Molecular responses of Mytilus coruscus hemocytes to lipopolysaccharide and peptidoglycan as revealed by 4D-DIA based quantitative proteomics analysis

Mytilus are sessile filter feeders that live in close contact with numerous marine microorganisms. Hemocytes, the immunocompetent cells of Mytilus, participate in the immune response in a very efficient manner. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PGN) follow specific microbe/pathogen-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs or PAMPs) and are involved in immune stimulation in host cells. This study evaluated the molecular profiles and reactions at protein level of Mytilus hemocytes after stimulation with LPS and PGN. Mytilus coruscus was challenged in vivo with LPS and PGN. The hemocytes were collected after 48 h and analyzed for quantitative proteomics, cell subpopulations, and the free amino acid composition. 4D-DIA technology-based proteomic analysis revealed different protein profiles, as well as different responses at protein level, under either the LPS or PGN challenge. C-type lectins, collagens, and CD151 protein were highly upregulated in LPS-challenged mussels, while phospholipase A2 and dCMP deaminase were highly upregulated in PGN-challenged mussels. Moreover, LPS challenge disrupted dsRNA-mediated translation and stimulated energy-related metabolism, while PGN challenge stimulated proteins involved in the inflammatory response and suppressed amino acid metabolism. In addition, the LPS and PGN challenges differed in their effects on the free amino acid composition and granulocytes ratio of the hemocytes. These findings highlight the different strategies employed by mussel hemocytes in response to different MAMPs, providing insights into the effects of LPS and PGN on Mytilus.