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Alencar RM, Sepulveda CCP, Martinez-Villegas L, Bahia AC, Santana RA, de Souza IB, D'Elia GMA, Duarte APM, de Lacerda MVG, Monteiro WM, Secundino NFC, Pimenta PFP, Koerich LB. Unravelling the genome of the brackish water malaria vector Anopheles aquasalis. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20472. [PMID: 37993652 PMCID: PMC10665375 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47830-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a severe public health problem in several developing tropical and subtropical countries. Anopheles aquasalis is the primary coastal malaria vector in Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands, and it has the peculiar feature of living in water with large changes in salinity. Recent research has recognised An. aquasalis as an important model for studying the interactions of murine and human Plasmodium parasites. This study presents the complete genome of An. aquasalis and offers insights into its evolution and physiology. The genome is similar in size and gene content to other Neotropical anophelines, with 162 Mb and 12,446 protein-coding genes. There are 1387 single-copy orthologs at the Diptera level (eg. An. gambiae, An. darlingi and Drosophila melanogaster). An. aquasalis diverged from An. darlingi, the primary malaria vector in inland South America, nearly 20 million years ago. Proteins related to ion transport and metabolism belong to the most abundant gene families with 660 genes. We identified gene families relevant to osmosis control (e.g., aquaporins, vacuolar-ATPases, Na+/K+-ATPases, and carbonic anhydrases). Evolutionary analysis suggests that all osmotic regulation genes are under strong purifying selection. We also observed low copy number variation in insecticide resistance and immunity-related genes for all known classical pathways. The data provided by this study offers candidate genes for further studies of parasite-vector interactions and for studies on how anophelines of brackish water deal with the high fluctuation in water salinity. We also established data and insights supporting An. aquasalis as an emerging Neotropical malaria vector model for genetic and molecular studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Maciel Alencar
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
| | - Cesar Camilo Prado Sepulveda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
| | - Luis Martinez-Villegas
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30.190-009, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30.190-009, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Bahia
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Insetos e Parasitos, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, CEP 21.941-170, Brazil
| | - Rosa Amélia Santana
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisa Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.027-070, Brazil
| | - Igor Belém de Souza
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
| | - Gigliola Mayara Ayres D'Elia
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Marques Duarte
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Guimarães de Lacerda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisa Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.027-070, Brazil
- University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, United States of America
| | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
| | - Nágila Francinete Costa Secundino
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30.190-009, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30.190-009, Brazil
| | - Paulo Filemon Paolucci Pimenta
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Heitor Vieira Dourado, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Amazonas, CEP 69.040-000, Brazil.
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30.190-009, Brazil.
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 30.190-009, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo Barbosa Koerich
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, CEP 31.270-901, Brazil.
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Morais CMG, Brito RMDM, Weselucha-Birczyńska A, Pereira VSDS, Pereira-Silva JW, Menezes A, Pessoa FAC, Kucharska M, Birczyńska-Zych M, Ríos-Velásquez CM, de Andrade-Neto VF. Blood-stage antiplasmodial activity and oocyst formation-blockage of metallo copper-cinchonine complex. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1047269. [PMID: 36530433 PMCID: PMC9751060 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1047269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the fight against malaria, the key is early treatment with antimalarial chemotherapy, such as artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs). However, Plasmodium has acquired multidrug resistance, including the emergence of P. falciparum strains with resistance to ACT. The development of novel antimalarial molecules, that are capable of interfering in the asexual and sexual blood stages, is important to slow down the transmission in endemic areas. In this work, we studied the ability of the mettalo copper-cinchonine complex to interfere in the sexual and asexual stages of Plasmodium. The tested compound in the in vitro assay was a cinchonine derivative, named CinCu (Bis[Cinchoninium Tetrachlorocuprate(II)]trihydrate). Its biological functions were assessed by antiplasmodial activity in vitro against chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum W2 strain. The mice model of P. berghei ANKA infection was used to analyze the antimalarial activity of CinCu and chloroquine and their acute toxicity. The oocyst formation-blocking assay was performed by experimental infection of Anopheles aquasalis with P. vivax infected blood, which was treated with different concentrations of CinCu, cinchonine, and primaquine. We found that CinCu was able to suppress as high as 81.58% of parasitemia in vitro, being considered a molecule with high antiplasmodial activity and low toxicity. The in vivo analysis showed that CinCu suppressed parasitemia at 34% up to 87.19%, being a partially active molecule against the blood-stage forms of P. berghei ANKA, without inducing severe clinical signs in the treated groups. The transmission-blocking assay revealed that both cinchonine and primaquine were able to reduce the infection intensity of P. vivax in A. aquasalis, leading to a decrease in the number of oocysts recovered from the mosquitoes' midgut. Regarding the effect of CinCu, the copper-complex was not able to induce inhibition of P. vivax infection; however, it was able to induce an important reduction in the intensity of oocyst formation by about 2.4 times. It is plausible that the metallo-compound also be able to interfere with the differentiation of parasite stages and/or ookinete-secreted chitinase into the peritrophic matrix of mosquitoes, promoting a reduction in the number of oocysts formed. Taken together, the results suggest that this compound is promising as a prototype for the development of new antimalarial drugs. Furthermore, our study can draw a new pathway for repositioning already-known antimalarial drugs by editing their chemical structure to improve the antimalarial activity against the asexual and sexual stages of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Martins Gomes Morais
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,Post-Graduate Program in Parasitic Biology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,Laboratory of Immunology and Genomics of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Valeska Santana de Sena Pereira
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,Post-Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Jordam William Pereira-Silva
- Laboratory of Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil,Post-Graduate Program in Living Conditions and Health Situations in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Menezes
- Post-Graduate Program in Biology of Host-Pathogen interaction, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Felipe Arley Costa Pessoa
- Laboratory of Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Martyna Kucharska
- Department of Chemical Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Malwina Birczyńska-Zych
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland,Department of Infectious Diseases, The University Hospital in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
| | - Claudia María Ríos-Velásquez
- Laboratory of Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil,*Correspondence: Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto, ; ; Claudia María Ríos-Velásquez, ;
| | - Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,*Correspondence: Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto, ; ; Claudia María Ríos-Velásquez, ;
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Amazonian Anopheles with low numbers of oocysts transmit Plasmodium vivax sporozoites during a blood meal. Sci Rep 2022; 12:19442. [PMID: 36376491 PMCID: PMC9663451 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24058-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Anopheles darlingi is the main malarial vector in the Brazilian Amazon region. An. nuneztovari s.l., An. triannulatus s.l., An. evansae, and An. benarrochi s.l. do not have a defined role as malarial vectors, although they have been found to be naturally infected with Plasmodium vivax, and some develop oocysts. In this study, we evaluated the importance of low numbers of oocysts in sporozoite salivary gland invasion and transmission. Field-collected mosquitoes were experimentally infected with P. vivax. The infection rates and oocyst and sporozoite infection intensities were evaluated and compared with those of An. aquasalis. We found the highest number of oocysts in An. darlingi (mean = 39.47) and the lowest in An. nuneztovari s.l. (mean = 2). The highest number of sporozoites was observed in An. darlingi (mean = 610) and lowest in An. benarrochi s.l. (mean = 30). Plasmodium vivax DNA was detected in the saliva of all mosquito species after a blood meal. Regardless of the number of oocysts, all species transmitted sporozoites during blood meals. Considering the abundance of these mosquitoes and transmission of sporozoites, it is logical to assume that An. nuneztovari s.l. and An. triannulatus s.l. are involved in the transmission of P. vivax.
