Gcm alleviates the inflammatory phenotype induced by Toll activation in Drosophila hemocytes

Hemocytes, the myeloid-like immune cells of Drosophila, fulfil a variety of functions that are not completely understood, ranging from phagocytosis to transduction of inflammatory signals. We here show that downregulating the hemocyte-specific Glide/Gcm transcription factor enhances the inflammatory response to the constitutive activation of the Toll pathway. This correlates with lower levels of glutathione S transferase, suggesting an implication of Glide/Gcm in ROS signaling and calling for a widespread anti-inflammatory potential of Glide/Gcm. We show the expression of neurotransmitter receptors in hemocytes and that Toll activation affects their expressions, disclosing a novel aspect of the inflammatory response mediated by neurotransmitters. Finally, we provide evidence for acetylcholine receptor nAchRalpha6 regulating hemocyte proliferation. Altogether, this study provides new insights on the molecular pathways involved in the inflammatory response.