1
|
Bursali F. Evaluation of the Blood Feeding Preference of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae) when Offered Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Blood. Acta Parasitol 2024:10.1007/s11686-024-00867-2. [PMID: 39164552 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-024-00867-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/22/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Aedes aegypti (L.,1762) is a primary vector of arboviral infections like dengue, yellow fever, Zika. Female mosquitoes are influenced by various physical and chemical cues from host when blood feeding, e.g., they find some individuals with certain blood types or certain conditions more attractive than others. This study determined whether Ae. aegypti shows a preference when offered blood from a patient with diabetes mellitus (DM), an endocrine disorder associated with abnormal glucose metabolism, compared to healthy blood from non-DMs. METHODS In the dual feeding experiments, forty newly emerged female mosquitoes were provided with two blood feeding systems with blood from a non-diabetic (healthy) and diabetic patient using artificial feeders. Blood from 12 diabetic and 12 non-diabetic patients was matched by ABO blood type (e.g., diabetic type O blood was compared with non-diabetic type O blood). The number of mosquitoes that landed and fed from each membrane was counted every 2 min for thirty minutes. RESULTS Ae. aegypti species significantly preferred for blood from non-diabetic individuals (50-65% among the different blood type groups) compared to blood from diabetic individuals. Using multiplex allele-specific PCR it was also determined that, Ae. aegypti significantly preferred the O blood group regardless of blood sugar level compared to others. CONCLUSION Ae. aegypti has less preference for diabetic blood to non-diabetics. Regardless people affected with this condition need to take preventive measures to reduce mosquito bites as they tend to have weaker immune systems and can experience more severe cases of dengue.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fatma Bursali
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Aydın Adnan Menderes University, Aydın, 09100, Türkiye.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Triana MF, Melo N. Dynamics of Aedes aegypti mating behaviour. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2024; 65:101237. [PMID: 39047975 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2024.101237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 07/12/2024] [Accepted: 07/18/2024] [Indexed: 07/27/2024]
Abstract
The use of pheromones, while common, remains underexplored in mosquito research. Understanding Aedes aegypti's mating behaviour and pheromones is crucial for expanding knowledge and advancing vector control strategies. Unlike other species, Aedes mosquitoes have adaptable mating behaviour, complicating the study of their communication mechanisms. Current literature on Aedes communication is sparse, not due to lack of effort but because of its complexity. Ae. aegypti's mating behaviour is influenced by sensory cues and environmental factors. Swarming, which facilitates mating aggregation, is triggered by host odours, highlighting the role of semiochemicals alongside aggregation pheromones. Cuticular hydrocarbons may act as chemical signals in mating, though their roles are unclear. Acoustic signals significantly contribute to mate attraction and male fitness assessment, showcasing the multidimensional nature of Ae. aegypti sexual communication. Understanding these aspects can enhance targeted control strategies and reduce mosquito populations and disease transmission.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Merybeth F Triana
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden; Max Planck Center next Generation Chemical Ecology, Sweden
| | - Nadia Melo
- Department of Biology, Lund University, Sweden.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Kaczmarek A, Katarzyna Wrońska A, Irena Boguś M. Octanoic acid kills Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) by affecting two major defence systems: cuticular free fatty acids and immunocompetent cells. J Invertebr Pathol 2024; 206:108165. [PMID: 38986766 DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2024.108165] [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: 12/01/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/07/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
This work examines the insecticidal activity of octanoic acid (C8:0), a short-chain fatty acid detected in entomopathogenic fungus - Conidiobolus coronatus medium, against Lucilia sericata larvae and adults. The LD50 value was calculated as 3.04±0.26 µg/mg (3040 mg/kg) of insect body mass, which places the compound in category 5 of acute toxicity (slightly hazardous). The presented research also describes its probable mechanism, with a particular focus on changes in two main insect defense mechanisms: (1) the composition of the cuticle (GC-MS analysis) and (2) immunocompetent cells (microscopic analysis of cultured hemocytes). More precisely, octanoic acid application resulted in changes in cuticular free fatty acid (FFA) profiles in both adults and larvae; generally, treatment increased short-chain FFAs, and a decrease of middle- and long-chain FFAs. Both in vivo and in vitro applications of octanoic acid resulted in vacuolisation, disintegration, and destruction of nets formed by plasmatocytes. As the compound has also previously been found to be toxic against Galleria mellonella, it appears to have lethal potential against insects in both the Orders Diptera and Lepidoptera, indicating it may have strong entomopathogenic potential. It is worth noting that octanoic acid is approved as a food additive with well-documented insecticidal activity, and hence may be a valuable component in the design of new insecticides that are safe for both humans and the environment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kaczmarek
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Science, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Anna Katarzyna Wrońska
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Science, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland
| | - Mieczysława Irena Boguś
- Museum and Institute of Zoology, Polish Academy of Science, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warszawa, Poland; Biomibo, Strzygłowska 15, 04-872 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Suresh Y, Azil AH, Abdullah SR. A scoping review on the use of different blood sources and components in the artificial membrane feeding system and its effects on blood-feeding and fecundity rate of Aedes aegypti. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0295961. [PMID: 38252615 PMCID: PMC10802938 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0295961] [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: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
