scholarly journals Cis-regulatory CYP6P9b P450 variants associated with loss of insecticide-treated bed net efficacy against Anopheles funestus

2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Leon M. J. Mugenzi ◽  
Benjamin D. Menze ◽  
Magellan Tchouakui ◽  
Murielle J. Wondji ◽  
Helen Irving ◽  
...  

Abstract Elucidating the genetic basis of metabolic resistance to insecticides in malaria vectors is crucial to prolonging the effectiveness of insecticide-based control tools including long lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs). Here, we show that cis-regulatory variants of the cytochrome P450 gene, CYP6P9b, are associated with pyrethroid resistance in the African malaria vector Anopheles funestus. A DNA-based assay is designed to track this resistance that occurs near fixation in southern Africa but not in West/Central Africa. Applying this assay we demonstrate, using semi-field experimental huts, that CYP6P9b-mediated resistance associates with reduced effectiveness of LLINs. Furthermore, we establish that CYP6P9b combines with another P450, CYP6P9a, to additively exacerbate the reduced efficacy of insecticide-treated nets. Double homozygote resistant mosquitoes (RR/RR) significantly survive exposure to insecticide-treated nets and successfully blood feed more than other genotypes. This study provides tools to track and assess the impact of multi-gene driven metabolic resistance to pyrethroids, helping improve resistance management.

Heredity ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 124 (5) ◽  
pp. 621-632 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magellan Tchouakui ◽  
Jacob Riveron Miranda ◽  
Leon M. J. Mugenzi ◽  
Doumani Djonabaye ◽  
Murielle J. Wondji ◽  
...  

Abstract Metabolic resistance threatens the sustainability of pyrethroid-based malaria control interventions. Elucidating the fitness cost and potential reversal of metabolic resistance is crucial to design suitable resistance management strategies. Here, we deciphered the fitness cost associated with the CYP6P9a (P450-mediated metabolic resistance) in the major African malaria vector Anopheles funestus. Reciprocal crosses were performed between a pyrethroid susceptible (FANG) and resistant (FUMOZ-R) laboratory strains and the hybrid strains showed intermediate resistance. Genotyping the CYP6P9a-R resistance allele in oviposited females revealed that CYP6P9a negatively impacts the fecundity as homozygote susceptible mosquitoes (CYP6P9a-SS) lay more eggs than heterozygote (OR = 2.04: P = 0.01) and homozygote resistant mosquitoes. CYP6P9a also imposes a significant fitness cost on the larval development as homozygote resistant larvae (CYP6P9a-RR) developed significantly slower than heterozygote and homozygote susceptible mosquitoes (χ2 = 11.2; P = 0.0008). This fitness cost was further supported by the late pupation of homozygote resistant than susceptible mosquitoes (OR = 2.50; P < 0.01). However, CYP6P9a does not impact the longevity as no difference was observed in the life span of mosquitoes with different genotypes (χ2 = 1.6; P = 0.9). In this hybrid strain, a significant decrease of the resistant CYP6P9a-RR genotype was observed after ten generations (χ2 = 6.6; P = 0.01) suggesting a reversal of P450-based resistance in the absence of selection. This study shows that the P450-mediated metabolic resistance imposes a high fitness cost in malaria vectors supporting that a resistance management strategy based on rotation could help mitigate the impact of such resistance.


Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 1314
Author(s):  
Delia Doreen Djuicy ◽  
Jack Hearn ◽  
Magellan Tchouakui ◽  
Murielle J. Wondji ◽  
Helen Irving ◽  
...  

