Mosquito gut antiparasitic and antiviral immunity

Dev Comp Immunol. 2016 Nov:64:53-64. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2016.01.015. Epub 2016 Jan 29.

Abstract

Mosquitoes are responsible for the transmission of diseases with a serious impact on global human health, such as malaria and dengue. All mosquito-transmitted pathogens complete part of their life cycle in the insect gut, where they are exposed to mosquito-encoded barriers and active factors that can limit their development. Here we present the current understanding of mosquito gut immunity against malaria parasites, filarial worms, and viruses such as dengue, Chikungunya, and West Nile. The most recently proposed immune mediators involved in intestinal defenses are discussed, as well as the synergies identified between the recognition of gut microbiota and the mounting of the immune response.

Keywords: Dengue; Innate immunity; Microbiota; Mosquito; Plasmodium.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Culicidae / immunology*
  • Disease Transmission, Infectious / prevention & control
  • Filariasis / immunology*
  • Host-Pathogen Interactions
  • Immunity, Innate*
  • Intestines / immunology*
  • Intestines / microbiology
  • Life Cycle Stages
  • Microbiota
  • Mosquito Vectors
  • Parasitic Diseases, Animal / immunology*
  • Virus Diseases / immunology*