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Omondi ZN, Arserim SK, Töz S, Özbel Y. Host-Parasite Interactions: Regulation of Leishmania Infection in Sand Fly. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:606-618. [PMID: 35107776 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00519-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Sand flies are the only proven vectors of leishmaniases, a tropical neglected disease endemic in at least 92 countries. Vector-parasite interactions play a significant role in vector-borne disease transmission. There are various bottlenecks to Leishmania colonization of the sand fly midgut. Such bottlenecks include the production of innate immune-related molecules, digestive proteases, parasite impermeable peritrophic membrane, and resident gut microbiota. These barriers determine the parasite load transmitted and, consequently, the disease outcome in mammalian host. Therefore, it is important to understand the molecular responses of both sand fly and Leishmania during infection. METHOD Here, we reviewed the published literature on sand fly-Leishmania interactions bringing together earlier and current findings to highlight new developments and research gaps in the field. CONCLUSION Recent research studies on sand fly-Leishmania interaction have revealed contrasting observations to past studies. However, how Leishmania parasites evade the sand fly immune response still needs further research. Sand fly response to Leishmania infection can be best understood by analyzing its tissue transcriptome. Better characterization of the role of midgut components could be a game changer in development of transmission-blocking strategies for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zeph Nelson Omondi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Ege University, Erzene Street, 35040, Bornova/Izmir, Turkey.
| | - Suha Kenan Arserim
- Vocational School of Health Sciences, Manisa Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey
| | - Seray Töz
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Özbel
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
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Barletta Ferreira AB, Bahia AC, Pitaluga AN, Barros E, Gama dos Santos D, Bottino-Rojas V, Kubota MS, Oliveira PLD, Pimenta PFP, Traub-Csekö YM, Sorgine MHF. Sexual Dimorphism in Immune Responses and Infection Resistance in Aedes aegypti and Other Hematophagous Insect Vectors. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.847109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism in immune function is prevalent across different species, where males trade their ability to fight pathogens for a practical reproductive function while females favor an extended lifespan. In insects, these differences in immune function reflect an evolutionary life strategy, where females have a presumably more robust immune system than insect males. Here, we evaluate immune functioning in four male and female insect vectors, Aedes aegypti (Diptera, Culicidae), Anopheles aquasalis (Diptera, Culicidae), Lutzomyia longipalpis (Diptera, Psychodidae) and Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae). We show evidence that challenges the concept of immune sexual dimorphism in three of these insect vectors. In the three Diptera species, A. aegypti, A. aquasalis and L. longipalpis that transmit arboviruses, Plasmodium spp. (Haemospororida, Plasmodiidae) and Leishmania spp. (Trypanosomatida, Trypanosomatidae), respectively, unchallenged adult males express higher levels of immune-related genes than adult females and immature developmental stages. The main components of the Toll, IMD, and Jak/STAT pathways and antimicrobial effectors are highly expressed in whole-body males. Additionally, males present lower midgut basal microbiota levels than females. In A. aegypti mosquitoes, the differences in immune gene expression and microbiota levels are established in adult mosquitoes but are not present at the recently emerged adults and pupal stage. Antibiotic treatment does not affect the consistently higher expression of immune genes in males, except defensin, which is reduced significantly after microbiota depletion and restored after re-introduction. Our data suggest that Diptera males have a basal state of activation of the immune system and that activation of a more robust response through systemic immune challenge acutely compromises their survival. The ones who survive clear the infection entirely. Females follow a different strategy where a moderate immune reaction render higher tolerance to infection and survival. In contrast, hematophagous adult males of the Hemiptera vector R. prolixus, which transmits Trypanosoma cruzi, present no differences in immune activation compared to females, suggesting that diet differences between males and females may influence immune sexual dimorphism. These findings expand our understanding of the biology of insect vectors of human pathogens, which can help to direct the development of new strategies to limit vector populations.
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Phenotypic traits of individuals in a long-term colony of Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) aquasalis (Diptera: Culicidae) show variable susceptibility to Plasmodium and suggest cryptic speciation. Acta Trop 2021; 224:106129. [PMID: 34509458 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Anopheles aquasalis is an important malaria vector in coastal regions of South America and islands of the Caribbean. In its original description, the species was divided into two varieties, based on the scaling patterns of their hind-tarsomere 2. Specimens from our 25-year established colony, used for Plasmodium experimental infections, still exhibit both scaling tarsomere patterns. This study examined the DNA sequence of the nuclear Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) and susceptibility to Plasmodium, looking for differences among the phenotypes 30BS and 50BS. One hundred mosquitoes, 25 males and 25 females of each sex, and phenotype were analyzed. Twenty-seven novel haplotypes were identified. Three were found in both phenotypes (30BS and 50BS) regardless of gender. Among the other 27 genotypes, we observed a male-oriented bias in both phenotypic categories. Evaluation of Plasmodium yoelii N67 infections, based on oocyst counts, showed a higher susceptibility of 30BS compared with 50BS. Future studies need to be conducted to evaluate if these genotype assortments among the phenotypic groups reflect differences in fitness, mating, and their susceptibility to infection by Plasmodium parasites.