In some laboratories, mosquitoes' direct blood-feeding on live animals has been replaced with various membrane blood-feeding systems. The selection of blood meal sources used in membrane feeding is crucial in vector mass rearing as it influences the mosquitoes' development and reproductive fitness. Therefore, this scoping review aimed to evaluate the existing literature on the use of different blood sources and components in artificial membrane feeding systems and their effects on blood-feeding and the fecundity rate of Ae. aegypti. A literature review search was conducted by using PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA-ScR). The EndNote version 20 software was used to import all searched articles. Relevant information was retrieved for analysis into a Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet. A total of 104 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility criteria, whereby the articles should include the comparison between different types of blood source by using the membrane feeding systems. Only 16 articles were finally included in the analysis. Several studies had reported that human blood was superior in blood-feeding Ae. aegypti as compared to sheep blood which resulted in lower fecundity due to accumulation of free fatty acids (FFA) in the cuticles. In contrast, cattle whole blood and pig whole blood showed no significant differences in the blood-feeding and fecundity rate as compared to human blood. This review also indicated that bovine whole blood and pig whole blood enhanced Ae. aegypti's vitellogenesis and egg production as compared to plasma and blood cells. In addition, human blood of up to 10 days after the expiration date could still be used to establish Ae. aegypti colonies with good blood-feeding rates and number of eggs produced. Thus, future studies must consider the importance of selecting suitable blood sources and components for membrane blood feeding especially in mosquito colonisation and control measure studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuvaraahnee Suresh
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Aishah Hani Azil
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Syamsa Rizal Abdullah
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Dilani PVD, Wickramasinghe PDSU, Lakshman GVCP, Ranathunge T, Dassanayake RS, Silva Gunawardene YIN. Hemocup blood feeder: An affordable and simplified blood-feeding device for maintenance of Aedes aegypti mosquito colonies in Sri Lanka. Exp Parasitol 2023; 249:108518. [PMID: 37003431 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108518] [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: 09/29/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral disease mainly transmitted by Aedes aegypti and disease control is primarily reliant on mosquito vector control strategies. In the failure of conventional vector control strategies, new strategies are being developed which specifically require the maintenance of mosquito colonies in the laboratories. Blood-feeding is an essential part of the routine colony maintenance of Ae. aegypti. Therefore, the current study was focused on developing a simplified artificial membrane-feeding device, "Hemocup" feeder out of affordable material. viz., plastic cups, styrofoam insulation system, parafilm-M, and preheated water to facilitate the Ae. aegypti artificial blood feeding. The performance of the device was compared to that of a commercially available blood-feeding device, "Hemotek", by assessing the blood-feeding rate, fecundity, and egg hatchability. Similar blood feeding rates were observed for Hemocup and Hemotek methods (91.8 ± 1.6 and 94.3 ± 1.6 respectively>0.05) as well as comparable fecundity between the two methods (20.8 ± 0.7 and 22.0 ± 1.5 respectively; p > 0.05). Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in egg hatchability between the two methods (91.9 ± 1.4 and 93.8 ± 1.4, respectively; p > 0.05). The results indicate that this simple Hemocup blood-feeding system can be used for routine colonization of laboratory strains of Ae. aegypti and for mass-rearing purposes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Tharaka Ranathunge
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, Eastern University, Vantharumoolai, Chenkalady, Sri Lanka.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Kaczmarek A, Wrońska AK, Kazek M, Boguś MI. Octanoic Acid-An Insecticidal Metabolite of Conidiobolus coronatus (Entomopthorales) That Affects Two Majors Antifungal Protection Systems in Galleria mellonella (Lepidoptera): Cuticular Lipids and Hemocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23095204. [PMID: 35563592 PMCID: PMC9101785 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23095204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The food flavour additive octanoic acid (C8:0) is also a metabolite of the entomopathogenic fungus Conidiobolus coronatus, which efficiently infects and rapidly kills Galleria mellonella. GC-MS analysis confirmed the presence of C8:0 in insecticidal fraction FR3 extracted from C. coronatus filtrate. Topical administration of C8:0 had a dose-dependent effect on survival rates of larvae but not on pupation or adult eclosion times of the survivors. Topically applied C8:0 was more toxic to adults than larvae (LD100 for adults 18.33 ± 2.49 vs. 33.56 ± 2.57 µg/mg of body mass for larvae). The administration of C8:0 on the cuticle of larvae and adults, in amounts corresponding to their LD50 and LD100 doses, had a considerable impact on the two main defense systems engaged in protecting against pathogens, causing serious changes in the developmental-stage-specific profiles of free fatty acids (FFAs) covering the cuticle of larvae and adults and damaging larval hemocytes. In vitro cultures of G. mellonella hemocytes, either directly treated with C8:0 or taken from C8:0 treated larvae, revealed deformation of hemocytes, disordered networking, late apoptosis, and necrosis, as well as caspase 1-9 activation and elevation of 8-OHdG level. C8:0 was also confirmed to have a cytotoxic effect on the SF-9 insect cell line, as determined by WST-1 and LDH tests.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kaczmarek
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-875 Warsaw, Poland; (A.K.W.); (M.K.); (M.I.B.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Anna Katarzyna Wrońska
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-875 Warsaw, Poland; (A.K.W.); (M.K.); (M.I.B.)
