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Silva RCMC, Ramos IB, Travassos LH, Mendez APG, Gomes FM. Evolution of innate immunity: lessons from mammalian models shaping our current view of insect immunity. J Comp Physiol B 2024; 194:105-119. [PMID: 38573502 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-024-01549-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/05/2024]
Abstract
The innate immune system, a cornerstone for organismal resilience against environmental and microbial insults, is highly conserved across the evolutionary spectrum, underpinning its pivotal role in maintaining homeostasis and ensuring survival. This review explores the evolutionary parallels between mammalian and insect innate immune systems, illuminating how investigations into these disparate immune landscapes have been reciprocally enlightening. We further delve into how advancements in mammalian immunology have enriched our understanding of insect immune responses, highlighting the intertwined evolutionary narratives and the shared molecular lexicon of immunity across these organisms. Therefore, this review posits a holistic understanding of innate immune mechanisms, including immunometabolism, autophagy and cell death. The examination of how emerging insights into mammalian and vertebrate immunity inform our understanding of insect immune responses and their implications for vector-borne disease transmission showcases the imperative for a nuanced comprehension of innate immunity's evolutionary tale. This understanding is quintessential for harnessing innate immune mechanisms' potential in devising innovative disease mitigation strategies and promoting organismal health across the animal kingdom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Cardoso M C Silva
- Laboratory of Immunoreceptors and Signaling, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Isabela B Ramos
- Laboratório de Ovogênese Molecular de Vetores, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo H Travassos
- Laboratory of Immunoreceptors and Signaling, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Guzman Mendez
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fabio M Gomes
- Instituto Nacional de Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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Céspedes N, Donnelly EL, Hansten G, Fellows AM, Dobson M, Kaylor HL, Coles TA, Schauer J, Van de Water J, Luckhart S. Mast cell-derived IL-10 protects intestinal barrier integrity during malaria in mice and regulates parasite transmission to Anopheles stephensi with a female-biased immune response. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0036023. [PMID: 38299826 PMCID: PMC10929420 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00360-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria is strongly predisposed to bacteremia, which is associated with increased gastrointestinal permeability and a poor clinical prognosis. We previously identified mast cells (MCs) as mediators of intestinal permeability in malaria and described multiple cytokines that rise with parasitemia, including interleukin (IL)-10, which could protect the host from an inflammatory response and alter parasite transmission to Anopheles mosquitoes. Here, we used the Cre-loxP system and non-lethal Plasmodium yoelii yoelii 17XNL to study the roles of MC-derived IL-10 in malaria immunity and transmission. Our data suggest a sex-biased and local inflammatory response mediated by MC-derived IL-10, supported by early increased number and activation of MCs in females relative to males. Increased parasitemia in female MC IL-10 (-) mice was associated with increased ileal levels of chemokines and plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO). We also observed increased intestinal permeability in female and male MC IL-10 (-) mice relative to MC IL-10 (+) mice but no differences in blood bacterial 16S DNA levels. Transmission success of P. yoelii to A. stephensi was higher in female relative to male mice and from female and male MC IL-10 (-) mice relative to MC IL-10 (+) mice. These patterns were associated with increased plasma levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in female MC IL-10 (-) mice and increased plasma levels of chemokines and markers of neutrophil activation in male MC IL-10 (-) mice. Overall, these data suggest that MC-derived IL-10 protects intestinal barrier integrity, regulates parasite transmission, and controls local and systemic host immune responses during malaria, with a female bias.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Céspedes
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Erinn L. Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Gretchen Hansten
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Abigail M. Fellows
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Megan Dobson
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Hannah L. Kaylor
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Taylor A. Coles
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
| | - Joseph Schauer
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Judy Van de Water
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho, USA
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Tang X, Cao Y, Booth CJ, Arora G, Cui Y, Matias J, Fikrig E. Adiponectin in the mammalian host influences ticks' acquisition of the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002331. [PMID: 37862360 PMCID: PMC10619873 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Arthropod-borne pathogens cause some of the most important human and animal infectious diseases. Many vectors acquire or transmit pathogens through the process of blood feeding. Here, we report adiponectin, the most abundant adipocyte-derived hormone circulating in human blood, directly or indirectly inhibits acquisition of the Lyme disease agent, Borrelia burgdorferi, by Ixodes scapularis ticks. Rather than altering tick feeding or spirochete viability, adiponectin or its associated factors induces host histamine release when the tick feeds, which leads to vascular leakage, infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages, and inflammation at the bite site. Consistent with this, adiponectin-deficient mice have diminished pro-inflammatory responses, including interleukin (IL)-12 and IL-1β, following a tick bite, compared with wild-type animals. All these factors mediated by adiponectin or associated factors influence B. burgdorferi survival at the tick bite site. These results suggest a host adipocyte-derived hormone modulates pathogen acquisition by a blood-feeding arthropod.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Yongguo Cao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Carmen J Booth
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Yingjun Cui
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Dai Y, Li X, Ding J, Liang Z, Guo R, Yi T, Zhu Y, Chen S, Liang S, Liu W. Molecular and expression characterization of insulin-like signaling in development and metabolism of Aedes albopictus. Parasit Vectors 2023; 16:134. [PMID: 37072796 PMCID: PMC10111782 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-023-05747-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Insulin-like signaling (IS) in insects is a conserved pathway that regulates development, reproduction and longevity. Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) activate the IS pathway by binding to the insulin receptor (InR) and trigger the ERK and AKT cascades. A varying number of ILPs were identified in Aedes aegypti mosquito and other insects. Aedes albopictus is an invasive mosquito which transmits dengue and Zika viruses worldwide. Until now, the molecular and expression characteristics of IS pathway in Ae. albopictus have not been investigated. METHODS The orthologues of ILP in Ae. albopictus genome assembly was analyzed by using sequence blast. Phylogenetic analysis and molecular characterization were performed to identify the functional domains of ILPs. Quantitative analysis was performed to determine the expression characteristics of ILPs, InR as well as ERK and AKT in mosquito development and different tissues of female adults after blood-feeding. In addition, the knockdown of InR was achieved by feeding larvae with Escherichia coli-producing dsRNA to investigate the impact of IS pathway on mosquito development. RESULTS We identified seven putative ILP genes in Ae. albopictus genome assembly, based on nucleotide similarity to the ILPs of Ae. aegypti and other insects. Bioinformatics and molecular analyses suggested that the ILPs contain the structural motif which is conserved in the insulin superfamily. Expression levels of ILPs, InR as well as ERK and AKT varied in Ae. albopictus development stages and between male and female adults. Quantitative analyses revealed that expression of ILP6, the putative orthologue of the insulin growth factor peptides, was highest in the midgut of female adults after blood-feeding. Knockdown of Ae. albopictus InR induces a significant decrease in the phosphorylation levels of ERK and AKT proteins and results in developmental delays and smaller body sizes. CONCLUSIONS The IS pathway of Ae. albopictus mosquito contains ILP1-7, InR and ERK/AKT cascades, which exhibited different developmental and tissue expression characteristics. Feeding Ae. albopictus larvae with E. coli-producing InR dsRNA blocks the ERK and AKT cascades and interferes with the development of mosquito. Our data suggest that IS pathway plays an important role in the metabolism and developmental process and could represent a potential target for controlling mosquito-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Dai
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jinying Ding
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zihan Liang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Renxian Guo
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Tangwei Yi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Yihan Zhu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Siqi Chen
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shaohui Liang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Wenquan Liu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325035, Zhejiang, China.