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Baia-da-Silva DC, Orfanó AS, Nacif-Pimenta R, de Melo FF, Guerra MGVB, Lacerda MVG, Monteiro WM, Pimenta PFP. Microanatomy of the American Malaria Vector Anopheles aquasalis (Diptera: Culicidae: Anophelinae) Midgut: Ultrastructural and Histochemical Observations. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2019; 56:1636-1649. [PMID: 31321415 PMCID: PMC6821279 DOI: 10.1093/jme/tjz114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The mosquito gut is divided into foregut, midgut, and hindgut. The midgut functions in storage and digestion of the bloodmeal. This study used light, scanning (SEM), and transmission (TEM) electron microscopy to analyze in detail the microanatomy and morphology of the midgut of nonblood-fed Anopheles aquasalis females. The midgut epithelium is a monolayer of columnar epithelial cells that is composed of two populations: microvillar epithelial cells and basal cells. The microvillar epithelial cells can be further subdivided into light and dark cells, based on their affinities to toluidine blue and their electron density. FITC-labeling of the anterior midgut and posterior midgut with lectins resulted in different fluorescence intensities, indicating differences in carbohydrate residues. SEM revealed a complex muscle network composed of circular and longitudinal fibers that surround the entire midgut. In summary, the use of a diverse set of morphological methods revealed the general microanatomy of the midgut and associated tissues of An. aquasalis, which is a major vector of Plasmodium spp. (Haemosporida: Plasmodiidae) in America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djane C Baia-da-Silva
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Av. Pedro Teixeira, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Av. Pedro Teixeira, 25, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Alessandra S Orfanó
- Instituto Leônidas and Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Manaus, Rua Terezina, Adrianópolis, CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Rafael Nacif-Pimenta
- Instituto Leônidas and Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Manaus, Rua Terezina, Adrianópolis, CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Fabricio F de Melo
- Instituto Multidisciplinar em Saúde, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Rua Hormindo Barros, Candeias, CEP, Vitória da Conquista, BA, Brazil
| | - Maria G V B Guerra
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Av. Pedro Teixeira, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Av. Pedro Teixeira, 25, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Marcus V G Lacerda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Av. Pedro Teixeira, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Av. Pedro Teixeira, 25, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Minas Gerais, Av. Augusto de Lima, Barro Preto, CEP, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Wuelton M Monteiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Av. Pedro Teixeira, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Av. Pedro Teixeira, 25, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Paulo F P Pimenta
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Av. Pedro Teixeira, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Av. Pedro Teixeira, 25, Dom Pedro, Manaus CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas and Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Manaus, Rua Terezina, Adrianópolis, CEP, Manaus, AM, Brazil
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Bahia AC, Kubota MS, Souza-Neto JA, Koerich LB, Barletta AB, Araújo HRC, Gonçalves CM, Ríos-Velásquez CM, Pimenta PFP, Traub-Csekö YM. An Anopheles aquasalis GATA factor Serpent is required for immunity against Plasmodium and bacteria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006785. [PMID: 30248099 PMCID: PMC6171954 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/24/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Innate immunity is an ancient and conserved defense system that provides an early effective response against invaders. Many immune genes of Anopheles mosquitoes have been implicated in defense against a variety of pathogens, including plasmodia. Nevertheless, only recent work identified some immune genes of Anopheles aquasalis mosquitoes upon P. vivax infection. Among these was a GATA transcription factor gene, which is described here. This is an ortholog of GATA factor Serpent genes described in Drosophila melanogaster and Anopheles gambiae. Gene expression analyses showed an increase of GATA-Serpent mRNA in P. vivax-infected A. aquasalis and functional RNAi experiments identified this transcription factor as an important immune gene of A. aquasalis against both bacteria and P. vivax. Besides, we were able to identify an effect of GATA-Serpent knockdown on A. aquasalis hemocyte proliferation and differentiation. These findings expand our understanding of the poorly studied A. aquasalis-P. vivax interactions and uncover GATA-Serpent as a key player of the mosquito innate immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. Bahia
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marina S. Kubota
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jayme A. Souza-Neto
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Leonardo B. Koerich
- Laboratório de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematófagos, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Beatriz Barletta
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Artrópodes Hematófagos, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo De Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Helena R. C. Araújo
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Caroline M. Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Cláudia M. Ríos-Velásquez
- Laboratório de Ecologia de Doenças Transmissíveis na Amazônia, Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Paulo F. P. Pimenta
- Laboratório de Entomologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Laboratório de Biodiversidade em Saúde, Centro de Pesquisa Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Yara M. Traub-Csekö
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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9