Pyrethroid resistance in major malaria vectors such as Anopheles funestus threatens malaria control efforts in Africa. Cytochrome P450-mediated metabolic resistance is best understood for CYP6P9 genes in southern Africa in An. funestus. However, we do not know if this resistance mechanism is spreading across Africa and how it relates to broader patterns of gene flow across the continent. Nucleotide diversity of the CYP6P9a gene and the diversity pattern of five gene fragments spanning a region of 120 kb around the CYP6P9a gene were surveyed in mosquitoes from southern, eastern and central Africa. These analyses revealed that a Cyp6P9a resistance-associated allele has swept through southern and eastern Africa and is now fixed in these regions. A similar diversity profile was observed when analysing genomic regions located 34 kb upstream to 86 kb downstream of the CYP6P9a locus, concordant with a selective sweep throughout the rp1 locus. We identify reduced gene flow between southern/eastern Africa and central Africa, which we hypothesise is due to the Great Rift Valley. These potential barriers to gene flow are likely to prevent or slow the spread of CYP6P9-based resistance mechanism to other parts of Africa and would to be considered in future vector control interventions such as gene drive.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine L. Moyes ◽  
Rosemary S. Lees ◽  
Cristina Yunta ◽  
Kyle J. Walker ◽  
Kay Hemmings ◽  
...  

Abstract The primary malaria control intervention in high burden countries is the deployment of long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) treated with pyrethroids, alone or in combination with a second active ingredient or synergist. It is essential to understand whether the impact of pyrethroid resistance can be mitigated by switching between different pyrethroids or whether cross-resistance precludes this. Structural diversity within the pyrethroids could mean some compounds are better able to counteract the resistance mechanisms that have evolved in malaria vectors. Here we consider variation in vulnerability to the P450 enzymes that confer metabolic pyrethroid resistance in Anopheles gambiae s.l. and Anopheles funestus. We assess the relationships among pyrethroids in terms of their binding affinity to key P450s and the percent dep­letion by these P450s, in order to identify which pyrethroids diverge from the others. We then investigate whether these same pyrethroids also diverge from the others in terms of resistance in vector populations. We found that etofenprox, which lacks the common structural moiety of other pyrethroids, potentially diverges from the commonly deployed pyrethroids in terms of P450 binding affinity and resistance in malaria vector populations, but not depletion by the P450s tested. These results are supplemented by an analysis of resistance to the same pyrethroids in Aedes aegypti populations, which also found etofenprox diverges from the other pyrethroids in terms of resistance in wild populations. In addition, we found that bifenthrin, which also lacks the common structural moiety of most pyrethroids, diverges from the commonly deployed pyrethroids in terms of P450 binding affinity and depletion by P450s. However, resistance to bifenthrin in vector populations is largely untested. The prevalence of resistance to the pyrethroids α-cypermethrin, cyfluthrin, deltamethrin, λ-cyhalothrin, and permethrin was correlated across malaria vector populations and switching between these compounds as a tool to mitigate against pyrethroid resistance is not advised without strong evidence supporting a true difference in resistance.


Genes ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 645 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magellan Tchouakui ◽  
Jacob M. Riveron ◽  
Doumani Djonabaye ◽  
Williams Tchapga ◽  
Helen Irving ◽  
...  

Metabolic resistance to insecticides threatens malaria control. However, little is known about its fitness cost in field populations of malaria vectors, thus limiting the design of suitable resistance management strategies. Here, we assessed the association between the glutathione S-transferase GSTe2-mediated metabolic resistance and life-traits of natural populations of Anopheles funestus. A total of 1200 indoor resting blood-fed female An. funestus (F0) were collected in Mibellon, Cameroon (2016/2017), and allowed to lay eggs individually. Genotyping of F1 mosquitoes for the L119F-GSTE2 mutation revealed that L/L119-homozygote susceptible (SS) mosquitoes significantly laid more eggs than heterozygotes L119F-RS (odds ratio (OR) = 2.06; p < 0.0001) and homozygote resistant 119F/F-RR (OR = 2.93; p < 0.0001). L/L119-SS susceptible mosquitoes also showed the higher ability for oviposition than 119F/F-RR resistant (OR = 2.68; p = 0.0002) indicating a reduced fecundity in resistant mosquitoes. Furthermore, L119F-RS larvae developed faster (nine days) than L119F-RR and L119F-SS (11 days) (X2 = 11.052; degree of freedom (df) = 4; p = 0.02) suggesting a heterozygote advantage effect for larval development. Interestingly, L/L119-SS developed faster than 119F/F-RR (OR = 5.3; p < 0.0001) revealing an increased developmental time in resistant mosquitoes. However, genotyping and sequencing revealed that L119F-RR mosquitoes exhibited a higher adult longevity compared to RS (OR > 2.2; p < 0.05) and SS (OR > 2.1; p < 0.05) with an increased frequency of GSTe2-resistant haplotypes in mosquitoes of D30 after adult emergence. Additionally, comparison of the expression of GSTe2 revealed a significantly increased expression from D1-D30 after emergence of adults (Anova test (F) = 8; df= 3; p = 0.008). The negative association between GSTe2 and some life traits of An. funestus could facilitate new resistance management strategies. However, the increased longevity of GSTe2-resistant mosquitoes suggests that an increase in resistance could exacerbate malaria transmission.