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Rana VS, Kitsou C, Dutta S, Ronzetti MH, Zhang M, Bernard Q, Smith AA, Tomás-Cortázar J, Yang X, Wu MJ, Kepple O, Li W, Dwyer JE, Matias J, Baljinnyam B, Oliver JD, Rajeevan N, Pedra JHF, Narasimhan S, Wang Y, Munderloh U, Fikrig E, Simeonov A, Anguita J, Pal U. Dome1-JAK-STAT signaling between parasite and host integrates vector immunity and development. Science 2023; 379:eabl3837. [PMID: 36634189 PMCID: PMC10122270 DOI: 10.1126/science.abl3837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Ancestral signaling pathways serve critical roles in metazoan development, physiology, and immunity. We report an evolutionary interspecies communication pathway involving a central Ixodes scapularis tick receptor termed Dome1, which acquired a mammalian cytokine receptor motif exhibiting high affinity for interferon-gamma (IFN-γ). Host-derived IFN-γ facilitates Dome1-mediated activation of the Ixodes JAK-STAT pathway. This accelerates tick blood meal acquisition and development while upregulating antimicrobial components. The Dome1-JAK-STAT pathway, which exists in most Ixodid tick genomes, regulates the regeneration and proliferation of gut cells-including stem cells-and dictates metamorphosis through the Hedgehog and Notch-Delta networks, ultimately affecting Ixodes vectorial competence. We highlight the evolutionary dependence of I. scapularis on mammalian hosts through cross-species signaling mechanisms that dually influence arthropod immunity and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vipin S. Rana
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Chrysoula Kitsou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Shraboni Dutta
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Michael H. Ronzetti
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Min Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Quentin Bernard
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Alexis A. Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Julen Tomás-Cortázar
- CIC bioGUNE-BRTA (Basque Research & Technology Alliance), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Xiuli Yang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Ming-Jie Wu
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Oleksandra Kepple
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Weizhong Li
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Jennifer E. Dwyer
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Bolormaa Baljinnyam
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | | | - Nallakkandi Rajeevan
- Yale Center for Medical Informatics, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Yan Wang
- Mass Spectrometry Facility, National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Ulrike Munderloh
- Department of Entomology, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Juan Anguita
- CIC bioGUNE-BRTA (Basque Research & Technology Alliance), 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD, USA
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Briggs AM, Hambly MG, Simão-Gurge RM, Garrison SM, Khaku Z, Van Susteren G, Lewis EE, Riffell JA, Luckhart S. Anopheles stephensi Feeding, Flight Behavior, and Infection With Malaria Parasites are Altered by Ingestion of Serotonin. Front Physiol 2022; 13:911097. [PMID: 35747317 PMCID: PMC9209645 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.911097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Approximately 3.4 billion people are at risk of malaria, a disease caused by infection with Plasmodium spp. parasites, which are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Individuals with severe falciparum malaria often exhibit changes in circulating blood levels of biogenic amines, including reduced serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and these changes are associated with disease pathology. In insects, 5-HT functions as an important neurotransmitter for many behaviors and biological functions. In Anopheles stephensi, we show that 5-HT is localized to innervation in the head, thorax, and midgut, suggesting a gut-to-brain signaling axis that could support the effects of ingested 5-HT on mosquito biology and behavioral responses. Given the changes in blood levels of 5-HT associated with severe malaria and the key roles that 5-HT plays in insect neurophysiology, we investigated the impact of ingesting blood with healthy levels of 5-HT (1.5 µM) or malaria-associated levels of 5-HT (0.15 µM) on various aspects of A. stephensi biology. In these studies, we provisioned 5-HT and monitored fecundity, lifespan, flight behavior, and blood feeding of A. stephensi. We also assessed the impact of 5-HT ingestion on infection of A. stephensi with the mouse malaria parasite Plasmodium yoelii yoelii 17XNL and the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Our data show that ingestion of 5-HT associated with severe malaria increased mosquito flight velocity and investigation of visual objects in response to host odor (CO2). 5-HT ingestion in blood at levels associated with severe malaria also increased the tendency to take a second blood meal 4 days later in uninfected A. stephensi. In mosquitoes infected with P. y. yoelii 17XNL, feeding tendency was decreased when midgut oocysts were present but increased when sporozoites were present. In addition to these effects, treatment of A. stephensi with 5-HT associated with severe malaria increased infection success with P. y. yoelii 17XNL compared to control, while treatment with healthy levels of 5-HT decreased infection success with P. falciparum. These changes in mosquito behavior and infection success could be used as a basis to manipulate 5-HT signaling in vector mosquitoes for improved control of malaria parasite transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M. Briggs
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Malayna G. Hambly
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Raquel M. Simão-Gurge
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Sarah M. Garrison
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Zainab Khaku
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Grace Van Susteren
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Edwin E. Lewis
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Jeffrey A. Riffell
- Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
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Hendrickx S, Caljon G. The effect of the sugar metabolism on Leishmania infantum promastigotes inside the gut of Lutzomyia longipalpis: A sweet relationship? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010293. [PMID: 35385472 PMCID: PMC8985994 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well-known that Leishmania parasites can alter the behavior of the sand fly vector in order to increase their transmission potential. However, little is known about the contribution of the infecting host’s blood composition on subsequent sand fly infection and survival. This study focused on the host’s glucose metabolism and the insulin/insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) pathway as both metabolic processes are known to impact vector-parasite interactions of other protozoa and insect species. The focus of this study was inspired by the observation that the glycemic levels in the blood of infected Syrian golden hamsters inversely correlated to splenic and hepatic parasite burdens. To evaluate the biological impact of these findings on further transmission, Lutzomyia longipalpis sand flies were infected with blood that was artificially supplemented with different physiological concentrations of several monosaccharides, insulin or IGF-1. Normoglycemic levels resulted in transiently higher parasite loads and faster appearance of metacyclics, whereas higher carbohydrate and insulin/IGF-1 levels favored sand fly survival. Although the recorded effects were modest or transient of nature, these observations support the concept that the host blood biochemistry may affect Leishmania transmission and sand fly longevity. Past research on the interaction between the Leishmania parasite and the sand fly vector has revealed that Leishmania is capable of changing vector behavior to favor transmission of parasites in the environment. Little is known about the impact of host blood composition on parasite development inside the vector and on vector survival. Here, we showed that parasite burdens in the spleen and the liver inversely correlated to the serum blood glucose levels of infected animals, which triggered us to further investigate the effect of blood monosaccharides, insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) on sand fly infection and survival. We demonstrated that normal serum glucose levels in the initial parasitized blood meal resulted in transiently higher parasite loads and a faster appearance of infectious parasites, whereas higher sugar and insulin/IGF-1 levels favored sand fly survival, which supports the concept that the host blood biochemistry may affect Leishmania transmission and sand fly longevity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Hendrickx
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- * E-mail: (SH); (GC)
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
- * E-mail: (SH); (GC)