| | - Michalina Kazek
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-875 Warsaw, Poland; (A.K.W.); (M.K.); (M.I.B.)
| | - Mieczysława Irena Boguś
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 00-875 Warsaw, Poland; (A.K.W.); (M.K.); (M.I.B.)
- Biomibo, 04-872 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Carraretto D, Soresinetti L, Rossi I, Malacrida AR, Gasperi G, Gomulski LM. Behavioural Responses of Male Aedes albopictus to Different Volatile Chemical Compounds. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030290. [PMID: 35323588 PMCID: PMC8955809 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2022] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary Many studies have been performed to assess the effects of chemical compounds on mosquito behaviour. These studies almost exclusively involve only female mosquitoes as they can transmit disease pathogens, or at least, cause biting nuisance. Few studies have considered male mosquitoes. The identification of chemical substances that attract males can be very useful for trapping purposes, especially for monitoring the makeup of the male population during control programmes, such as those involving the release of sterile male mosquitoes. Twenty-eight chemical compounds from different chemical classes were evaluated using a dual-port olfactometer assay with at least three serial hexane dilutions against a hexane control. The compounds included known animal, plant and fungal volatiles, and the components of a putative Aedes aegypti pheromone. Many of the compounds were repellent for male mosquitoes, especially at the highest concentration. One compound, decanoic acid, acted as an attractant for males at an intermediate concentration. Decanoic acid did not elicit a significant response from female mosquitoes. Abstract The Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus, has become one of the most important invasive vectors for disease pathogens such as the viruses that cause chikungunya and dengue. Given the medical importance of this disease vector, a number of control programmes involving the use of the sterile insect technique (SIT) have been proposed. The identification of chemical compounds that attract males can be very useful for trapping purposes, especially for monitoring the makeup of the male population during control programmes, such as those involving the use of the SIT. Twenty-eight chemical compounds from different chemical classes were evaluated using a dual-port olfactometer assay. The compounds included known animal, fungal and plant host volatiles, and components of a putative Aedes aegypti pheromone. Many of the compounds were repellent for male mosquitoes, especially at the highest concentration. One compound, decanoic acid, acted as an attractant for males at an intermediate concentration. Decanoic acid did not elicit a significant response from female mosquitoes.
