The Role of Heat Shock Proteins in Insect Stress Response, Immunity, and Climate Adaptation.

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) play a key role in enhancing insect resilience to abiotic and biotic stresses by preserving cellular integrity and modulating immune responses. This review summarizes the main functions of HSPs in insects, including protein stabilization, interaction with antioxidant systems, and involvement in the innate immune response. The expression of HSPs under environmental conditions reflects their evolutionary adaptation to various stressors, including thermal changes, chemical exposure, and pathogens.

Trace elements and POPs in baitfish from Madagascar: Implications for whale shark and human exposure.

The rapid increase of human activities is threatening the ocean biodiversity, with marine vertebrates, particularly elasmobranchs, facing higher extinction risks. Among them, the whale shark (Rhincodon typus), an endangered migratory filter-feeding species, is threated by multiple anthropogenic pressures, including marine pollution. This study focuses on determining the presence and levels of legacy contaminants (PCBs, DDT) and trace elements (TEs) in baitfish, a primary prey species of whale sharks in Madagascar, and assessing the potential risks to whale sharks and humans through the consumption of contaminated baitfish (Sardinella gibbosa).

Sex-dependent alteration of the enteric neuromuscular function after antibiotic-induced dysbiosis in juvenile mice and effect of Lactocaseibacillus rhamnosus GG.

Perturbations of the gastrointestinal (GI) microbiota (i.e. dysbiosis) in early life may induce vulnerability of the enteric nervous system (ENS), contributing to early onset GI disorders, such as irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).

The Expression Levels of Heat Shock Protein 90 (HSP90) in Following Infection with the Entomopathogenic Nematode and Its Symbiotic Bacteria .

Heat shock proteins (HSPs), particularly HSP90, play a vital role in insect responses to environmental and biotic stresses by maintaining protein stability and supporting immune defenses. This study explores HSP90 regulation in larvae following exposure to the nematode and its symbiotic bacterium . Exposure to live nematodes caused slight changes in HSP90 expression, while non-viable nematodes had no effect, suggesting that nematode secretions or symbiotic bacteria do not directly influence HSP90 levels.

Optimization of Experimental Infection of the Animal Model Linnaeus 1758 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) with the Gram-Positive Bacterium .

The aim of this work was to develop an experimental protocol for the infection of with Gram-positive bacteria. Some physiological characteristics of these insects are comparable to those of vertebrates, therefore allowing the replacement of mammals in the preclinical phases of drug development. Linnaeus 1758 (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) is accepted as an alternative model for the study of infectious diseases.