<i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i>
Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced to control bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and other infectious agents. Sand fly larvae develop and feed on a microbe-rich substrate, and the hematophagous females are exposed to additional pathogens. We focused on understanding the role of the AMPs attacin (Att...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2021-06-01
|
| Series: | Microorganisms |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/6/1271 |
| _version_ | 1797530552735105024 |
|---|---|
| author | Erich Loza Telleria Bruno Tinoco-Nunes Tereza Leštinová Lívia Monteiro de Avellar Antonio Jorge Tempone André Nóbrega Pitaluga Petr Volf Yara Maria Traub-Csekö |
| author_facet | Erich Loza Telleria Bruno Tinoco-Nunes Tereza Leštinová Lívia Monteiro de Avellar Antonio Jorge Tempone André Nóbrega Pitaluga Petr Volf Yara Maria Traub-Csekö |
| author_sort | Erich Loza Telleria |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced to control bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and other infectious agents. Sand fly larvae develop and feed on a microbe-rich substrate, and the hematophagous females are exposed to additional pathogens. We focused on understanding the role of the AMPs attacin (Att), cecropin (Cec), and four defensins (Def1, Def2, Def3, and Def4) in <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis,</i> the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas. Larvae and adults were collected under different feeding regimens, in addition to females artificially infected by <i>Leishmania infantum</i>. AMPs’ gene expression was assessed by qPCR, and gene function of Att and Def2 was investigated by gene silencing. The gene knockdown effect on bacteria and parasite abundance was evaluated by qPCR, and parasite development was verified by light microscopy. We demonstrate that <i>L. longipalpis</i> larvae and adults trigger AMPs expression during feeding, which corresponds to an abundant presence of bacteria. Att and Def2 expression were significantly increased in <i>Leishmania</i>-infected females, while Att suppression favored bacteria growth. In conclusion, <i>L. longipalpis</i> AMPs’ expression is tuned in response to bacteria and parasites but does not seem to interfere with the <i>Leishmania</i> cycle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:30:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c3bc234127c24f2888147659bb11cad7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2607 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T10:30:37Z |
| publishDate | 2021-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Microorganisms |
| spelling | doaj.art-c3bc234127c24f2888147659bb11cad72023-11-21T23:40:32ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072021-06-0196127110.3390/microorganisms9061271<i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i>Erich Loza Telleria0Bruno Tinoco-Nunes1Tereza Leštinová2Lívia Monteiro de Avellar3Antonio Jorge Tempone4André Nóbrega Pitaluga5Petr Volf6Yara Maria Traub-Csekö7Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, BrazilDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech RepublicLaboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, BrazilLaboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, BrazilDepartment of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czech RepublicLaboratório de Biologia Molecular de Parasitas e Vetores, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, BrazilAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are produced to control bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and other infectious agents. Sand fly larvae develop and feed on a microbe-rich substrate, and the hematophagous females are exposed to additional pathogens. We focused on understanding the role of the AMPs attacin (Att), cecropin (Cec), and four defensins (Def1, Def2, Def3, and Def4) in <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis,</i> the main vector of visceral leishmaniasis in the Americas. Larvae and adults were collected under different feeding regimens, in addition to females artificially infected by <i>Leishmania infantum</i>. AMPs’ gene expression was assessed by qPCR, and gene function of Att and Def2 was investigated by gene silencing. The gene knockdown effect on bacteria and parasite abundance was evaluated by qPCR, and parasite development was verified by light microscopy. We demonstrate that <i>L. longipalpis</i> larvae and adults trigger AMPs expression during feeding, which corresponds to an abundant presence of bacteria. Att and Def2 expression were significantly increased in <i>Leishmania</i>-infected females, while Att suppression favored bacteria growth. In conclusion, <i>L. longipalpis</i> AMPs’ expression is tuned in response to bacteria and parasites but does not seem to interfere with the <i>Leishmania</i> cycle.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/6/1271<i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i>antimicrobial peptidesinnate immunityRNAi gene silencing<i>Leishmania</i>microbiota |
| spellingShingle | Erich Loza Telleria Bruno Tinoco-Nunes Tereza Leštinová Lívia Monteiro de Avellar Antonio Jorge Tempone André Nóbrega Pitaluga Petr Volf Yara Maria Traub-Csekö <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i> Microorganisms <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> antimicrobial peptides innate immunity RNAi gene silencing <i>Leishmania</i> microbiota |
| title | <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i> |
| title_full | <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i> |
| title_fullStr | <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i> |
| title_short | <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> Antimicrobial Peptides: Differential Expression during Development and Potential Involvement in Vector Interaction with Microbiota and <i>Leishmania</i> |
| title_sort | i lutzomyia longipalpis i antimicrobial peptides differential expression during development and potential involvement in vector interaction with microbiota and i leishmania i |
| topic | <i>Lutzomyia longipalpis</i> antimicrobial peptides innate immunity RNAi gene silencing <i>Leishmania</i> microbiota |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/9/6/1271 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT erichlozatelleria ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT brunotinoconunes ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT terezalestinova ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT liviamonteirodeavellar ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT antoniojorgetempone ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT andrenobregapitaluga ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT petrvolf ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai AT yaramariatraubcseko ilutzomyialongipalpisiantimicrobialpeptidesdifferentialexpressionduringdevelopmentandpotentialinvolvementinvectorinteractionwithmicrobiotaandileishmaniai |