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Baia-da-Silva DC, Alvarez LCS, Lizcano OV, Costa FTM, Lopes SCP, Orfanó AS, Pascoal DO, Nacif-Pimenta R, Rodriguez IC, Guerra MDGVB, Lacerda MVG, Secundino NFC, Monteiro WM, Pimenta PFP. The role of the peritrophic matrix and red blood cell concentration in Plasmodium vivax infection of Anopheles aquasalis. Parasit Vectors 2018; 11:148. [PMID: 29510729 PMCID: PMC5840820 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-018-2752-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax is predominant in the Amazon region, and enhanced knowledge of its development inside a natural vector, Anopheles aquasalis, is critical for future strategies aimed at blocking parasite development. The peritrophic matrix (PM), a chitinous layer produced by the mosquito midgut in response to blood ingestion, is a protective barrier against pathogens. Plasmodium can only complete its life-cycle, and consequently be transmitted to a new host, after successfully passing this barrier. Interestingly, fully engorged mosquitoes that had a complete blood meal form a thicker, well-developed PM than ones that feed in small amounts. The amount of red blood cells (RBC) in the blood meal directly influences the production of digestive enzymes and can protect parasites from being killed during the meal digestion. A specific study interrupting the development of the PM associated with the proteolytic activity inhibition, and distinct RBC concentrations, during the P. vivax infection of the New World malaria vector An. aquasalis is expected to clarify whether these factors affect the parasite development. Results Absence of PM in the vector caused a significant reduction in P. vivax infection. However, the association of chitinase with trypsin inhibitor restored infection rates to those of mosquitoes with a structured PM. Also, only the ingestion of trypsin inhibitor by non-chitinase treated mosquitoes increased the infection intensity. Moreover, the RBC concentration in the infected P. vivax blood meal directly influenced the infection rate and its intensity. A straight correlation was observed between RBC concentrations and infection intensity. Conclusions This study established that there is a balance between the PM role, RBC concentration and digestive enzyme activity influencing the establishment and development of P. vivax infection inside An. aquasalis. Our results indicate that the absence of PM in the midgut facilitates digestive enzyme dispersion throughout the blood meal, causing direct damage to P. vivax. On the other hand, high RBC concentrations support a better and thick, well-developed PM and protect P. vivax from being killed. Further studies of this complex system may provide insights into other details of the malaria vector response to P. vivax infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Djane Clarys Baia-da-Silva
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Luis Carlos Salazar Alvarez
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Omaira Vera Lizcano
- Grupo de Investigación QUIBIO, Departamento de Biología, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Valle del Cauca, Colombia
| | - Fabio Trindade Maranhão Costa
- Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, Institute of Biology, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Silva Orfanó
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Denner Oliveira Pascoal
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Rafael Nacif-Pimenta
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Iria Cabral Rodriguez
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Maria das Graças Vale Barbosa Guerra
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Guimarães Lacerda
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | | | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Paulo Filemon Paolucci Pimenta
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil. .,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, AM, Brazil. .,Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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10
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Promising approach to reducing Malaria transmission by ivermectin: Sporontocidal effect against Plasmodium vivax in the South American vectors Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles darlingi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006221. [PMID: 29444080 PMCID: PMC5828505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mosquito resistance to the insecticides threatens malaria control efforts, potentially becoming a major public health issue. Alternative methods like ivermectin (IVM) administration to humans has been suggested as a possible vector control to reduce Plasmodium transmission. Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles darlingi are competent vectors for Plasmodium vivax, and they have been responsible for various malaria outbreaks in the coast of Brazil and the Amazon Region of South America. Methods To determine the IVM susceptibility against P. vivax in An. aquasalis and An. darlingi, ivermectin were mixed in P. vivax infected blood: (1) Powdered IVM at four concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 or 40 ng/mL). (2) Plasma (0 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, 5, 10 and 14 days) was collected from healthy volunteers after to administer a single oral dose of IVM (200 μg/kg) (3) Mosquitoes infected with P. vivax and after 4 days was provided with IVM plasma collected 4 hours post-treatment (4) P. vivax-infected patients were treated with various combinations of IVM, chloroquine, and primaquine and plasma or whole blood was collected at 4 hours. Seven days after the infective blood meal, mosquitoes were dissected to evaluate oocyst presence. Additionally, the ex vivo effects of IVM against asexual blood-stage P. vivax was evaluated. Results IVM significantly reduced the prevalence of An. aquasalis that developed oocysts in 10 to 40 ng/mL pIVM concentrations and plasma 4 hours, 1 day and 5 days. In An. darlingi to 4 hours and 1 day. The An. aquasalis mortality was expressively increased in pIVM (40ng/mL) and plasma 4 hours, 1, 5 10 and 14 days post-intake drug and in An. darlingi only to 4 hours and 1 day. The double fed meal with mIVM by the mosquitoes has a considerable impact on the proportion of infected mosquitoes for 7 days post-feeding. The oocyst infection prevalence and intensity were notably reduced when mosquitoes ingested blood from P. vivax patients that ingested IVM+CQ, PQ+CQ and IVM+PQ+CQ. P. vivax asexual development was considerably inhibited by mIVM at four-fold dilutions. Conclusion In conclusion, whole blood spiked with IVM reduced the infection rate of P. vivax in An. aquasalis and An. darlingi, and increased the mortality of mosquitoes. Plasma from healthy volunteers after IVM administration affect asexual P. vivax development. These findings support that ivermectin may be used to decrease P. vivax transmission. Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases in the world with hundreds of millions of new cases every year. The disease is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium where Plasmodium vivax represent most of the cases in the Americas. Current strategies to combat malaria transmission are being implemented; however, widespread insecticide resistance in vectors threatens the effectiveness of vector control programs. Ivermectin (IVM) has arisen as a new potential tool to be added to these programs as it has mosquito-lethal and sporontocidal properties making it a promising transmission reduction drug. Plasmodium vivax was drawn from patients, mixed with powdered IVM and metabolized IVM in plasma collected from healthy volunteers receiving IVM, and fed to mosquitoes via membrane feeding. Powdered and metabolized IVM interrupt P. vivax transmission, reducing oocyst infection and intensity rate of two South American malaria vectors An. aquasalis and An. darlingi. We also demonstrate the effect of IVM on asexual stages development of P. vivax, providing evidence that IVM may affect different parasite life cycle stages. Our findings place IVM as a strong candidate for malaria transmission reducing interventions.
