Role of host immunity on biological fitness of Aedes aegypti mosquito vector

• Grant number: 10/18216-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: May 01, 2011
• End date: April 30, 2013
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Applied Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Anderson de Sá Nunes
• Grantee: Ceres Maciel de Miranda
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas (ICB). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 09/09892-6 - Functional immunome of Aedes aegypti saliva, AP.JP

Abstract

Mosquitoes are hematophagous arthropods and represent the most important group of human disease vectors. These insects are of medical and public health relevance, as they transmit a wide range of well-known pathogens as well as new infectious agents. Several pathogenic organisms take advantage of the blood-feeding habit of their vectors to infect new hosts, and thus, complete their life cycle. In most cases, there are no vaccines for such diseases on the market, so mosquito control remains the only available method for disease prevention. Mosquito saliva is the link between the vector and the vertebrate host. In fact, the host immune system develops cellular and/or humoral reactions that change the local microenvironment after repeated exposure to the salivary antigens, resulting in the ectoparasite rejection. Salivary components are able to stimulate adaptive immune response in the vertebrate hosts, resulting in decreased infectivity of the pathogens transmitted. However, the effect of the host immunity on the amount and quality of the blood meal is poorly understood. Particularly, the role of the immune response on the biological fitness of mosquitoes is unknown. Our work hypothesis is that host immunological response can be manipulated in order to affect the choice of the blood meal source and/or compromise the quality of this meal. Thus, the present project aims to evaluate whether the host's "immunological history" interferes with the blood meal choice by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, as well as in the parameters of fecundity and fertility of this vector. (AU)

Scientific publications

(The scientific publications listed on this page originate from the Web of Science or SciELO databases. Their authors have cited FAPESP grant or fellowship project numbers awarded to Principal Investigators or Fellowship Recipients, whether or not they are among the authors. This information is collected automatically and retrieved directly from those bibliometric databases.)

BIZZARRO, BRUNA; BARROS, MICHELE S.; MACIEL, CERES; GUERONI, DANIELE I.; LINO, CIRO N.; CAMPOPIANO, JULIA; KOTSYFAKIS, MICHALIS; AMARANTE-MENDES, GUSTAVO P.; CALVO, ERIC; CAPURRO, MARGARETH L.; et al. Effects of Aedes aegypti salivary components on dendritic cell and lymphocyte biology. PARASITES & VECTORS, v. 6, NOV 15 2013. (09/53637-0, 11/15569-3, 10/18216-1, 09/09892-6, 09/12247-5)

BARROS, MICHELE S.; GOMES, ELIANE; GUERONI, DANIELE I.; RAMOS, ANDERSON D.; MIROTTI, LUCIANA; FLORSHEIM, ESTHER; BIZZARRO, BRUNA; LINO, CIRO N. R.; MACIEL, CERES; LINO-DOS-SANTOS-FRANCO, ADRIANA; et al. Exposure to iBites Induces a Mixed-Type Allergic Response following Salivary Antigens Challenge in Mice. PLoS One, v. 11, n. 5, MAY 20 2016. (11/15569-3, 10/18216-1, 09/09892-6, 09/07208-0, 09/12247-5, 11/22669-4)

MACIEL, CERES; FUJITA, ANDRE; GUERONI, DANIELE I.; RAMOS, ANDERSON D.; CAPURRO, MARGARETH L.; SA-NUNES, ANDERSON. Evans Blue as a Simple Method to Discriminate Mosquitoes' Feeding Choice on Small Laboratory Animals. PLoS One, v. 9, n. 10, OCT 21 2014. (09/53637-0, 10/18216-1, 09/09892-6, 11/22669-4)