Genes ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin D. Menze ◽  
Mersimine F. Kouamo ◽  
Murielle J. Wondji ◽  
Williams Tchapga ◽  
Micareme Tchoupo ◽  
...  

Growing insecticide resistance in malaria vectors is threatening the effectiveness of insecticide-based interventions, including Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs). However, the impact of metabolic resistance on the effectiveness of these tools remains poorly characterized. Using experimental hut trials and genotyping of a glutathione S-transferase resistance marker (L119F-GSTe2), we established that GST-mediated resistance is reducing the efficacy of LLINs against Anopheles funestus. Hut trials performed in Cameroon revealed that Piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-based nets induced a significantly higher mortality against pyrethroid resistant An. funestus than pyrethroid-only nets. Blood feeding rate and deterrence were significantly higher in all LLINs than control. Genotyping the L119F-GSTe2 mutation revealed that, for permethrin-based nets, 119F-GSTe2 resistant mosquitoes have a greater ability to blood feed than susceptible while the opposite effect is observed for deltamethrin-based nets. For Olyset Plus, a significant association with exophily was observed in resistant mosquitoes (OR = 11.7; p < 0.01). Furthermore, GSTe2-resistant mosquitoes (cone assays) significantly survived with PermaNet 2.0 (OR = 2.1; p < 0.01) and PermaNet 3.0 (side) (OR = 30.1; p < 0.001) but not for Olyset Plus. This study shows that the efficacy of PBO-based nets (e.g., blood feeding inhibition) against pyrethroid resistant malaria vectors could be impacted by other mechanisms including GST-mediated metabolic resistance not affected by the synergistic action of PBO. Mosaic LLINs incorporating a GST inhibitor (diethyl maleate) could help improve their efficacy in areas of GST-mediated resistance.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela Hughes ◽  
Natalie Lissenden ◽  
Mafalda Viana ◽  
Kobié Hyacinthe Toé ◽  
Hilary Ranson

Abstract Background The efficacy of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) in preventing malaria in Africa is threatened by insecticide resistance. Bioassays assessing 24-hour mortality post-LLIN exposure have established that resistance to the concentration of pyrethroids used in LLINs is widespread. However, although mosquitoes may no longer be rapidly killed by LLIN exposure, a delayed mortality effect has been shown to reduce the transmission potential of mosquitoes exposed to nets. This has been postulated to partially explain the continued efficacy of LLINs against pyrethroid-resistant populations. Burkina Faso is one of a number of countries with very high malaria burdens and pyrethroid-resistant vectors, where progress in controlling this disease has stagnated. We measured the impact of LLIN exposure on mosquito longevity in an area of the country with intense pyrethroid resistance to establish whether pyrethroid exposure was still shortening mosquito lifespan in this setting. Methods We quantified the immediate and delayed mortality effects of LLIN exposure using standard laboratory WHO cone tests, tube bioassays and experimental hut trials on Anopheles gambiae populations originating from the Cascades region of Burkina Faso using survival analysis and a Bayesian state-space model. Results Following single and multiple exposures to a PermaNet 2.0 LLIN only one of the four mosquito populations tested showed evidence of delayed mortality. No delayed mortality was seen in experimental hut studies using LLINs. A delayed mortality effect was only observed in WHO tube bioassays when deltamethrin concentration was increased above the standard diagnostic dose. Conclusions As mosquito pyrethroid-resistance increases in intensity, delayed effects from LLIN exposure are substantially reduced or absent. Given the rapid increase in resistance occurring in malaria vectors across Africa it is important to determine whether the failure of LLINs to shorten mosquito lifespan is now a widespread phenomenon as this will have important implications for the future of this pivotal malaria control tool.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 415
Author(s):  
Magellan Tchouakui ◽  
Leon M. J. Mugenzi ◽  
Benjamin D. Menze ◽  
Jude N. T. Khaukha ◽  
Williams Tchapga ◽  
...  

