Mosquito vector competence for dengue is modulated by insect-specific viruses

Roenick Proveti Olmo (1, 2, 3) , Yaovi M. H. Todjro (3) , Eric R. G. R. Aguiar (3) , João Paulo P. de Almeida (3) , Flávia V. Ferreira (3) , Juliana N. Armache (3) , Isaque J. S. de Faria (3) , Alvaro G. A. Ferreira , Siad C. G. Amadou (3) , Ana Teresa S. Silva (3) , Kátia P. R. de Souza (3) , Ana Paula P. Vilela (3) , Antinéa Babarit (2, 1) , Cheong H. Tan (4) , Mawlouth Diallo (5) , Alioune Gaye (5) , Christophe Paupy (6) , Judicaël Obame-Nkoghe (7, 8) , Tessa M. Visser (9) , Constantianus J. M. Koenraadt (9) , Merril A. Wongsokarijo , Ana Luiza C. Cruz , Mariliza T. Prieto , Maisa C. P. Parra , Maurício L. Nogueira (10) , Vivian Avelino-Silva , Renato N. Mota , Magno A. Z. Borges , Betânia P. Drumond , Erna G. Kroon , Mario Recker (11) , Luigi Sedda (12) , Eric Marois (2, 1) , Jean-Luc Imler (2, 1) , João T. Marques (3)

1 RIDI - UPR 9022 - Réponse immunitaire et developpement chez les insectes
2 M3I - Modèles Insectes de l'Immunité Innée
3 Universidade do Estado de Minas Gerais = Minas Gerais State University
4 NEA - National Environment Agency [Singapore]
5 Institut Pasteur de Dakar
6 MIVEGEC - Maladies infectieuses et vecteurs : écologie, génétique, évolution et contrôle
7 USTM - Université des Sciences et Techniques de Masuku
8 CIRMF - Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville
9 WUR - Wageningen University and Research [Wageningen]
10 University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston
11 Universitätsklinikum Tübingen - University Hospital of Tübingen
12 Lancaster University

Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus mosquitoes are the main vectors for dengue virus (DENV) and other arboviruses, including Zika virus (ZIKV). Understanding the factors that affect transmission of arboviruses from mosquitoes to humans is a priority because it could inform public health and targeted interventions. Reasoning that interactions among viruses in the vector insect might affect transmission, we analysed the viromes of 815 urban Aedes mosquitoes collected from 12 countries worldwide. Two mosquito-specific viruses, Phasi Charoen-like virus (PCLV) and Humaita Tubiacanga virus (HTV), were the most abundant in A. aegypti worldwide. Spatiotemporal analyses of virus circulation in an endemic urban area revealed a 200% increase in chances of having DENV in wild A. aegypti mosquitoes when both HTV and PCLV were present. Using a mouse model in the laboratory, we showed that the presence of HTV and PCLV increased the ability of mosquitoes to transmit DENV and ZIKV to a vertebrate host. By transcriptomic analysis, we found that in DENV-infected mosquitoes, HTV and PCLV block the downregulation of histone H4, which we identify as an important proviral host factor in vivo.

Domaines: Immunologie

Roenick Proveti Olmo, Yaovi M. H. Todjro, Eric R. G. R. Aguiar, João Paulo P. de Almeida, Flávia V. Ferreira, et al.. Mosquito vector competence for dengue is modulated by insect-specific viruses. Nature Microbiology, 2023, 8 (1), pp.135-149. ⟨10.1038/s41564-022-01289-4⟩. ⟨hal-03942205⟩