Effects of Plasmodium gallinaceum on hemolymph physiology of Aedes aegypti during parasite development.
Insect disease vectors show diminished fecundity when infected with Plasmodium. This phenomenon has already been demonstrated in laboratory models such as Aedes aegypti, Anopheles gambiae and Anopheles stephensi. This study demonstrates several changes in physiological processes of A. aegypti occurring upon infection with Plasmodium gallinaceum, such as reduced ecdysteroid levels in hemolymph as well as altered expression patterns for genes involved in vitellogenesis, lipid transport and immune response. Furthermore, we could show that P. gallinaceum infected A. aegypti presented a reduction in reproductive fitness, accompanied by an activated innate immune response and increase in lipophorin expression, with the latter possibly representing a nutritional resource for Plasmodium sporozoites.
Departamento de Clínica Médica, Faculdade de Medicina de São Paulo, Universidade de São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
Ricardo Vieira
RV
Araujo
Ceres
C
Maciel
Klaus
K
Hartfelder
Margareth Lara
ML
Capurro
D000330:Aedes / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens / Q000469:parasitology; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D026461:Ecdysteroids / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D056084:Genetic Fitness; D006458:Hemolymph / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology; D006790:Host-Parasite Interactions; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D019476:Insect Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000235:genetics; D008289:Malaria, Avian / Q000469:parasitology; D010964:Plasmodium gallinaceum / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000502:physiology; D034101:Sporozoites / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D014818:Vitellogenesis
D026461:Ecdysteroids; D019476:Insect Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; C032830:lipophorin