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Inhibition of Malaria Infection in Transgenic Anopheline Mosquitoes Lacking Salivary Gland Cells.
- Source :
-
PLoS pathogens [PLoS Pathog] 2016 Sep 06; Vol. 12 (9), pp. e1005872. Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Sep 06 (Print Publication: 2016). - Publication Year :
- 2016
-
Abstract
- Malaria is an important global public health challenge, and is transmitted by anopheline mosquitoes during blood feeding. Mosquito vector control is one of the most effective methods to control malaria, and population replacement with genetically engineered mosquitoes to block its transmission is expected to become a new vector control strategy. The salivary glands are an effective target tissue for the expression of molecules that kill or inactivate malaria parasites. Moreover, salivary gland cells express a large number of molecules that facilitate blood feeding and parasite transmission to hosts. In the present study, we adapted a functional deficiency system in specific tissues by inducing cell death using the mouse Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) to the Asian malaria vector mosquito, Anopheles stephensi. We applied this technique to salivary gland cells, and produced a transgenic strain containing extremely low amounts of saliva. Although probing times for feeding on mice were longer in transgenic mosquitoes than in wild-type mosquitoes, transgenic mosquitoes still successfully ingested blood. Transgenic mosquitoes also exhibited a significant reduction in oocyst formation in the midgut in a rodent malaria model. These results indicate that mosquito saliva plays an important role in malaria infection in the midgut of anopheline mosquitoes. The dysfunction in the salivary glands enabled the inhibition of malaria transmission from hosts to mosquito midguts. Therefore, salivary components have potential in the development of new drugs or genetically engineered mosquitoes for malaria control.<br />Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
- Subjects :
- Animals
Animals, Genetically Modified
Anopheles genetics
Anopheles parasitology
Cell Death
Digestive System parasitology
Disease Models, Animal
Female
Humans
Insect Vectors genetics
Insect Vectors parasitology
Malaria parasitology
Malaria prevention & control
Mice
Oocysts
Salivary Glands cytology
Salivary Glands parasitology
bcl-2-Associated X Protein adverse effects
Anopheles physiology
Insect Vectors physiology
Malaria transmission
Plasmodium physiology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 1553-7374
- Volume :
- 12
- Issue :
- 9
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- PLoS pathogens
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 27598328
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1005872