ANALYSIS OF IMMUNE DEFENSES OF THE WAX MOTH, GALLERIA-MELLONELLA, WITH ANTI-HEMOCYTIC MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODIES

The effects of anti-haemocyte monoclonal antibodies on the cellular de fence reactions of the wax moth, Galleria mellonella, were investigate d. One of these monoclonal antibodies, termed GM, reacted with a ca 10 0 kDa protein only found associated with the granular haemocytes. Bloc king of this protein with the monoclonal antibody caused a specific re duction in nodule formation, in the attachment of bacteria to granular haemocytes and in the adhesion of these cells to glass substrates. Ot her monoclonal antibodies with differing specificity had no effect on these processes. In contrast to the granule haemocytes, the adhesive a nd phagocytic properties of the plasmatocytes were apparently unaffect ed by the presence of the GM monoclonal antibody. The mechanism by whi ch these monoclonal antibodies inhibit the reactions of the granular h aemocytes is still unclear, although it is suggested that they act by blocking the activity of the 100 kDa protein during degranulation even ts of these cells following contact with foreign material. The similar ity of this protein with other adhesion-promoting molecules is discuss ed.