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Aedes aegypti Shows Increased Susceptibility to Zika Virus via Both In Vitro and In Vivo Models of Type II Diabetes. Viruses 2022; 14:v14040665. [PMID: 35458395 PMCID: PMC9024453 DOI: 10.3390/v14040665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2022] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic conditions like type II diabetes (T2DM) have long been known to exacerbate many infectious diseases. For many arboviruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV), severe outcomes, morbidity and mortality usually only occur in patients with such pre-existing conditions. However, the effects of T2DM and other pre-existing conditions on human blood (e.g., hypo/hyperinsulinemia, hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia) that may impact infectivity of arboviruses for vectors is largely unexplored. We investigated whether the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes was affected when the mosquitoes fed on “diabetic” bloodmeals, such as bloodmeals composed of artificially glycosylated erythrocytes or those from viremic, diabetic mice (LEPRDB/DB). Increasing glycosylation of erythrocytes from hemoglobin A1c (HgbA1c) values of 5.5–5.9 to 6.2 increased the infection rate of a Galveston, Texas strain of Ae. aegypti to ZIKV strain PRVABC59 at a bloodmeal titer of 4.14 log10 FFU/mL from 0.0 to 40.9 and 42.9%, respectively. ZIKV was present in the blood of viremic LEPRDB/DB mice at similar levels as isogenic control C57BL/6J mice (3.3 log10 FFU/mL and 3.6 log10 FFU/mL, respectively. When mice sustained a higher ZIKV viremia of 4.6 log10 FFU/mL, LEPRDB/DB mice infected 36.3% of mosquitoes while control C57BL/6J mice with a viremia of 4.2 log10 FFU/mL infected only 4.1%. Additionally, when highly susceptible Ae. aegypti Rockefeller mosquitoes fed on homozygous LEPRDB/DB, heterozygous LEPRWT/DB, and control C57BL/6J mice with viremias of ≈ 4 log10 FFU/mL, 54%, 15%, and 33% were infected, respectively. In total, these data suggest that the prevalence of T2DM in a population may have a significant impact on ZIKV transmission and indicates the need for further investigation of the impacts of pre-existing metabolic conditions on arbovirus transmission.
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Céspedes N, Donnelly EL, Lowder C, Hansten G, Wagers D, Briggs AM, Schauer J, Haapanen L, Åbrink M, Van de Water J, Luckhart S. Mast Cell Chymase/Mcpt4 Suppresses the Host Immune Response to Plasmodium yoelii, Limits Malaria-Associated Disruption of Intestinal Barrier Integrity and Reduces Parasite Transmission to Anopheles stephensi. Front Immunol 2022; 13:801120. [PMID: 35154114 PMCID: PMC8829543 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.801120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An increase in mast cells (MCs) and MCs mediators has been observed in malaria-associated bacteremia, however, the role of these granulocytes in malarial immunity is poorly understood. Herein, we studied the role of mouse MC protease (Mcpt) 4, an ortholog of human MC chymase, in malaria-induced bacteremia using Mcpt4 knockout (Mcpt4-/-) mice and Mcpt4+/+ C57BL/6J controls, and the non-lethal mouse parasite Plasmodium yoelii yoelii 17XNL. Significantly lower parasitemia was observed in Mcpt4-/- mice compared with Mcpt4+/+ controls by day 10 post infection (PI). Although bacterial 16S DNA levels in blood were not different between groups, increased intestinal permeability to FITC-dextran and altered ileal adherens junction E-cadherin were observed in Mcpt4-/- mice. Relative to infected Mcpt4+/+ mice, ileal MC accumulation in Mcpt4-/- mice occurred two days earlier and IgE levels were higher by days 8-10 PI. Increased levels of circulating myeloperoxidase were observed at 6 and 10 days PI in Mcpt4+/+ but not Mcpt4-/- mice, affirming a role for neutrophil activation that was not predictive of parasitemia or bacterial 16S copies in blood. In contrast, early increased plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-12p40 and IL-3 were observed in Mcpt4-/- mice, while levels of IL-2, IL-10 and MIP1β (CCL4) were increased over the same period in Mcpt4+/+ mice, suggesting that the host response to infection was skewed toward a type-1 immune response in Mcpt4-/- mice and type-2 response in Mcpt4+/+ mice. Spearman analysis revealed an early (day 4 PI) correlation of Mcpt4-/- parasitemia with TNF-α and IFN-γ, inflammatory cytokines known for their roles in pathogen clearance, a pattern that was observed in Mcpt4+/+ mice much later (day 10 PI). Transmission success of P. y. yoelii 17XNL to Anopheles stephensi was significantly higher from infected Mcpt4-/- mice compared with infected Mcpt4+/+ mice, suggesting that Mcpt4 also impacts transmissibility of sexual stage parasites. Together, these results suggest that early MCs activation and release of Mcpt4 suppresses the host immune response to P. y. yoelii 17XNL, perhaps via degradation of TNF-α and promotion of a type-2 immune response that concordantly protects epithelial barrier integrity, while limiting the systemic response to bacteremia and parasite transmissibility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nora Céspedes
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Erinn L. Donnelly
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Casey Lowder
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Gretchen Hansten
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Delaney Wagers
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Anna M. Briggs
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
| | - Joseph Schauer
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Lori Haapanen
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Magnus Åbrink
- Section of Immunology, Department of Biomedical Sciences & Veterinary Public Health, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Judy Van de Water
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy and Clinical Immunology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, United States
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10
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Xu Y, Zhong Z, Ren Y, Ma L, Ye Z, Gao C, Wang J, Li Y. Antiviral RNA interference in disease vector (Asian longhorned) ticks. PLoS Pathog 2021; 17:e1010119. [PMID: 34860862 PMCID: PMC8673602 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Disease vectors such as mosquitoes and ticks play a major role in the emergence and re-emergence of human and animal viral pathogens. Compared to mosquitoes, however, much less is known about the antiviral responses of ticks. Here we showed that Asian longhorned ticks (Haemaphysalis longicornis) produced predominantly 22-nucleotide virus-derived siRNAs (vsiRNAs) in response to severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV, an emerging tick-borne virus), Nodamura virus (NoV), or Sindbis virus (SINV) acquired by blood feeding. Notably, experimental acquisition of NoV and SINV by intrathoracic injection also initiated viral replication and triggered the production of vsiRNAs in H. longicornis. We demonstrated that a mutant NoV deficient in expressing its viral suppressor of RNAi (VSR) replicated to significantly lower levels than wildtype NoV in H. longicornis, but accumulated to higher levels after knockdown of the tick Dicer2-like protein identified by phylogeny comparison. Moreover, the expression of a panel of known animal VSRs in cis from the genome of SINV drastically enhanced the accumulation of the recombinant viruses. This study establishes a novel model for virus-vector-mouse experiments with longhorned ticks and provides the first in vivo evidence for an antiviral function of the RNAi response in ticks. Interestingly, comparing the accumulation levels of SINV recombinants expressing green fluorescent protein or SFTSV proteins identified the viral non-structural protein as a putative VSR. Elucidating the function of ticks’ antiviral RNAi pathway in vivo is critical to understand the virus-host interaction and the control of tick-borne viral pathogens. Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are the most common illnesses transmitted by ticks, and the annual number of reported TBD cases continues to increase. The Asian longhorned tick, a vector associated with at least 30 human pathogens, is native to eastern Asia and recently reached the USA as an emerging disease threat. Newly identified tick-transmitted pathogens continue to be reported, raising concerns about how TBDs occur. Interestingly, tick can harbor pathogens without being affected themselves. For viral infections, ticks have their own immune systems that protect them from infection. Meanwhile, tick-borne viruses have evolved to avoid these defenses as they establish themselves within the vector. Here, we show in detail that infecting longhorned ticks with distinct arthropod-borne RNA viruses through two approaches natural blood feeding and injection, all induce the production of vsiRNAs. Dicer2-like homolog plays a role in regulating antiviral RNAi responses as knocking down of this gene enhanced viral replication. Furthermore, we demonstrate that tick antiviral RNAi responses are inhibited through expression heterologous VSR proteins in recombinant SINV. We identify both the virus and tick factors are critical components to understanding TBDs. Importantly, our study introduces a novel, in vivo virus-vector-mouse model system for exploring TBDs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengwei Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yanxin Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Liting Ma
