Scientists at the National University of Singapore (NUS) have identified a protein in Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, which could be instrumental in preventing and controlling dengue virus infections. Dengue virus, transmitted through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, causes dengue fever in humans. In 2023, there were over 5 million reported cases of dengue fever worldwide. Currently, there is no specific treatment for dengue, and the only available vaccine, Dengvaxia, is for children who have been previously infected and live in dengue-endemic areas.
The NUS researchers studied a pupal cuticle protein found in the exoskeleton of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes, revealing its structure and function. The pupal cuticle protein acts as a hard covering that supports and protects the mosquitoes’ bodies. The findings, published in Protein Science, suggest that this cuticle protein could be a potential target for developing innovative methods to control dengue virus infection.
Professor J Sivaraman from the Department of Biological Sciences at NUS stated that the pupal cuticle protein could be a target for developing inhibitors or antibodies to control dengue virus infection. Understanding the molecular dynamics of mosquito-virus interactions could lead to novel antiviral strategies.
Previous research has shown that cuticle proteins from Aedes aegypti play a role in blocking infection by other mosquito-borne viruses, such as Zika virus and West Nile virus. The cuticle protein interacts with proteins on the surface of these viruses. Using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the NUS scientists analyzed the molecular structure of the cuticle protein and found that it takes on a disordered structure.
Further examination of the molecular interactions between the cuticle protein and dengue virus led the researchers to suggest that the protein blocks dengue virus infection. The next steps for the researchers involve identifying how pupal cuticle proteins prevent dengue virus infection in mosquitoes and mammals, exploring the possibility of using pupal cuticle proteins as a new antiviral strategy against not only dengue virus but also other flaviviruses like West Nile virus and yellow fever virus.