Monitoring cases of insecticide resistance aggravation and the effect on the efficacy of control tools is crucial for successful malaria control. In this study, the resistance intensity of major malaria vectors from Uganda was characterised and its impact on the performance of various insecticide-treated nets elucidated. High intensity of resistance to the discriminating concentration (DC), 5× DC, and 10× DC of pyrethroids was observed in both Anopheles funestus and Anopheles gambiae in Mayuge and Busia leading to significant reduced performance of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) including the piperonyl butoxide (PBO)-based nets (Olyset Plus). Molecular analysis revealed significant over-expression of cytochrome P450 genes (CYP9K1 and CYP6P9a/b). However, the expression of these genes was not associated with resistance escalation as no difference was observed in the level of expression in mosquitoes resistant to 5× DC and 10× DC compared to 1× DC suggesting that other resistance mechanisms are involved. Such high intensity of pyrethroid resistance in Uganda could have terrible consequences on the effectiveness of insecticide-based interventions and urgent action should be taken to prevent the spread of super-resistance in malaria vectors.


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Polius Gerazi Pinda ◽  
Claudia Eichenberger ◽  
Halfan S Ngowo ◽  
Dickson S Msaky ◽  
Said Abbasi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) have greatly reduced malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, but are threatened by insecticide resistance. In south-eastern Tanzania, pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles funestus are now implicated in > 80% of malaria infections, even in villages where the species occurs at lower densities than the other vector species, Anopheles arabiensis. This study compared the intensities of resistance between the two malaria vectors, so as to improve options for control. Methods: The study used WHO assays with 1×, 5× and 10× insecticide doses to assess levels of resistance, followed by synergist bioassays to understand possible mechanisms of the observed resistance phenotypes. The tests involved adult mosquitoes collected from villages across two districts in south-eastern Tanzania and identified using morphological and molecular approaches.Findings: At baseline doses (1×), both species were resistant to the two pyrethroids (permethrin and deltamethrin) but susceptible to the organophosphate (pirimiphos-methyl). An. funestus, but not An. arabiensis was also resistant to the carbamate (bendiocarb) at baseline doses. Both species were generally resistant to DDT, except An.arabiensis from one village. An. funestus showed strong resistance to pyrethroids, surviving the 5× and 10× doses except in one village. Pre-exposure to the synergist, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), enhanced the potency of pyrethroid in both An. arabiensis and An. funestus achieving mortalities >98%, except for An. funestus from two villages for which permethrin-associated mortalities exceeded 90% but not 98%. Conclusions: In these communities where An. funestus dominates malaria transmission, this study may suggest that the species also have much stronger resistance to pyrethroids than its counterpart, An. arabiensis and can survive more classes of insecticides, including carbamates. The pyrethroid resistance in both species appears to be mostly metabolic and may be temporarily addressed using synergists, e.g. PBO. These findings may explain the continued persistence and dominance of An. funestus despite widespread use of pyrethroid-treated LLINs, and inform new choices of interventions to tackle malaria transmission in such settings. These may include PBO-based LLINs or improved IRS with compounds to which the vectors are susceptible. Additional field validation of these indications will be necessary using age-synchronized mosquitoes.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. e0261713
Author(s):  
Assalif Demissew ◽  
Abebe Animut ◽  
Solomon Kibret ◽  
Arega Tsegaye ◽  
Dawit Hawaria ◽  
...  

