In some diseases that affect pulmonary function, such as cystic fibrosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), carbon dioxide levels in the blood accumulate owing to the inability of the body to properly regulate ventilation. The resulting condition is called hypercapnia acidosis, which can disrupt cardiac and neurological function, and impair the immune response. Helenius et al. found that when Drosophila were exposed to high levels of carbon dioxide, they changed their gene profiles and suppressed their production of antimicrobial peptides. Hypercapnia in flies impaired their ability to survive infection with a variety of bacterial strains by inhibiting their resistance to infection. In mammals, hypercapnia can suppress immune function through its inhibition of the NFκB pathway. In hypercapnic flies, the downregulated immune peptides are regulated by Relish, which is a conserved member of this pathway. Flies exposed to high carbon dioxide levels also exhibit developmental and reproductive changes. The genetic tractability of Drosophila, and the molecular conservation of its innate immune response with mammals, make this a useful model to understand some of the ways that hypercapnia acidosis impairs immunity and possibly contributes to the poor outcomes of patients with obstructive lung disease.
Infectious disease: CO2 levels contribute to infection
Infectious disease: CO2 levels contribute to infection. Dis Model Mech 14 January 2010; 3 (1-2): 2. doi:
Download citation file:
Advertisement
Cited by
Special Issue: The RAS Pathway

Our latest special issue is now complete. It showcases RAS-driven mechanisms of disease progression, and highlights approaches to treat and modify the disease course in model systems.
Call for papers: Moving Heart Failure to Heart Success

Disease Models & Mechanisms is pleased to welcome submissions for consideration for an upcoming special issue, Moving Heart Failure to Heart Success: Mechanisms, Regeneration & Therapy. The deadline for submitting articles to the special issue has been extended to 1 August 2022.
Propose a new Workshop

Our Workshops bring together leading experts and early-career researchers from a range of scientific backgrounds. Applications are now open to propose Workshops for 2024, one of which will be held in a Global South country. .
A focus on Drosophila

In a series of front section articles, DMM is highlighting the versatility, breadth, and scope of Drosophila research in human disease modelling and translational medicine.
Apply for a DMM Conference Travel Grant

Aimed at early-career researchers wanting to attend in-person and virtual meetings, the next application deadline for a DMM Conference Travel Grant is 6 June 2022. Find out more and hear from past recipients about their experience of the grant.
Other journals from
The Company of Biologists