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11
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Proteomics reveals major components of oogenesis in the reproductive tract of sugar-fed Anopheles aquasalis. Parasitol Res 2016; 115:1977-89. [DOI: 10.1007/s00436-016-4940-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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12
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Molina-Cruz A, Barillas-Mury C. The remarkable journey of adaptation of the Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasite to New World anopheline mosquitoes. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 109:662-7. [PMID: 25185006 PMCID: PMC4156459 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276130553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2013] [Accepted: 02/25/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum originated in Africa, dispersed around the
world as a result of human migration and had to adapt to several different indigenous
anopheline mosquitoes. Anophelines from the New World are evolutionary distant form
African ones and this probably resulted in a more stringent selection of
Plasmodium as it adapted to these vectors. It is thought that
Plasmodium has been genetically selected by some anopheline species
through unknown mechanisms. The mosquito immune system can greatly limit infection
and P. falciparum evolved a strategy to evade these responses, at
least in part mediated by Pfs47, a highly polymorphic gene. We
propose that adaptation of P. falciparum to new vectors may require
evasion of their immune system. Parasites with a Pfs47 haplotype
compatible with the indigenous mosquito vector would be able to survive and be
transmitted. The mosquito antiplasmodial response could be an important determinant
of P. falciparum population structure and could affect malaria
transmission in the Americas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Molina-Cruz
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
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13
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Dias-Lopes G, Borges-Veloso A, Saboia-Vahia L, Domont GB, Britto C, Cuervo P, De Jesus JB. Expression of active trypsin-like serine peptidases in the midgut of sugar-feeding female Anopheles aquasalis. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:296. [PMID: 26021986 PMCID: PMC4459661 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0908-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles aquasalis is a dipteran of the family Culicidae that is widely distributed in the coastal regions of South and Central America. This species acts as a vector of Plasmodium vivax, an important etiological agent of malaria, which represents a serious public health problem. In mosquitoes, trypsin-like serine proteases are important in blood meal digestion, immune responses and reproductive functions. The study of peptidases expressed in the mosquito midgut is essential to understanding the mechanisms of parasite-host interaction and the physiological process of nutrient digestion. METHODS Our study aimed to identify and characterize the proteolytic activities in the midgut of sugar-fed An. aquasalis females using zymographic analyses (substrate-SDS-PAGE), in-solution assays and mass spectrometry. RESULTS Here, we used a zymographic analysis to further biochemically characterize the proteolytic profile of the midgut of sugar-feeding An. aquasalis females. The trypsin peptidases migrated between ~17 and ~76 kDa and displayed higher proteolytic activities between pH 7.5 and 10 and at temperatures between 37 °C and 50 °C. Four putative trypsin-like serine peptidases were identified using mass spectrometry and data mining. The molecular masses of these peptidases were similar to those observed using zymography, which suggested that these peptidases could be responsible for some of the observed proteolytic bands. CONCLUSIONS Taken together, our results contribute to the gene annotation of the unknown genome of this species, to the tissue location of these peptidases, and to the functional prediction of these crucial enzymes, which all impact further studies of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Geovane Dias-Lopes
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Andre Borges-Veloso
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Leonardo Saboia-Vahia
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmaniose - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Pav. 26, Sala 509, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Gilberto B Domont
- Laboratório de Química de Proteínas, Departamento de Química, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Constança Britto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Patricia Cuervo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmaniose - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, Pav. 26, Sala 509, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Jose Batista De Jesus
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas - Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Departamento de Medicina, Faculdade de Medicina - Universidade Federal de São João Del Rey, São João del Rei, MG, Brazil.
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14
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Pimenta PFP, Orfano AS, Bahia AC, Duarte APM, Ríos-Velásquez CM, Melo FF, Pessoa FAC, Oliveira GA, Campos KMM, Villegas LM, Rodrigues NB, Nacif-Pimenta R, Simões RC, Monteiro WM, Amino R, Traub-Cseko YM, Lima JBP, Barbosa MGV, Lacerda MVG, Tadei WP, Secundino NFC. An overview of malaria transmission from the perspective of Amazon Anopheles vectors. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2015; 110:23-47. [PMID: 25742262 PMCID: PMC4371216 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760140266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
In the Americas, areas with a high risk of malaria transmission are mainly located in the Amazon Forest, which extends across nine countries. One keystone step to understanding the Plasmodium life cycle in Anopheles species from the Amazon Region is to obtain experimentally infected mosquito vectors. Several attempts to colonise Anopheles species have been conducted, but with only short-lived success or no success at all. In this review, we review the literature on malaria transmission from the perspective of its Amazon vectors. Currently, it is possible to develop experimental Plasmodium vivax infection of the colonised and field-captured vectors in laboratories located close to Amazonian endemic areas. We are also reviewing studies related to the immune response to P. vivax infection of Anopheles aquasalis, a coastal mosquito species. Finally, we discuss the importance of the modulation of Plasmodium infection by the vector microbiota and also consider the anopheline genomes. The establishment of experimental mosquito infections with Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium yoelii and Plasmodium berghei parasites that could provide interesting models for studying malaria in the Amazonian scenario is important. Understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of the parasites in New World vectors is crucial in order to better determine the interaction process and vectorial competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo FP Pimenta
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG,
Brasil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM,
Brasil
| | | | - Ana C Bahia
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Ana PM Duarte
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG,
Brasil
| | | | - Fabrício F Melo
- Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG,
Brasil
| | | | | | - Keillen MM Campos
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM,
Brasil
| | | | | | | | - Rejane C Simões
- Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Wuelton M Monteiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM,
Brasil
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Unité de Biologie et Génétique du Paludisme, Institut Pasteur, Paris,
France
| | | | - José BP Lima
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM,
Brasil
- Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Maria GV Barbosa
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM,
Brasil
| | - Marcus VG Lacerda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM,
Brasil
- Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane-Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brasil
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15
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Costa-da-Silva AL, Marinotti O, Ribeiro JMC, Silva MCP, Lopes AR, Barros MS, Sá-Nunes A, Kojin BB, Carvalho E, Suesdek L, Silva-Neto MAC, James AA, Capurro ML. Transcriptome sequencing and developmental regulation of gene expression in Anopheles aquasalis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e3005. [PMID: 25033462 PMCID: PMC4102416 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0003005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles aquasalis is a major malaria vector in coastal areas of South and Central America where it breeds preferentially in brackish water. This species is very susceptible to Plasmodium vivax and it has been already incriminated as responsible vector in malaria outbreaks. There has been no high-throughput investigation into the sequencing of An. aquasalis genes, transcripts and proteins despite its epidemiological relevance. Here we describe the sequencing, assembly and annotation of the An. aquasalis transcriptome. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A total of 419 thousand cDNA sequence reads, encompassing 164 million nucleotides, were assembled in 7544 contigs of ≥ 2 sequences, and 1999 singletons. The majority of the An. aquasalis transcripts encode proteins with their closest counterparts in another neotropical malaria vector, An. darlingi. Several analyses in different protein databases were used to annotate and predict the putative functions of the deduced An. aquasalis proteins. Larval and adult-specific transcripts were represented by 121 and 424 contig sequences, respectively. Fifty-one transcripts were only detected in blood-fed females. The data also reveal a list of transcripts up- or down-regulated in adult females after a blood meal. Transcripts associated with immunity, signaling networks and blood feeding and digestion are discussed. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE This study represents the first large-scale effort to sequence the transcriptome of An. aquasalis. It provides valuable information that will facilitate studies on the biology of this species and may lead to novel strategies to reduce malaria transmission on the South American continent. The An. aquasalis transcriptome is accessible at http://exon.niaid.nih.gov/transcriptome/An_aquasalis/Anaquexcel.xlsx.
