Apoptosis in mosquito salivary glands: Sindbis virus-associated and tissue homeostasis.
Apoptosis is observed during a spectrum of conditions including exogenous virus infection and endogenous cellular turnover. Adult female Aedes albopictus mosquitoes challenged with increasing titres of Sindbis virus (SINV) via intrathoracic inoculation demonstrated that the injection dosage did not result in significantly different levels of virus growth or mosquito survival at day 10 post-infection. Tissues probed for apoptosis using an in situ TUNEL assay revealed SINV-associated apoptotic cells scattered throughout the proximal and distal regions of the salivary gland (SG) lateral lobes but which were not detected in the median lobe or the midgut and hindgut. Apoptosis was also identified in SG duct cells in both infected and uninfected mosquitoes, suggesting routine tissue homeostasis. SINV-associated apoptosis sequestered to the SG lateral lobes indicates a differential epithelial cell response to an arbovirus and provides insight into mosquito defence mechanisms against pathogens and SG infection barriers, hurdles to transmission of arboviruses of public health concern.
Departments of Physics and Biology, 1 UNF Drive, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224 USA.
Erica M
EM
Kelly
Department of Biology, 1 UNF Drive, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
Daniel C
DC
Moon
Department of Biology, 1 UNF Drive, University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL 32224, USA.
Doria F
DF
Bowers
D000330:Aedes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology*; D000818:Animals; D000956:Antigens, Viral; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000166:cytology / Q000821:virology; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000166:cytology* / Q000821:virology; D012845:Sindbis Virus / Q000502:physiology*; D014779:Virus Replication
D000956:Antigens, Viral