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhi Ye
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuang Gao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jingwen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (JW); (YL)
| | - Yang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- * E-mail: (JW); (YL)
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11
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Talyuli OAC, Bottino-Rojas V, Polycarpo CR, Oliveira PL, Paiva-Silva GO. Non-immune Traits Triggered by Blood Intake Impact Vectorial Competence. Front Physiol 2021; 12:638033. [PMID: 33737885 PMCID: PMC7960658 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.638033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding arthropods are considered an enormous public health threat. They are vectors of a plethora of infectious agents that cause potentially fatal diseases like Malaria, Dengue fever, Leishmaniasis, and Lyme disease. These vectors shine due to their own physiological idiosyncrasies, but one biological aspect brings them all together: the requirement of blood intake for development and reproduction. It is through blood-feeding that they acquire pathogens and during blood digestion that they summon a collection of multisystemic events critical for vector competence. The literature is focused on how classical immune pathways (Toll, IMD, and JAK/Stat) are elicited throughout the course of vector infection. Still, they are not the sole determinants of host permissiveness. The dramatic changes that are the hallmark of the insect physiology after a blood meal intake are the landscape where a successful infection takes place. Dominant processes that occur in response to a blood meal are not canonical immunological traits yet are critical in establishing vector competence. These include hormonal circuitries and reproductive physiology, midgut permeability barriers, midgut homeostasis, energy metabolism, and proteolytic activity. On the other hand, the parasites themselves have a role in the outcome of these blood triggered physiological events, consistently using them in their favor. Here, to enlighten the knowledge on vector-pathogen interaction beyond the immune pathways, we will explore different aspects of the vector physiology, discussing how they give support to these long-dated host-parasite relationships.
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Affiliation(s)
- Octavio A C Talyuli
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Bottino-Rojas
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carla R Polycarpo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pedro L Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gabriela O Paiva-Silva
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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12
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Liu WQ, Chen SQ, Bai HQ, Wei QM, Zhang SN, Chen C, Zhu YH, Yi TW, Guo XP, Chen SY, Yin MJ, Sun CF, Liang SH. The Ras/ERK signaling pathway couples antimicrobial peptides to mediate resistance to dengue virus in Aedes mosquitoes. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008660. [PMID: 32866199 PMCID: PMC7485967 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2019] [Revised: 09/11/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Aedes mosquitoes can transmit dengue and several other severe vector-borne viral diseases, thereby influencing millions of people worldwide. Insects primarily control and clear the viral infections via their innate immune systems. Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (MAPKs) and antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are both evolutionarily conserved components of the innate immune systems. In this study, we investigated the role of MAPKs in Aedes mosquitoes following DENV infection by using genetic and pharmacological approaches. We demonstrated that knockdown of ERK, but not of JNK or p38, significantly enhances the viral replication in Aedes mosquito cells. The Ras/ERK signaling is activated in both the cells and midguts of Aedes mosquitoes following DENV infection, and thus plays a role in restricting the viral infection, as both genetic and pharmacological activation of the Ras/ERK pathway significantly decreases the viral titers. In contrast, inhibition of the Ras/ERK pathway enhances DENV infection. In addition, we identified a signaling crosstalk between the Ras/ERK pathway and DENV-induced AMPs in which defensin C participates in restricting DENV infection in Aedes mosquitoes. Our results reveal that the Ras/ERK signaling pathway couples AMPs to mediate the resistance of Aedes mosquitoes to DENV infection, which provides a new insight into understanding the crosstalk between MAPKs and AMPs in the innate immunity of mosquito vectors during the viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen-Quan Liu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Si-Qi Chen
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Hao-Qiang Bai
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Qi-Mei Wei
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Sheng-Nan Zhang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chen Chen
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Yi-Han Zhu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Tang-Wei Yi
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Pu Guo
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Si-Yuan Chen
- School of the 1 Clinical Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Meng-Jie Yin
- School of the 1 Clinical Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Chen-Feng Sun
- School of the 1 Clinical Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Shao-Hui Liang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China
- * E-mail:
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13
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Dos Santos CR, de Melo Rodovalho C, Jablonka W, Martins AJ, Lima JBP, Dos Santos Dias L, da Silva Neto MAC, Atella GC. Insecticide resistance, fitness and susceptibility to Zika infection of an interbred Aedes aegypti population from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:293. [PMID: 32513248 PMCID: PMC7281914 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-04166-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 06/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Aedes aegypti is a vector of high relevance, since it transmits several arboviruses, including dengue, chikungunya and Zika. Studies on vector biology are usually conducted with laboratory strains presenting a divergent genetic composition from field populations. This may impair vector control policies that were based on laboratory observations employing only long maintained laboratory strains. In the present study we characterized a laboratory strain interbreed with Ae. aegypti collected from five different localities in Rio de Janeiro (Aedes Rio), for insecticide resistance (IR), IR mechanisms, fitness and Zika virus infection. Methods We compared the recently established Aedes Rio with the laboratory reference strain Rockefeller. Insecticide resistance (deltamethrin, malathion and temephos), activity of metabolic resistance enzymes and kdr mutation frequency were determined. Some life table parameters (longevity, blood-feeding, number and egg viability) and Zika virus susceptibility was also determined. Results Aedes Rio showed resistance to deltamethrin (resistance ratio, RR50 = 32.6) and temephos (RR50 = 7.0) and elevated activity of glutathione S-transferase (GST) and esterases (α-EST and pNPA-EST), but not acetylcholinesterase (AChE). In total, 92.1% of males genotyped for kdr presented a “resistant” genotype. Weekly blood-fed females from both strains, presented reduced mortality compared to sucrose-fed mosquitoes; however, Aedes Rio blood-fed females did not live as long (mean lifespan: Rockefeller = 70 ± 3.07; Aedes Rio = 53.5 ± 2.16 days). There were no differences between strains in relation to blood-feeding and number of eggs, but Aedes Rio eggs presented reduced viability (mean hatch: Rockefeller = 77.79 ± 1.4%; Aedes Rio = 58.57 ± 1.77%). Zika virus infection (plaque-forming unit, PFU) was similar in both strains (mean PFU ± SE: Aedes Rio: 4.53 × 104 ± 1.14 × 104 PFU; Rockefeller: 2.02 × 104 ± 0.71 × 104 PFU). Conclusion Selected conditions in the field, such as IR mechanisms, may result in pleiotropic effects that interfere in general physiology of the insect. Therefore, it is important to well characterize field populations to be tested in parallel with laboratory reference strains. This practice would improve the significance of laboratory tests for vector control methods.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlucio Rocha Dos Santos
- Laboratório de Sinalização Celular Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. .,Laboratório de Entomologia, Instituto de Biologia do Exército, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Cynara de Melo Rodovalho