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Affiliation(s)
- André L. Costa-da-Silva
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Osvaldo Marinotti
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - José M. C. Ribeiro
- Section of Vector Biology, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Maria C. P. Silva
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Adriana R. Lopes
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biofísica, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Michele S. Barros
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Anderson Sá-Nunes
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Imunologia Experimental, Departamento de Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bianca B. Kojin
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Eneas Carvalho
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lincoln Suesdek
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Laboratório de Parasitologia, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mário Alberto C. Silva-Neto
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Sinalização Celular, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Anthony A. James
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of California Irvine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Margareth L. Capurro
- Laboratório de Mosquitos Geneticamente Modificados, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, INCT-EM, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Rios-Velásquez CM, Martins-Campos KM, Simões RC, Izzo T, dos Santos EV, Pessoa FAC, Lima JBP, Monteiro WM, Secundino NFC, Lacerda MVG, Tadei WP, Pimenta PFP. Experimental Plasmodium vivax infection of key Anopheles species from the Brazilian Amazon. Malar J 2013; 12:460. [PMID: 24359307 PMCID: PMC3878095 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-12-460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2013] [Accepted: 12/17/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Anopheles darlingi is the major malaria vector in countries located in the Amazon region. Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles albitarsis s.l. are also proven vectors in this region. Anopheles nuneztovari s.l. and Anopheles triannulatus s.l. were found infected with Plasmodium vivax; however, their status as vectors is not yet well defined. Knowledge of susceptibility of Amazon anopheline populations to Plasmodium infection is necessary to better understand their vector capacity. Laboratory colonization of An. darlingi, the main Amazon vector, has proven to be difficult and presently An. aquasalis is the only available autonomous colony. Methods Larvae of An. darlingi, An. albitarsis s.l., An. nuneztovari s.l. and An. triannulatus s.l. were collected in the field and reared until adult stage. Adults of An. aquasalis were obtained from a well-established colony. Mosquitoes were blood-fed using a membrane-feeding device containing infected blood from malarial patients. The infection of the distinct Anopheles species was evaluated by the impact variance of the following parameters: (a) parasitaemia density; (b) blood serum inactivation of the infective bloodmeal; (c) influence of gametocyte number on infection rates and number of oocysts. The goal of this work was to compare the susceptibility to P. vivax of four field-collected Anopheles species with colonized An. aquasalis. Results All Anopheles species tested were susceptible to P. vivax infection, nevertheless the proportion of infected mosquitoes and the infection intensity measured by oocyst number varied significantly among species. Inactivation of the blood serum prior to mosquito feeding increased infection rates in An. darlingi and An. triannulatus s.l., but was diminished in An. albitarsis s.l. and An. aquasalis. There was a positive correlation between gametocyte density and the infection rate in all tests (Z = −8.37; p < 0.001) but varied among the mosquito species. Anopheles albitarsis s.l., An. aquasalis and An. nuneztovari s.l. had higher infection rates than An. darlingi. Conclusion All field-collected Anopheles species, as well as colonized An. aquasalis are susceptible to experimental P. vivax infections by membrane feeding assays. Anopheles darlingi, An. albitarsis s.l. and An. aquasalis are very susceptible to P. vivax infection. However, colonized An. aquasalis mosquitoes showed the higher infection intensity represented by infection rate and oocyst numbers. This study is the first to characterize experimental development of Plasmodium infections in Amazon Anopheles vectors and also to endorse that P. vivax infection of colonized An. aquasalis is a feasible laboratory model.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Paulo F P Pimenta
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr, Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil.
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Zhu G, Xia H, Zhou H, Li J, Lu F, Liu Y, Cao J, Gao Q, Sattabongkot J. Susceptibility of Anopheles sinensis to Plasmodium vivax in malarial outbreak areas of central China. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:176. [PMID: 23768077 PMCID: PMC3695883 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2013] [Accepted: 06/10/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Anopheles sinensis, Anopheles anthropophagus, Anopheles minimus and Anopheles dirus are the major vectors of malaria transmission in China. Anopheles sinensis is considered a secondary vector due to its relatively low malaria-transmission ability. However, in 2005, an outbreak of over 40,000 Plasmodium vivax malaria cases was reported in areas where Anopheles sinensis was the only major vector. Therefore, it is necessary to reassess the malaria transmission ability of this vector species in China. METHODS Laboratory colonies of An. sinensis and An. anthropophagus, and first-generation progeny (F1) of An. sinensis that had been collected in central China, were infected by direct membrane feeding assay with mono-vivax gametocyte-containing blood collected from vivax-infected patients. The mosquitoes were kept for 7 to 14 days post-blood feeding to allow parasites to develop into oocysts and sporozoites. Infectivity was measured by dissecting midguts and salivary glands. The presence of oocysts and sporozoites was determined by microscopy at 7 and 14 days post-blood feeding, and the numbers of gametocytes and asexual parasites, as well as mosquito parasite infections, were determined. RESULTS The positive oocyst and sporozoite feed rates of the 142 pairs of lab-colony An. sinensis and An. anthropophagus were not significantly different, and the same results were found with the 10 pairs of laboratory and F1 An. sinensis. An. sinensis had more oocysts/midgut at 7 days post-feeding than An. anthropophagus, but the gametocytemia, asexual parasitemia, and ratio of macrogametocytes to microgametocytes, did not correlate with either oocyst or sporozoite infection. However, in the oocyst-positive mosquitoes, there was a correlation between gametocytemia and the average oocyst number/midgut. CONCLUSIONS The susceptibility of An. sinensis (both laboratory and F1) to P. vivax-infected blood is similar to Anopheles anthropophagus, when evaluated by membrane feeding assay under laboratory conditions. In recent years, in central China, the vivax malaria transmission ability of An. sinensis has probably been underestimated. Further studies of this species in other regions are needed. An. sinensis could also be a good candidate vector for evaluating candidate malaria transmission-blocking vaccines (TBV).
