The small non-coding RNA response to virus infection in the Leishmania vector Lutzomyia longipalpis.
Fiche publication
Date publication
juin 2018
Journal
PLoS neglected tropical diseases
Auteurs
Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Pr IMLER Jean-Luc
Tous les auteurs :
Ferreira FV, Aguiar ERGR, Olmo RP, de Oliveira KPV, Silva EG, Sant'Anna MRV, Gontijo NF, Kroon EG, Imler JL, Marques JT
Lien Pubmed
Résumé
Sandflies are well known vectors for Leishmania but also transmit a number of arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Few studies have addressed the interaction between sandflies and arboviruses. RNA interference (RNAi) mechanisms utilize small non-coding RNAs to regulate different aspects of host-pathogen interactions. The small interfering RNA (siRNA) pathway is a broad antiviral mechanism in insects. In addition, at least in mosquitoes, another RNAi mechanism mediated by PIWI interacting RNAs (piRNAs) is activated by viral infection. Finally, endogenous microRNAs (miRNA) may also regulate host immune responses. Here, we analyzed the small non-coding RNA response to Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) infection in the sandfly Lutzoymia longipalpis. We detected abundant production of virus-derived siRNAs after VSV infection in adult sandflies. However, there was no production of virus-derived piRNAs and only mild changes in the expression of vector miRNAs in response to infection. We also observed abundant production of virus-derived siRNAs against two other viruses in Lutzomyia Lulo cells. Together, our results suggest that the siRNA but not the piRNA pathway mediates an antiviral response in sandflies. In agreement with this hypothesis, pre-treatment of cells with dsRNA against VSV was able to inhibit viral replication while knock-down of the central siRNA component, Argonaute-2, led to increased virus levels. Our work begins to elucidate the role of RNAi mechanisms in the interaction between L. longipalpis and viruses and should also open the way for studies with other sandfly-borne pathogens.
Mots clés
Animals, Host-Pathogen Interactions, Insect Vectors, parasitology, Leishmania, physiology, MicroRNAs, genetics, Psychodidae, genetics, RNA Interference, RNA, Small Interfering, genetics, RNA, Untranslated, RNA, Viral, genetics, Vesicular stomatitis Indiana virus, genetics, Virus Replication
Référence
PLoS Negl Trop Dis. 2018 06;12(6):e0006569