Untargeted metabolomics-based response analysis of temperature and insecticide exposure in Aedes aegypti

In this study, we utilized an untargeted NMR metabolomics approach to identify the vector response in terms of metabolic profiling after temperature and insecticide exposure in comparison with the control. Clearly, temperature and insecticide exposure cause changes in the underlying metabolism, and the NMR metabolomic profile enables a direct examination of the immediate response of the vector to cope up with these changes. The present study was designed in four parts: A-Aedes aegypti were exposed to 40 degrees C for one-hour, DDT-4%, malathion-5%, and deltamethrin-0.05% separately and, part B-D; one-hour exposure at 35 degrees C and 40 degrees C temperatures followed by one-hour exposure to insecticide. The resultant metabolite profiles were compared with the control. In response to temperature and insecticide exposure, several metabolites and altered pathways were identified. Citrate, maltose, lipids, Nicotinate, Choline, Pyruvate and beta-hydroxybutyrate were found as important components of major biological pathways such as tri-carboxylic acid cycle, branched amino acid degradation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, amino acid metabolism, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism, nucleotide PRPP pathway, and phospholipid metabolism. Furthermore, the results also suggest that the changes imposed by exposure to temperature and insecticides individually, are reversed with combined exposure, thus negating the impact of each other and posing a threat to the control of Aedes-borne diseases such as dengue, chikungunya, Zika and yellow fever.

Automated summary

In this study, the vector response to temperature and insecticide exposure was investigated using untargeted NMR metabolomics. The results revealed changes in various metabolites and pathways. Furthermore, the study showed that the effects of temperature and insecticide exposure were reversed when they were combined, posing a threat to the control of vector-borne diseases.