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Marinotti O, Cerqueira GC, de Almeida LGP, Ferro MIT, Loreto ELDS, Zaha A, Teixeira SMR, Wespiser AR, Almeida E Silva A, Schlindwein AD, Pacheco ACL, Silva ALDCD, Graveley BR, Walenz BP, Lima BDA, Ribeiro CAG, Nunes-Silva CG, de Carvalho CR, Soares CMDA, de Menezes CBA, Matiolli C, Caffrey D, Araújo DAM, de Oliveira DM, Golenbock D, Grisard EC, Fantinatti-Garboggini F, de Carvalho FM, Barcellos FG, Prosdocimi F, May G, Azevedo Junior GMD, Guimarães GM, Goldman GH, Padilha IQM, Batista JDS, Ferro JA, Ribeiro JMC, Fietto JLR, Dabbas KM, Cerdeira L, Agnez-Lima LF, Brocchi M, de Carvalho MO, Teixeira MDM, Diniz Maia MDM, Goldman MHS, Cruz Schneider MP, Felipe MSS, Hungria M, Nicolás MF, Pereira M, Montes MA, Cantão ME, Vincentz M, Rafael MS, Silverman N, Stoco PH, Souza RC, Vicentini R, Gazzinelli RT, Neves RDO, Silva R, Astolfi-Filho S, Maciel TEF, Urményi TP, Tadei WP, Camargo EP, de Vasconcelos ATR. The genome of Anopheles darlingi, the main neotropical malaria vector. Nucleic Acids Res 2013; 41:7387-400. [PMID: 23761445 PMCID: PMC3753621 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkt484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Anopheles darlingi is the principal neotropical malaria vector, responsible for more than a million cases of malaria per year on the American continent. Anopheles darlingi diverged from the African and Asian malaria vectors ∼100 million years ago (mya) and successfully adapted to the New World environment. Here we present an annotated reference A. darlingi genome, sequenced from a wild population of males and females collected in the Brazilian Amazon. A total of 10 481 predicted protein-coding genes were annotated, 72% of which have their closest counterpart in Anopheles gambiae and 21% have highest similarity with other mosquito species. In spite of a long period of divergent evolution, conserved gene synteny was observed between A. darlingi and A. gambiae. More than 10 million single nucleotide polymorphisms and short indels with potential use as genetic markers were identified. Transposable elements correspond to 2.3% of the A. darlingi genome. Genes associated with hematophagy, immunity and insecticide resistance, directly involved in vector–human and vector–parasite interactions, were identified and discussed. This study represents the first effort to sequence the genome of a neotropical malaria vector, and opens a new window through which we can contemplate the evolutionary history of anopheline mosquitoes. It also provides valuable information that may lead to novel strategies to reduce malaria transmission on the South American continent. The A. darlingi genome is accessible at www.labinfo.lncc.br/index.php/anopheles-darlingi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osvaldo Marinotti
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California Irvine, Irvine, CA 92697, USA, Institute of Technology, Broad Institute of Harvard and Massachusetts, Cambridge, MA 02141, USA, Laboratório de Bioinformática do Laboratório Nacional de Computação Científica, Petrópolis, RJ 25651-075, Brasil, Departamento de Tecnologia, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias de Jaboticabal, UNESP -Universidade Estadual Paulista, SP 14884-900, Brasil, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brasil, Departamento de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS 91501-970, Brasil, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG 31270901, Brasil, Department of Medicine, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA 01655, USA, Laboratório de Entomologia Médica IPEPATRO/FIOCRUZ, Porto Velho, RO 76812-245, Brasil, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC 88040-900, Brasil, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Estadual do Ceará, Fortaleza, CE 62042-280, Brasil, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Campus Senador Helvídio Nunes de Barros, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Picos, PI 60740-000, Brasil, Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA 66075-900, Brasil, Department of Genetics and Developmental Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06030, USA, Informatics, The J. Craig Venter Institute, Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA, Departamento de Genética, Evolução e Bioagentes, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP 13083-862, Brasil, Departamento de Genética e Melhoramento, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, MG 36570-000, Brasil, Centro de Apoio Mul
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The role of reactive oxygen species in Anopheles aquasalis response to Plasmodium vivax infection. PLoS One 2013; 8:e57014. [PMID: 23441231 PMCID: PMC3575503 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0057014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2012] [Accepted: 01/17/2013] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria affects millions of people worldwide and hundreds of thousands of people each year in Brazil. The mosquito Anopheles aquasalis is an important vector of Plasmodium vivax, the main human malaria parasite in the Americas. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to have a role in insect innate immune responses as a potent pathogen-killing agent. We investigated the mechanisms of free radicals modulation after A. aquasalis infection with P. vivax. ROS metabolism was evaluated in the vector by studying expression and activity of three key detoxification enzymes, one catalase and two superoxide dismutases (SOD3A and SOD3B). Also, the involvement of free radicals in the mosquito immunity was measured by silencing the catalase gene followed by infection of A. aquasalis with P. vivax. Catalase, SOD3A and SOD3B expression in whole A. aquasalis were at the same levels of controls at 24 h and upregulated 36 h after ingestion of blood containing P. vivax. However, in the insect isolated midgut, the mRNA for these enzymes was not regulated by P. vivax infection, while catalase activity was reduced 24 h after the infectious meal. RNAi-mediated silencing of catalase reduced enzyme activity in the midgut, resulted in increased P. vivax infection and prevalence, and decreased bacterial load in the mosquito midgut. Our findings suggest that the interactions between A. aquasalis and P. vivax do not follow the model of ROS-induced parasite killing. It appears that P. vivax manipulates the mosquito detoxification system in order to allow its own development. This can be an indirect effect of fewer competitive bacteria present in the mosquito midgut caused by the increase of ROS after catalase silencing. These findings provide novel information on unique aspects of the main malaria parasite in the Americas interaction with one of its natural vectors.
