Western diet consumption by host vertebrate promotes altered gene expression on Aedes aegypti reducing its lifespan and increasing fertility following blood feeding.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The high prevalence of metabolic syndrome in low- and middle-income countries is linked to an increase in Western diet consumption, characterized by a high intake of processed foods, which impacts the levels of blood sugar and lipids, hormones, and cytokines. Hematophagous insect vectors, such as the yellow fever mosquito Aedes aegypti, rely on blood meals for reproduction and development and are therefore exposed to the components of blood plasma. However, the impact of the alteration of blood composition due to malnutrition and metabolic conditions on mosquito biology remains understudied.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the impact of whole-blood alterations resulting from a Western-type diet on the biology of Ae. aegypti. We kept C57Bl6/J mice on a high-

SUBMITTER: Menezes A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10770904 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature