancestral, and functionally conserved mo lecules, which have also maintained their pleiotropicity, redundancy i n the mode of action, and high promiscuity of their receptors during e volution.