Background Indoor residual spraying and insecticide-treated nets are among the key malaria control intervention tools. However, their efficacy is declining due to the development and spread of insecticide resistant vectors. In Ethiopia, several studies reported resistance of An. arabiensis to multiple insecticide classes. However, such data is scarce in irrigated areas of the country where insecticides, pesticides and herbicides are intensively used. Susceptibility of An. gambiae s.l. to existing and new insecticides and resistance mechanisms were assessed in Arjo-Didessa sugarcane plantation area, southwestern Ethiopia. Methods Adult An. gambiae s.l. reared from larval/pupal collections of Arjo-Didessa sugarcane irrigation area and its surrounding were tested for their susceptibility to selected insecticides. Randomly selected An. gambiae s.l. (dead and survived) samples were identified to species using species-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and were further analyzed for the presence of knockdown resistance (kdr) alleles using allele-specific PCR. Results Among the 214 An. gambiae s.l. samples analyzed by PCR, 89% (n = 190) were An. amharicus and 9% (n = 20) were An. arabiensis. Mortality rates of the An. gambiae s.l. exposed to deltamethrin and alphacypermethrin were 85% and 86.8%, respectively. On the other hand, mortalities against pirmiphos-methyl, bendiocarb, propoxur and clothianidin were 100%, 99%, 100% and 100%, respectively. Of those sub-samples (An. amharicus and An. arabiensis) examined for presence of kdr gene, none of them were found to carry the L1014F (West African) allelic mutation. Conclusion Anopheles amharicus and An. arabiensis from Arjo-Didessa sugarcane irrigation area were resistant to pyrethroids which might be synergized by extensive use of agricultural chemicals. Occurrence of pyrethroid resistant malaria vectors could challenge the ongoing malaria control and elimination program in the area unless resistance management strategies are implemented. Given the resistance of An. amharicus to pyrethroids, its behavior and vectorial capacity should be further investigated.


Author(s):  
Polius Gerazi Pinda ◽  
Claudia Eichenberger ◽  
Halfan S Ngowo ◽  
Dickson S Msaky ◽  
Said Abbasi ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Long-lasting insecticide-treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual spraying (IRS) have greatly reduced malaria transmission in sub-Saharan Africa, but are threatened by insecticide resistance in dominant malaria vectors. In south-eastern Tanzania, pyrethroid-resistant Anopheles funestus now transmit more than 80% of malaria infections even in villages where the species occurs at far lower densities than other vectors such as Anopheles arabiensis.Methods: To better understand the dominance of An. funestus in these settings and improve options for its control, this study compared intensities of resistance between females of this species and those of An. arabiensis , using WHO assays with 1×, 5× and 10× insecticide doses. Additional tests were done to assess the reversibility of such resistance using synergists. The mosquitoes were collected from villages across two districts in south-eastern Tanzania.Findings: Both species were resistant to the two pyrethroids (permethrin and deltamethrin) and the organochloride (DDT) but susceptible to the organophosphate (pirimiphos-methyl) at standard baseline doses (1×). However, An. funestus as opposed to An. arabiensis was also resistant to the carbamate (bendiocarb) at standard doses (1×). An. funestus showed strong resistance to pyrethroids, surviving the 5× doses and 10× doses except in one village. Pre-exposure to the synergist, piperonyl butoxide (PBO), reversed the pyrethroid-resistance in both An. arabiensis and An. funestus achieving mortalities >98%, except for An. funestus from two villages for which permethrin-associated mortalities exceeded 90% but not 98%.Conclusions : In these communities where An. funestus now dominates malaria transmission, the species also displays much stronger resistance to pyrethroids than its counterpart, An. arabiensis, and can readily survive more classes of insecticides, including carbamates. The resistance to pyrethroids in both mosquito species appears to be mostly metabolic and can be reversed significantly using synergists such as PBO. These findings may explain the continued persistence and dominance of An. funestus despite widespread use of pyrethroid-treated LLINs, and will also inform future choices of interventions to tackle malaria transmission in this area and other similar settings. Such interventions may include PBO-based LLINs or improved IRS with compounds such as organophosphates against which the vectors are still susceptible.


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