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Laboratório de Entomologia, Instituto de Biologia do Exército, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Willy Jablonka
- Laboratório de Sinalização Celular Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Ademir Jesus Martins
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Laboratório de Entomologia, Instituto de Biologia do Exército, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - José Bento Pereira Lima
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Laboratório de Entomologia, Instituto de Biologia do Exército, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luciana Dos Santos Dias
- Laboratório de Fisiologia e Controle de Artrópodes Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Laboratório de Entomologia, Instituto de Biologia do Exército, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mário Alberto Cardoso da Silva Neto
- Laboratório de Sinalização Celular Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Georgia Correa Atella
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Lipídios e Lipoproteínas, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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14
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Glennon EKK, Dankwa S, Smith JD, Kaushansky A. Opportunities for Host-targeted Therapies for Malaria. Trends Parasitol 2018; 34:843-860. [PMID: 30122551 PMCID: PMC6168423 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2018.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Despite the recent successes of artemisinin-based antimalarial drugs, many still die from severe malaria, and eradication efforts are hindered by the limited drugs currently available to target transmissible gametocyte parasites and liver-resident dormant Plasmodium vivax hypnozoites. Host-targeted therapy is a new direction for infectious disease drug development and aims to interfere with host molecules, pathways, or networks that are required for infection or that contribute to disease. Recent advances in our understanding of host pathways involved in parasite development and pathogenic mechanisms in severe malaria could facilitate the development of host-targeted interventions against Plasmodium infection and malaria disease. This review discusses new opportunities for host-targeted therapeutics for malaria and the potential to harness drug polypharmacology to simultaneously target multiple host pathways using a single drug intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K K Glennon
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, 307 Westlake Ave N Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Harris Hydraulics Laboratory, Box 357965, Seattle, WA 98195, USA; These authors made an equal contribution
| | - Selasi Dankwa
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, 307 Westlake Ave N Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; These authors made an equal contribution
| | - Joseph D Smith
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, 307 Westlake Ave N Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Harris Hydraulics Laboratory, Box 357965, Seattle, WA 98195, USA
| | - Alexis Kaushansky
- Center for Infectious Disease Research, 307 Westlake Ave N Suite 500, Seattle, WA 98109, USA; Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Harris Hydraulics Laboratory, Box 357965, Seattle, WA 98195, USA.
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15
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Roed NK, Viola CM, Kristensen O, Schluckebier G, Norrman M, Sajid W, Wade JD, Andersen AS, Kristensen C, Ganderton TR, Turkenburg JP, De Meyts P, Brzozowski AM. Structures of insect Imp-L2 suggest an alternative strategy for regulating the bioavailability of insulin-like hormones. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3860. [PMID: 30242155 PMCID: PMC6155051 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-06192-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
The insulin/insulin-like growth factor signalling axis is an evolutionary ancient and highly conserved hormonal system involved in the regulation of metabolism, growth and lifespan in animals. Human insulin is stored in the pancreas, while insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is maintained in blood in complexes with IGF-binding proteins (IGFBP1-6). Insect insulin-like polypeptide binding proteins (IBPs) have been considered as IGFBP-like structural and functional homologues. Here, we report structures of the Drosophila IBP Imp-L2 in its free form and bound to Drosophila insulin-like peptide 5 and human IGF-1. Imp-L2 contains two immunoglobulin-like fold domains and its architecture is unrelated to human IGFBPs, suggesting a distinct strategy for bioavailability regulation of insulin-like hormones. Similar hormone binding modes may exist in other insect vectors, as the IBP sequences are highly conserved. Therefore, these findings may open research routes towards a rational interference of transmission of diseases such as malaria, dengue and yellow fevers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Cristina M Viola
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Ole Kristensen
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen Ø, Denmark
| | - Gerd Schluckebier
- Global Research, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760, Maaloev, Denmark
| | - Mathias Norrman
- Global Research, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760, Maaloev, Denmark
| | - Waseem Sajid
- Global Research, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760, Maaloev, Denmark
| | - John D Wade
- Florey Institute of Neuroscience & Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
- School of Chemistry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | | | - Claus Kristensen
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2100, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Timothy R Ganderton
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Johan P Turkenburg
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Pierre De Meyts
- Global Research, Novo Nordisk A/S, Novo Nordisk Park 1, 2760, Maaloev, Denmark
- Department of Cell Signalling, de Duve Institute, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Andrzej M Brzozowski
- York Structural Biology Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, The University of York, Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK.
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16
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Estimating the effects of variation in viremia on mosquito susceptibility, infectiousness, and R0 of Zika in Aedes aegypti. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006733. [PMID: 30133450 PMCID: PMC6122838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Revised: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) is an arbovirus primarily transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes. Like most viral infections, ZIKV viremia varies over several orders of magnitude, with unknown consequences for transmission. To determine the effect of viral concentration on ZIKV transmission risk, we exposed field-derived Ae. aegypti mosquitoes to four doses (103, 104, 105, 106 PFU/mL) representative of potential variation in the field. We demonstrate that increasing ZIKV dose in the blood-meal significantly increases the probability of mosquitoes becoming infected, and consequently disseminating virus and becoming infectious. Additionally, we observed significant interactions between dose and days post-infection on dissemination and overall transmission efficiency, suggesting that variation in ZIKV dose affects the rates of midgut escape and salivary gland invasion. We did not find significant effects of dose on mosquito mortality. We also demonstrate that detecting virus using RT-qPCR approaches rather than plaque assays potentially over-estimates key transmission parameters, including the time at which mosquitoes become infectious and viral burden. Finally, using these data to parameterize an R0 model, we showed that increasing viremia from 104 to 106 PFU/mL increased relative R0 3.8-fold, demonstrating that variation in viremia substantially affects transmission risk. The number of people at risk for contracting Zika virus (ZIKV) is difficult to estimate accurately because most infected hosts are asymptomatic and the relationship between variation in host viremia and transmission to local mosquitoes is unclear. Controlling ZIKV transmission remains a major challenge due to lack of basic information on transmission mechanisms and gaps in mechanistic models. Therefore, our study highlights the importance of variation in viral concentration that current modeling efforts ignore, which will enhance our ability to predict the number of people at risk for arbovirus infection, overall disease transmission, and the efficacy of current and future intervention strategies. We demonstrated that increased concentration of ZIKV in the blood significantly increases the probability and the rate at which mosquitoes become infectious, which increases the risk of ZIKV transmission.