Collapse
|
8
|
Kaczmarek A, Boguś M. The metabolism and role of free fatty acids in key physiological processes in insects of medical, veterinary and forensic importance. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12563. [PMID: 35036124 PMCID: PMC8710053 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Insects are the most widespread group of organisms and more than one million species have been described. These animals have significant ecological functions, for example they are pollinators of many types of plants. However, they also have direct influence on human life in different manners. They have high medical and veterinary significance, stemming from their role as vectors of disease and infection of wounds and necrotic tissue; they are also plant pests, parasitoids and predators whose activities can influence agriculture. In addition, their use in medical treatments, such as maggot therapy of gangrene and wounds, has grown considerably. They also have many uses in forensic science to determine the minimum post-mortem interval and provide valuable information about the movement of the body, cause of the death, drug use, or poisoning. It has also been proposed that they may be used as model organisms to replace mammal systems in research. The present review describes the role of free fatty acids (FFAs) in key physiological processes in insects. By focusing on insects of medical, veterinary significance, we have limited our description of the physiological processes to those most important from the point of view of insect control; the study examines their effects on insect reproduction and resistance to the adverse effects of abiotic (low temperature) and biotic (pathogens) factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kaczmarek
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Mieczysława Boguś
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
- Biomibo, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Vial T, Marti G, Missé D, Pompon J. Lipid Interactions Between Flaviviruses and Mosquito Vectors. Front Physiol 2021; 12:763195. [PMID: 34899388 PMCID: PMC8660100 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.763195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Mosquito-borne flaviviruses, such as dengue (DENV), Zika (ZIKV), yellow fever (YFV), West Nile (WNV), and Japanese encephalitis (JEV) viruses, threaten a large part of the human populations. In absence of therapeutics and effective vaccines against each flaviviruses, targeting viral metabolic requirements in mosquitoes may hold the key to new intervention strategies. Development of metabolomics in the last decade opened a new field of research: mosquito metabolomics. It is now clear that flaviviruses rely on mosquito lipids, especially phospholipids, for their cellular cycle and propagation. Here, we review the biosyntheses of, biochemical properties of and flaviviral interactions with mosquito phospholipids. Phospholipids are structural lipids with a polar headgroup and apolar acyl chains, enabling the formation of lipid bilayer that form plasma- and endomembranes. Phospholipids are mostly synthesized through the de novo pathway and remodeling cycle. Variations in headgroup and acyl chains influence phospholipid physicochemical properties and consequently the membrane behavior. Flaviviruses interact with cellular membranes at every step of their cellular cycle. Recent evidence demonstrates that flaviviruses reconfigure the phospholipidome in mosquitoes by regulating phospholipid syntheses to increase virus multiplication. Identifying the phospholipids involved and understanding how flaviviruses regulate these in mosquitoes is required to design new interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Vial
- Programme in Emerging Infectious Diseases, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.,UMR 152 PHARMADEV-IRD, Université Paul Sabatier, Toulouse, France
| | - Guillaume Marti
- LRSV (UMR 5546), CNRS, Université de Toulouse, Toulouse, France.,MetaboHUB, National Infrastructure of Metabolomics and Fluxomics, Toulouse, France
| | - Dorothée Missé
- MIVEGEC, Université Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| | - Julien Pompon
- MIVEGEC, Université Montpellier, IRD, CNRS, Montpellier, France
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kaczmarek A, Boguś MI. The Impact of the Entomopathogenic Fungus Conidiobolus coronatus on the Free Fatty Acid Profile of the Flesh Fly Sarcophaga argyrostoma. INSECTS 2021; 12:insects12110970. [PMID: 34821771 PMCID: PMC8623223 DOI: 10.3390/insects12110970] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary The interaction between insect and fungus is characterised on the one hand by the parasite developing more effective strategies of host exploitation, and on the other, by the host mounting increasingly robust defences though Red Queen dynamics or coevolutionary arms races. Furthermore, depending on gene flow and differences in selection pressure between sites, both host and parasite may demonstrate local adaptation to their counterpart or develop more general resistance or offensive traits. As the cuticle is considered the first line of defence of the insect, changes in the FFA profile may well influence susceptibility or resistance to fungal invasion. Our findings indicate that Sarcophaga argyrostoma demonstrates stage-specific resistance to Conidiobolus coronatus infection and suggests that FFAs play a role in resistance to fungal infection in flesh flies. These findings not only increase our knowledge of the entomopatogenic potential of fungi, but also of the growing level of infection by C. coronatus in humans and other mammals. Also, the presented research suggests that FFAs demonstrate antifungal activity which may be helpful in designing new antifungal treatments. Abstract The chemical composition of the insect cuticle varies remarkably between species and their life stages. It can affect host resistance and substrate utilization by invading entomopathogen fungi, such as the soil fungus Conidiobolus coronatus. In this study, Sarcophaga argyrostoma flies were exposed to sporulating C. coronatus colonies for 24 h; the pupae were resistant, but the adults demonstrated 60% mortality. Although the pupae demonstrated no sign of infection nor any abnormal development, our findings indicate that after 24 h of contact with the fungus, the pupae demonstrated a 25.2-fold increase in total cuticular free fatty acids (FFAs) and a 1.9-fold decrease in total internal FFAs. Also, the cuticular FFA increased from 26 to 30, while the internal FFA class increased from 13 to 23. In exposed adults, the total mass of cuticular FFAs increased 1.7-fold, while the number of FFAs stayed the same (32 FFAs). Also, the internal FFA class increased from 26 to 35 and the total FFA mass increased 1.1-fold. These considerable differences between adults and pupae associated with C. coronatus exposure indicate developmental changes in the mechanisms governing lipid metabolism and spatial distribution in the organism, and suggest that cuticular lipids play a vital role in the defence against pathogenic fungi.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Agata Kaczmarek
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland;
- Correspondence:
| | - Mieczysława Irena Boguś
- Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Twarda 51/55, 00-818 Warsaw, Poland;
- BIOMIBO, Strzygłowska 15, 04-872 Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|