Unraveling the Mosquito’s Resilience: Understanding dengue virus tolerance in Its vector

Science / Life Sciences

Despite their significant differences, humans and mosquitoes share several characteristics. For instance, our cells bear a striking resemblance to mosquito cells, and both are susceptible to the dengue virus. However, there are also notable differences, particularly in our ability to react to and defend against viral infections. Mosquitoes, for instance, are far more efficient and never fall ill from a dengue infection, demonstrating a tolerance to the virus. We aim to understand how this tolerance occurs. We hypothesize mosquitoes possess a unique form of defense rooted in highly efficient antioxidant responses. In this project, we plan to attempt to inhibit this response. If the antioxidant response is crucial, its inhibition could lead to adverse effects for the mosquitoes, such as loss of appetite, reduced biting frequency, and even death. Our ultimate goal is to prevent mosquitoes from transmitting dengue fever to humans.

Amount invested

Grant 2019: R$ 100.000,00
  • Topics
  • dengue
  • virus
  • Zika