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17
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Wilson AJ, Harrup LE. Reproducibility and relevance in insect-arbovirus infection studies. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2018; 28:105-112. [PMID: 30551760 PMCID: PMC6299244 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2018.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 05/03/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Experimental infections of insects with arboviruses are performed to achieve a variety of objectives but principally to draw inferences about the potential role of field populations in transmission or to explore the molecular basis of vector-pathogen interactions. The design of such studies determines both their reproducibility and the extent to which their results can be extrapolated to natural environments, and is constrained by the resources available. We discuss recent findings regarding the effects of nutrition, the microbiome, co-infecting agents and feeding methods on the outcome of such experiments, and identify resource-efficient ways to increase their relevance and reproducibility, including the development of community standards for reporting such studies and better standards for cell line and colony authentication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony James Wilson
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, United Kingdom.
| | - Lara Ellen Harrup
- The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, Surrey GU24 0NF, United Kingdom
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18
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Glennon EKK, Torrevillas BK, Morrissey SF, Ejercito JM, Luckhart S. Abscisic acid induces a transient shift in signaling that enhances NF-κB-mediated parasite killing in the midgut of Anopheles stephensi without reducing lifespan or fecundity. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:333. [PMID: 28705245 PMCID: PMC5508651 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2276-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2017] [Accepted: 07/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Abscisic acid (ABA) is naturally present in mammalian blood and circulating levels can be increased by oral supplementation. We showed previously that oral ABA supplementation in a mouse model of Plasmodium yoelii 17XNL infection reduced parasitemia and gametocytemia, spleen and liver pathology, and parasite transmission to the mosquito Anopheles stephensi fed on these mice. Treatment of cultured Plasmodium falciparum with ABA at levels detected in our model had no effects on asexual growth or gametocyte formation in vitro. However, ABA treatment of cultured P. falciparum immediately prior to mosquito feeding significantly reduced oocyst development in A. stephensi via ABA-dependent synthesis of nitric oxide (NO) in the mosquito midgut. Results Here we describe the mechanisms of effects of ABA on mosquito physiology, which are dependent on phosphorylation of TGF-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and associated with changes in homeostatic gene expression and activity of kinases that are central to metabolic regulation in the midgut epithelium. Collectively, the timing of these effects suggests a transient physiological shift that enhances NF-κB-dependent innate immunity without significantly altering mosquito lifespan or fecundity. Conclusions ABA is a highly conserved regulator of immune and metabolic homeostasis within the malaria vector A. stephensi with potential as a transmission-blocking supplemental treatment. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-017-2276-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth K K Glennon
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Center for Infectious Disease Research, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Brandi K Torrevillas
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA
| | - Shannon F Morrissey
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jadrian M Ejercito
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA.,Department of Entomology, University of California at Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of California at Davis, Davis, CA, USA. .,Department of Entomology, Plant Pathology and Nematology, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA. .,Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID, USA.
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Xu J, Morisseau C, Yang J, Lee KSS, Kamita SG, Hammock BD. Ingestion of the epoxide hydrolase inhibitor AUDA modulates immune responses of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus during blood feeding. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 76:62-69. [PMID: 27369469 PMCID: PMC5010450 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 06/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 05/14/2023]
Abstract
Epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are enzymes that play roles in metabolizing xenobiotic epoxides from the environment, and in regulating lipid signaling molecules, such as juvenile hormones in insects and epoxy fatty acids in mammals. In this study we fed mosquitoes with an epoxide hydrolase inhibitor AUDA during artificial blood feeding, and we found the inhibitor increased the concentration of epoxy fatty acids in the midgut of female mosquitoes. We also observed ingestion of AUDA triggered early expression of defensin A, cecropin A and cecropin B2 at 6 h after blood feeding. The expression of cecropin B1 and gambicin were not changed more than two fold compared to controls. The changes in gene expression were transient possibly because more than 99% of the inhibitor was metabolized or excreted at 42 h after being ingested. The ingestion of AUDA also affected the growth of bacteria colonizing in the midgut, but did not affect mosquito longevity, fecundity and fertility in our laboratory conditions. When spiked into the blood, EpOMEs and DiHOMEs were as effective as the inhibitor AUDA in reducing the bacterial load in the midgut, while EETs rescued the effects of AUDA. Our data suggest that epoxy fatty acids from host blood are immune response regulators metabolized by epoxide hydrolases in the midgut of female mosquitoes, inhibition of which causes transient changes in immune responses, and affects growth of microbes in the midgut.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Xu
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Kin Sing Stephen Lee
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Shizuo G Kamita
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, USA.
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20
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Smith AA, Navasa N, Yang X, Wilder CN, Buyuktanir O, Marques A, Anguita J, Pal U. Cross-Species Interferon Signaling Boosts Microbicidal Activity within the Tick Vector. Cell Host Microbe 2016; 20:91-8. [PMID: 27374407 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2016.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2015] [Revised: 04/13/2016] [Accepted: 05/30/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Evolution of hematophagy in blood-sucking parasites likely involves communication with their hosts. We find that Ixodes ticks are responsive to IFNγ acquired in a blood meal from mice infected with the Lyme disease-causing bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi, leading to induction of antimicrobial responses. Ixodes ticks parasitizing B. burgdorferi-infected mice upregulated an I. scapularis Rho-like GTPase (IGTPase). IGTPase knockdown enhanced B. burgdorferi levels in post-fed ticks, suggesting this protein controls spirochete survival. Notably, IGTPase was only induced during pathogen acquisition from mice and not upon transmission to naive hosts. Microinjection of ticks with IFNγ induced IGTPase, and ticks parasitizing IFNγ knockout mice, failed to upregulate IGTPase. Additionally, ticks lacking the transcription factor STAT, which signals downstream of IFNγ, did not induce IGTPase. IGTPase expression induced antimicrobial peptides, including Dae2, previously shown to inhibit B. burgdorferi. These results identify an interspecies signaling cascade allowing ticks to detect invading bacteria and mount microbicidal responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis A Smith
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | | | - Xiuli Yang
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Cara N Wilder
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Ozlem Buyuktanir
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ondokuz Mayis University, Samsun 55139, Turkey
| | - Adriana Marques
- Laboratory of Clinical Infectious Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA
| | - Juan Anguita
- CIC bioGUNE, 48160 Derio, Bizkaia, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48011 Bilbao, Bizkaia, Spain
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA; Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD 20742, USA.
