Infection with Plasmodium berghei ookinetes alters protein expression in the brain of Anopheles albimanus mosquitoes. Issue 1 (December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Alvarado-Delgado, Alejandro; Perales Ortiz, Guillermo; Tello-López, Ángel; Encarnación, Sergio; Conde, Renaud; Martínez-Batallar, Ángel; Moran-Francia, Ken; Lanz-Mendoza, Humberto
• Is Part Of: Parasites & vectors. Volume 9:Issue 1(2016)
• Page Start: 1
• Page End: 11
• Publication Date: 2016-12
• Subjects: Plasmodium -- Ookinete -- Anopheles albimanus -- Neuron -- Proteomic -- Brain; Parasitism -- Periodicals; Parasites -- Periodicals; Vector-pathogen relationships -- Periodicals; Animals as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; Insects as carriers of disease -- Periodicals; 616.96
• DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1830-9
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1756-3305

Abstract

Abstract Background The behaviour ofAnopheles spp. mosquitoes, vectors forPlasmodium parasites, plays a crucial role in the propagation of malaria to humans. Consequently, it is important to understand how the behaviour of these mosquitoes is influenced by the interaction between the brain and immunological status. The nervous system is intimately linked to the immune and endocrine systems. There is evidence that the malaria parasite alters the function of these systems upon infecting the mosquito. Although there is a complex molecular interplay between thePlasmodium parasite andAnopheles mosquito, little is known about the neuronal alteration triggered by the parasite invasion. The aim of this study was to analyse the modification of the proteomic profile in theAn. albimanus brain during the early phase of thePlasmodium berghei invasion. Results At 24 hours of theP. berghei invasion, the mosquito brain showed an increase in the concentration of proteins involved in the cellular metabolic pathway, such as ATP synthase complex alpha and beta, malate dehydrogenase, alanine transaminase, enolase and vacuolar ATP synthase. There was also a rise in the levels of proteins with neuronal function, such as calreticulin, mitofilin and creatine kinase. Concomitantly, the parasite invasion repressed the expression of synapse-associated proteins, including enolyl CoA hydratase, HSP70 and ribosomal S60 proteins. Conclusions Identification of upregulated and downregulated protein expression in the mosquito brain 24 hours afterPlasmodium invaded the insect midgut paves the way to better understanding the regulation of the neuro-endocrine-immune system in an insect model during parasite infection.