Insulin enhances mosquitoes' immunity to the yellow virus

Science and Technology Daily (Reporter Liu Haiying) 12 published in the journal Cell Reports, a study showed that mammalian insulin can activate the mosquito's antiviral immune pathways, thereby enhancing its ability to suppress West Nile virus, dengue virus and Zika virus. Researchers say the findings could help develop interventions to reduce mosquito-borne infections.
West Nile virus, dengue virus and Zika virus are representative viruses of the yellow virus genus. West Nile virus and dengue virus infection can cause serious illness and even death, while Zika virus, once infected in pregnant women, can lead to birth defects in newborns, known as nephrosis. These viruses are transmitted through blood-sucking arthropods, and mosquito bites are the most common form of infection in humans, and if the amount of viruses carried by mosquitoes can be reduced, the risk of human infection with related diseases is greatly reduced.
In the new study, a team led by researchers at Washington State University, US, used genetic screening to find an insulin-like vector that is an integral part of the immune system's infection with insect-borne viruses and, when activated, inhibits the replication of West Nile virus in fruit flies. The researchers then found that feeding the mosquito's insulin-rich blood caused the same reaction. Subsequent tests have shown that activating the subject can also be effective in suppressing dengue and Zika viruses in mosquito cells.
previously known to enhance the immune response of mosquitoes, and new research has found for the first time that insulin is linked to a specific pathway of immune response called JAK/STAT. Insulin signals activate the JAK/STAT pathfly through extracellular signaling to regulate kinases (ERKs) and control mosquito infection in the reservoir using an integrated immune response.
researchers say their new study proves that insulin signals play a crucial role in insects' antiviral responses to human pathogens. If the immunity of mosquitoes can be activated through insulin-borne bodies, the viral load of mosquitoes can be reduced;