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21
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Li LH, Zhu D, Zhang CC, Zhang Y, Zhou XN. Experimental transmission of Babesia microti by Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:231. [PMID: 27112141 PMCID: PMC4845380 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1517-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2016] [Accepted: 04/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Human babesiosis is considered an emerging threat in China. Dozens of human infections with Babesia microti have been reported recently, especially in southern China. However, the transmission vectors of this parasite in these areas are not well understood. Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides, which is one of the dominant tick species in southern China, is a major vector of bovine babesiosis in China. However, whether this tick has the potential to transmit B. microti has not been tested. The present study experimentally investigated the transmission competence of B. microti through R. haemaphysaloides ticks. Methods Larvae and nymphs of R. haemaphysaloides ticks were fed on laboratory mice infected by B. microti. The infection was detected by PCR at 4 weeks post-molting. BALB/c and NOD/SCID mice were infested by nymphs molting from larvae that ingested the blood of infective mice, and blood samples were then analyzed by PCR. Results Experimental transstadial transmission of R. haemaphysaloides for B. microti was proved in both the larvae to nymph and the nymph to adult transstadial routes. The positive rate of B. microti was 43.8 % in nymphs developed from larvae consumed infected mice and 96.7 % in adults developed from nymphs exposed to positive mice. Among the mice infested by infective nymphs, B. microti was detected in 16.7 % (2/12) of the BALB/c mice and in all of the NOD/SCID (6/6). However, the parasite was not observed to persist beyond more than one molt, and transovarial transmission did not occur. Conclusions This is the first study to demonstrate that B. microti can be transmitted artificially by R. haemaphysaloides. This tick species might be a potential vector of human babesiosis in southern China, which represents a public health concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lan-Hua Li
- Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.,School of Publish Health and Management, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, 261053, PR China
| | - Dan Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Chen-Chen Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
| | - Xiao-Nong Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Parasite & Vector Biology, Ministry of Health, National Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Malaria, Schistosomiasis and Filariasis, Shanghai, 200025, People's Republic of China.
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22
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Smith RC, Vega-Rodríguez J, Jacobs-Lorena M. The Plasmodium bottleneck: malaria parasite losses in the mosquito vector. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015. [PMID: 25185005 PMCID: PMC4156458 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276130597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 135] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Nearly one million people are killed every year by the malaria parasite Plasmodium. Although the disease-causing forms of the parasite exist only in the human blood, mosquitoes of the genus Anopheles are the obligate vector for transmission. Here, we review the parasite life cycle in the vector and highlight the human and mosquito contributions that limit malaria parasite development in the mosquito host. We address parasite killing in its mosquito host and bottlenecks in parasite numbers that might guide intervention strategies to prevent transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan C Smith
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Immunology, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joel Vega-Rodríguez
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Immunology, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Marcelo Jacobs-Lorena
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Malaria Research Institute, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Immunology, Baltimore, MD, USA
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23
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Heme Signaling Impacts Global Gene Expression, Immunity and Dengue Virus Infectivity in Aedes aegypti. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0135985. [PMID: 26275150 PMCID: PMC4537099 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0135985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Blood-feeding mosquitoes are exposed to high levels of heme, the product of hemoglobin degradation. Heme is a pro-oxidant that influences a variety of cellular processes. We performed a global analysis of heme-regulated Aedes aegypti (yellow fever mosquito) transcriptional changes to better understand influence on mosquito physiology at the molecular level. We observed an iron- and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-independent signaling induced by heme that comprised genes related to redox metabolism. By modulating the abundance of these transcripts, heme possibly acts as a danger signaling molecule. Furthermore, heme triggered critical changes in the expression of energy metabolism and immune response genes, altering the susceptibility towards bacteria and dengue virus. These findings seem to have implications on the adaptation of mosquitoes to hematophagy and consequently on their ability to transmit diseases. Altogether, these results may also contribute to the understanding of heme cell biology in eukaryotic cells.
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24
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Luckhart S, Pakpour N, Giulivi C. Host-pathogen interactions in malaria: cross-kingdom signaling and mitochondrial regulation. Curr Opin Immunol 2015. [PMID: 26210301 DOI: 10.1016/j.coi.2015.07.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Malaria parasite-host interactions are complex and have confounded available drugs and the development of vaccines. Further, we now appreciate that interventions for malaria elimination and eradication must include therapeutics with intrinsic transmission blocking activity to treat the patient and prevent disease spread. Studies over the past 15 years have revealed significant conservation in the response to infection in mosquito and human hosts. More recently, we have recognized that conserved cell signaling cascades in mosquitoes and humans dictate infection outcome through the regulation of mitochondrial function and biogenesis, which feed back to host immunity, basic intermediary metabolism, and stress responses. These responses - reflected clearly in the primeval insect host - provide fertile ground for innovative strategies for both treatment and transmission blocking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis CA 95616, United States.
| | - Nazzy Pakpour
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis CA 95616, United States
| | - Cecilia Giulivi
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, and Medical Investigations of Neurodevelopmental Disorders (MIND) Institute, University of California, Davis, Davis CA 95616, United States
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25
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Xu J, Morisseau C, Yang J, Mamatha DM, Hammock BD. Epoxide hydrolase activities and epoxy fatty acids in the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 59:41-9. [PMID: 25686802 PMCID: PMC4387068 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2015.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/05/2015] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Culex mosquitoes have emerged as important model organisms for mosquito biology, and are disease vectors for multiple mosquito-borne pathogens, including West Nile virus. We characterized epoxide hydrolase activities in the mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus, which suggested multiple forms of epoxide hydrolases were present. We found EH activities on epoxy eicosatrienoic acids (EETs). EETs and other eicosanoids are well-established lipid signaling molecules in vertebrates. We showed EETs can be synthesized in vitro from arachidonic acids by mosquito lysate, and EETs were also detected in vivo both in larvae and adult mosquitoes by LC-MS/MS. The EH activities on EETs can be induced by blood feeding, and the highest activity was observed in the midgut of female mosquitoes. The enzyme activities on EETs can be inhibited by urea-based inhibitors designed for mammalian soluble epoxide hydrolases (sEH). The sEH inhibitors have been shown to play diverse biological roles in mammalian systems, and they can be useful tools to study the function of EETs in mosquitoes. Besides juvenile hormone metabolism and detoxification, insect epoxide hydrolases may also play a role in regulating lipid signaling molecules, such as EETs and other epoxy fatty acids, synthesized in vivo or obtained from blood feeding by female mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Xu
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Dadala M Mamatha
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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26
