The buzz in the field: the interaction between viruses, mosquitoes, and metabolism

Abstract

Among many medically important pathogens, arboviruses like dengue, Zika and chikungunya cause severe health and economic burdens especially in developing countries. These viruses are primarily vectored by mosquitoes. Having surmounted geographical barriers and threat of control strategies, these vectors continue to conquer many areas of the globe exposing more than half of the world’s population to these viruses. Unfortunately, no medical interventions have been capable so far to produce successful vaccines or antivirals against many of these viruses. Thus, vector control remains the fundamental strategy to prevent disease transmission. The long-established understanding regarding the replication of these viruses is that they reshape both human and mosquito host cellular membranes upon infection for their replicative benefit. This leads to or is a result of significant alterations in lipid metabolism. Metabolism involves complex chemical reactions in the body that are essential for general physiological functions and survival of an organism. Finely tuned metabolic homeostases are maintained in healthy organisms. However, a simple stimulus like a viral infection can alter this homeostatic landscape driving considerable phenotypic change. Better comprehension of these mechanisms can serve as innovative control strategies against these vectors and viruses. Here, we review the metabolic basis of fundamental mosquito biology and virus-vector interactions. The cited work provides compelling evidence that targeting metabolism can be a paradigm shift and provide potent tools for vector control as well as tools to answer many unresolved questions and gaps in the field of arbovirology.

Differential intra-host infection kinetics in Aedes aegypti underlie superior transmissibility of African relative to Asian Zika virus

“…This is consistent with a previous study on dengue virus ( 30 ), which observed that a lower blood meal titer resulted in lower viral loads in mosquito tissues even during the crossing of subsequent infection barriers at later timepoints. Several host machinery including those of glucose metabolism, lipid/phospholipid metabolisms, cell proliferation, apoptosis, and immunity have been shown to influence virus infection in mosquitoes ( 31 – 36 ). It is possible that a higher amount of virus initiating the infection could manipulate these host machineries at a larger scale in mosquito tissues and thereby enhance virus replication.…”

A tangled threesome: understanding arbovirus infection in Aedes spp. and the effect of the mosquito microbiota

“…The microbiota composition varies depending on the sex of the mosquito, developmental stage, larvae diet, blood source, ecology, geographical location, temperature, mosquito genetics, and metabolism (Minard et al, 2018 ; Parry et al, 2018 ; Bogale et al, 2020 ; Onyango et al, 2020 ; MacLeod et al, 2021 ; Pérez-Ramos et al, 2022 ; Sarma et al, 2022 ; Ratnayake et al, 2023 ; Rodpai et al, 2023 ). Water microbiota composition is also influenced by larval feces and the egestion of microorganisms by females during oviposition (Guégan et al, 2018 ; Scolari et al, 2019 , 2021 ).…”

Neurological manifestations of Flaviviridae, Togaviridae, and Peribunyaviridae as vector‐borne viruses

“…Each of these complications reflects the intricate relationship between the virus and the CNS, emphasising the need for a comprehensive understanding of the diverse neurological sequelae that can arise. In navigating the clinical landscape of neurological manifestations, it becomes evident that vector‐borne viruses, with their diverse tropisms and complex interactions, have the potential to unravel a multitude of neurological complications 62,63 . From the acute to the chronic, from the central to the peripheral, each manifestation offers a unique glimpse into the intricate dance between these viral invaders and the intricate anatomy of the nervous system 64 …”