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Gulley MM, Zhang X, Michel K. The roles of serpins in mosquito immunology and physiology. JOURNAL OF INSECT PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 59:138-47. [PMID: 22960307 PMCID: PMC3560325 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinsphys.2012.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2012] [Revised: 08/24/2012] [Accepted: 08/28/2012] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
In vector-borne diseases, the complex interplay between pathogen and its vector's immune system determines the outcome of infection and therefore disease transmission. Serpins have been shown in many animals to be key regulators of innate immune reactions. Their control over regulatory proteolytic cascades ultimately decides whether the recognition of a pathogen will lead to an appropriate immune response. In mosquitoes, serpins (SRPNs) regulate the activation of prophenoloxidase and thus melanization, contribute to malaria parasite lysis, and likely Toll pathway activation. Additionally, in culicine mosquitoes, SRPNs are able to regulate hemostasis in the vertebrate host, suggesting a crucial role during bloodfeeding. This review summarizes the annotation, transcriptional regulation, and current knowledge of SRPN function in the three mosquito species for which the complete genome sequence is available. Additionally, we give a brief overview of how SRPNs may be used to prevent transmission of vector-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Kristin Michel
- Corresponding author: tel.: +1 (785) 532-0161, fax: +1 (785) 532-6653;
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Bacterial feeding, Leishmania infection and distinct infection routes induce differential defensin expression in Lutzomyia longipalpis. Parasit Vectors 2013; 6:12. [PMID: 23311993 PMCID: PMC3573903 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-6-12] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2012] [Accepted: 12/14/2012] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Phlebotomine insects harbor bacterial, viral and parasitic pathogens that can cause diseases of public health importance. Lutzomyia longipalpis is the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the New World. Insects can mount a powerful innate immune response to pathogens. Defensin peptides take part in this response and are known to be active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and some parasites. We studied the expression of a defensin gene from Lutzomyia longipalpis to understand its role in sand fly immune response. METHODS We identified, sequenced and evaluated the expression of a L. longipalpis defensin gene by semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The gene sequence was compared to other vectors defensins and expression was determined along developmental stages and after exposure of adult female L. longipalpis to bacteria and Leishmania. RESULTS Phylogenetic analysis showed that the L. longipalpis defensin is closely related to a defensin from the Old World sand fly Phlebotomus duboscqi. Expression was high in late L4 larvae and pupae in comparison to early larval stages and newly emerged flies. Defensin expression was modulated by oral infection with bacteria. The Gram-positive Micrococcus luteus induced early high defensin expression, whilst the Gram-negative entomopathogenic Serratia marcescens induced a later response. Bacterial injection also induced defensin expression in adult insects. Female sand flies infected orally with Leishmania mexicana showed no significant difference in defensin expression compared to blood fed insects apart from a lower defensin expression 5 days post Leishmania infection. When Leishmania was introduced into the hemolymph by injection there was no induction of defensin expression until 72 h later. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that L. longipalpis modulates defensin expression upon bacterial and Leishmania infection, with patterns of expression that are distinct among bacterial species and routes of infection.
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The JAK-STAT pathway controls Plasmodium vivax load in early stages of Anopheles aquasalis infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2011; 5:e1317. [PMID: 22069502 PMCID: PMC3206008 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2010] [Accepted: 07/28/2011] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria affects 300 million people worldwide every year and 450,000 in Brazil. In coastal areas of Brazil, the main malaria vector is Anopheles aquasalis, and Plasmodium vivax is responsible for the majority of malaria cases in the Americas. Insects possess a powerful immune system to combat infections. Three pathways control the insect immune response: Toll, IMD, and JAK-STAT. Here we analyze the immune role of the A. aquasalis JAK-STAT pathway after P. vivax infection. Three genes, the transcription factor Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription (STAT), the regulatory Protein Inhibitors of Activated STAT (PIAS) and the Nitric Oxide Synthase enzyme (NOS) were characterized. Expression of STAT and PIAS was higher in males than females and in eggs and first instar larvae when compared to larvae and pupae. RNA levels for STAT and PIAS increased 24 and 36 hours (h) after P. vivax challenge. NOS transcription increased 36 h post infection (hpi) while this protein was already detected in some midgut epithelial cells 24 hpi. Imunocytochemistry experiments using specific antibodies showed that in non-infected insects STAT and PIAS were found mostly in the fat body, while in infected mosquitoes the proteins were found in other body tissues. The knockdown of STAT by RNAi increased the number of oocysts in the midgut of A. aquasalis. This is the first clear evidence for the involvement of a specific immune pathway in the interaction of the Brazilian malaria vector A. aquasalis with P. vivax, delineating a potential target for the future development of disease controlling strategies.
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Identification of a fibrinogen-related protein (FBN9) gene in neotropical anopheline mosquitoes. Malar J 2011; 10:21. [PMID: 21288344 PMCID: PMC3055219 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Malaria has a devastating impact on worldwide public health in many tropical areas. Studies on vector immunity are important for the overall understanding of the parasite-vector interaction and for the design of novel strategies to control malaria. A member of the fibrinogen-related protein family, fbn9, has been well studied in Anopheles gambiae and has been shown to be an important component of the mosquito immune system. However, little is known about this gene in neotropical anopheline species. METHODS This article describes the identification and characterization of the fbn9 gene partial sequences from four species of neotropical anopheline primary and secondary vectors: Anopheles darlingi, Anopheles nuneztovari, Anopheles aquasalis, and Anopheles albitarsis (namely Anopheles marajoara). Degenerate primers were designed based on comparative analysis of publicly available Aedes aegypti and An. gambiae gene sequences and used to clone putative homologs in the neotropical species. Sequence comparisons and Bayesian phylogenetic analyses were then performed to better understand the molecular diversity of this gene in evolutionary distant anopheline species, belonging to different subgenera. RESULTS Comparisons of the fbn9 gene sequences of the neotropical anophelines and their homologs in the An. gambiae complex (Gambiae complex) showed high conservation at the nucleotide and amino acid levels, although some sites show significant differentiation (non-synonymous substitutions). Furthermore, phylogenetic analysis of fbn9 nucleotide sequences showed that neotropical anophelines and African mosquitoes form two well-supported clades, mirroring their separation into two different subgenera. CONCLUSIONS The present work adds new insights into the conserved role of fbn9 in insect immunity in a broader range of anopheline species and reinforces the possibility of manipulating mosquito immunity to design novel pathogen control strategies.
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