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Geiger A, Ponton F, Simo G. Adult blood-feeding tsetse flies, trypanosomes, microbiota and the fluctuating environment in sub-Saharan Africa. ISME JOURNAL 2014; 9:1496-507. [PMID: 25500509 DOI: 10.1038/ismej.2014.236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2014] [Revised: 11/03/2014] [Accepted: 11/06/2014] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The tsetse fly vector transmits the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei, responsible for Human African Trypanosomiasis, one of the most neglected tropical diseases. Despite a recent decline in new cases, it is still crucial to develop alternative strategies to combat this disease. Here, we review the literature on the factors that influence trypanosome transmission from the fly vector to its vertebrate host (particularly humans). These factors include climate change effects to pathogen and vector development (in particular climate warming), as well as the distribution of host reservoirs. Finally, we present reports on the relationships between insect vector nutrition, immune function, microbiota and infection, to demonstrate how continuing research on the evolving ecology of these complex systems will help improve control strategies. In the future, such studies will be of increasing importance to understand how vector-borne diseases are spread in a changing world.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Geiger
- UMR 177, IRD-CIRAD, CIRAD TA A-17/G, Campus International de Baillarguet, Montpellier Cedex 5, France
| | - Fleur Ponton
- 1] School of Biological Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia [2] The Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Gustave Simo
- Molecular Parasitology and Entomology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Dschang, Dschang, Cameroon
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27
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Xu J, Morisseau C, Hammock BD. Expression and characterization of an epoxide hydrolase from Anopheles gambiae with high activity on epoxy fatty acids. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2014; 54:42-52. [PMID: 25173592 PMCID: PMC4252830 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2014.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2014] [Revised: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 08/15/2014] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
In insects, epoxide hydrolases (EHs) play critical roles in the metabolism of xenobiotic epoxides from the food resources and in the regulation of endogenous chemical mediators, such as juvenile hormones. Using the baculovirus expression system, we expressed and characterized an epoxide hydrolase from Anopheles gambiae (AgEH) that is distinct in evolutionary history from insect juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolases (JHEHs). We partially purified the enzyme by ion exchange chromatography and isoelectric focusing. The experimentally determined molecular weight and pI were estimated to be 35 kD and 6.3 respectively, different than the theoretical ones. The AgEH had the greatest activity on long chain epoxy fatty acids such as 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (14,15-EET) and 9,10-epoxy-12Z-octadecenoic acids (9,10-EpOME or leukotoxin) among the substrates evaluated. Juvenile hormone III, a terpenoid insect growth regulator, was the next best substrate tested. The AgEH showed kinetics comparable to the mammalian soluble epoxide hydrolases, and the activity could be inhibited by AUDA [12-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureido) dodecanoic acid], a urea-based inhibitor designed to inhibit the mammalian soluble epoxide hydrolases. The rabbit serum generated against the soluble epoxide hydrolase of Mus musculus can both cross-react with natural and denatured forms of the AgEH, suggesting immunologically they are similar. The study suggests there are mammalian sEH homologs in insects, and epoxy fatty acids may be important chemical mediators in insects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Xu
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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28
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Drexler AL, Pietri JE, Pakpour N, Hauck E, Wang B, Glennon EKK, Georgis M, Riehle MA, Luckhart S. Human IGF1 regulates midgut oxidative stress and epithelial homeostasis to balance lifespan and Plasmodium falciparum resistance in Anopheles stephensi. PLoS Pathog 2014; 10:e1004231. [PMID: 24968248 PMCID: PMC4072789 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1004231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2014] [Accepted: 05/20/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin and insulin-like growth factor signaling (IIS) regulates cell death, repair, autophagy, and renewal in response to stress, damage, and pathogen challenge. Therefore, IIS is fundamental to lifespan and disease resistance. Previously, we showed that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) within a physiologically relevant range (0.013-0.13 µM) in human blood reduced development of the human parasite Plasmodium falciparum in the Indian malaria mosquito Anopheles stephensi. Low IGF1 (0.013 µM) induced FOXO and p70S6K activation in the midgut and extended mosquito lifespan, whereas high IGF1 (0.13 µM) did not. In this study the physiological effects of low and high IGF1 were examined in detail to infer mechanisms for their dichotomous effects on mosquito resistance and lifespan. Following ingestion, low IGF1 induced phosphorylation of midgut c-Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), a critical regulator of epithelial homeostasis, but high IGF1 did not. Low and high IGF1 induced midgut mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) synthesis and nitric oxide (NO) synthase gene expression, responses which were necessary and sufficient to mediate IGF1 inhibition of P. falciparum development. However, increased ROS and apoptosis-associated caspase-3 activity returned to baseline levels following low IGF1 treatment, but were sustained with high IGF1 treatment and accompanied by aberrant expression of biomarkers for mitophagy, stem cell division and proliferation. Low IGF1-induced ROS are likely moderated by JNK-induced epithelial cytoprotection as well as p70S6K-mediated growth and inhibition of apoptosis over the lifetime of A. stephensi to facilitate midgut homeostasis and enhanced survivorship. Hence, mitochondrial integrity and homeostasis in the midgut, a key signaling center for IIS, can be targeted to coordinately optimize mosquito fitness and anti-pathogen resistance for improved control strategies for malaria and other vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna L. Drexler
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Jose E. Pietri
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Nazzy Pakpour
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Eric Hauck
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth K. K. Glennon
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Martha Georgis
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
| | - Michael A. Riehle
- Department of Entomology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, United States of America
| | - Shirley Luckhart
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States of America
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29
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Price I, Ermentrout B, Zamora R, Wang B, Azhar N, Mi Q, Constantine G, Faeder JR, Luckhart S, Vodovotz Y. In vivo, in vitro, and in silico studies suggest a conserved immune module that regulates malaria parasite transmission from mammals to mosquitoes. J Theor Biol 2013; 334:173-86. [PMID: 23764028 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2013.05.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2013] [Revised: 05/24/2013] [Accepted: 05/31/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Human malaria can be caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum that is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes. "Immunological crosstalk" between the mammalian and anopheline hosts for Plasmodium functions to control parasite numbers. Key to this process is the mammalian cytokine transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1). In mammals, TGF-β1 regulates inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase (iNOS) both positively and negatively. In some settings, high levels of NO activate latent TGF-β1, which in turn suppresses iNOS expression. In the mosquito, ingested TGF-β1 induces A. stephensi NOS (AsNOS), which limits parasite development and which in turn is suppressed by activation of the mosquito homolog of the mitogen-activated protein kinases MEK and ERK. Computational models linking TGF-β1, AsNOS, and MEK/ERK were developed to provide insights into this complex biology. An initial Boolean model suggested that, as occurs in mammalian cells, MEK/ERK and AsNOS would oscillate upon ingestion of TGF-β1. An ordinary differential equation (ODE) model further supported the hypothesis of TGF-β1-induced multiphasic behavior of MEK/ERK and AsNOS. To achieve this multiphasic behavior, the ODE model was predicated on the presence of constant levels of TGF-β1 in the mosquito midgut. Ingested TGF-β1, however, did not exhibit this behavior. Accordingly, we hypothesized and experimentally verified that ingested TGF-β1 induces the expression of the endogenous mosquito TGF-β superfamily ligand As60A. Computational simulation of these complex, cross-species interactions suggested that TGF-β1 and NO-mediated induction of As60A expression together may act to maintain multiphasic AsNOS expression via MEK/ERK-dependent signaling. We hypothesize that multiphasic behavior as represented in this model allows the mosquito to balance the conflicting demands of parasite killing and metabolic homeostasis in the face of damaging inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Price
- Department of Mathematics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260, USA
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