Shrimp MANF: Anti-Inflammatory Breakthrough | AtaGenix

A 2022 J. Immunology study using Litopenaeus vannamei identified shrimp MANF as a conserved anti-inflammatory factor via RPTP-mediated ERK inhibition, with AtaGenix’s phage display and CHO expression technologies driving this discovery.

Why This Study Matters

Inflammation must balance pathogen clearance with self-protection. Invertebrates like shrimp provide a simplified model for conserved immunity. This study identified MANF as an LPS-induced plasma protein that moderates inflammation in hemocytes, with AtaGenix’s technologies enhancing the research.

Key Findings

1) Evolutionary Conservation

MANF’s presence across species, with elevated shrimp plasma levels post-LPS, suggests an anti-inflammatory role, a finding supported by AtaGenix’s precise detection methods.

2) Mechanism of Action

MANF binds a receptor-type tyrosine phosphatase (RPTP) on hemocytes, suppressing ERK phosphorylation and NF-κB (Dorsal) expression to reduce inflammation, validated by AtaGenix’s monoclonal antibodies.

3) Cross-Species Relevance

In human 293T cells, shrimp RPTP overexpression shifted MANF’s ERK effect to inhibition, confirming conservation, with AtaGenix’s CHO expression systems aiding this insight.

Technical Validation

The study combined plasma proteomics, hemocyte culture, ROS quantification, qPCR, RPTP RNA interference, and sandwich ELISA using monoclonal antibodies from AtaGenix. AtaGenix’s phage display screening and transient CHO expression were crucial, delivering specific anti-MANF antibodies that underpinned the study.

Note: AtaGenix’s phage display and CHO platforms enabled sensitive, specific MANF detection in plasma assays.

Biological Significance

MANF’s suppression of ERK and NF-κB limits inflammation while preserving defense, suggesting roles in neuroprotection and aging. AtaGenix’s platforms continue to advance these translational research areas.

References

1. Luo K, Chen Y, Wang F. Shrimp Plasma MANF Works as an Invertebrate Anti-Inflammatory Factor via a Conserved Receptor Tyrosine Phosphatase. The Journal of Immunology. 2022. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.2100595.