Impact of <i>Ae-GRD</i> on Ivermectin Resistance and Its Regulation by miR-71-5p in <i>Aedes aegypti</i>

oleh: Lingling Yu, Yanan Yin, Qiuhui Wang, Peizhen Zhao, Qian Han, Chenghong Liao

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: MDPI AG 2024-06-01

Deskripsi

iGABAR, a member of the Cys-loop ligand-gated ion channel superfamily, is a significant target of the insecticide ivermectin (IVM). GRD is the potential subunit of the insect iGABAR. However, little information about GRD in <i>Ae. aegypti</i> has been reported. In this study, we involved cloning and characterizing the iGABAR subunit <i>GRD</i> of <i>Ae. aegypti</i> (<i>Ae-GRD</i>). Sequence analysis indicated that <i>Ae-GRD</i>, as part of the cysteine-loop ligand-gated ion channel family, is similar to other insect <i>GRD</i>. RNA interference (RNAi) was employed to explore IVM resistance in <i>Ae. aegypti</i>, resulting in a significant reduction in <i>Ae-GRD</i> expression (<i>p</i> < 0.05), and the mortality of <i>Ae. aegypti</i> adults with <i>Ae-GRD</i> knockdown was significantly decreased after exposure to ivermectin. Bioinformatics prediction identified miR-71-5p as a potential regulator of <i>Ae-GRD</i>. In vitro, dual-luciferase reporter assays confirmed that <i>Ae-GRD</i> expression was regulated by miR-71-5p. Microinjection of miR-71-5p mimics upregulated miR-71-5p expression and downregulated <i>Ae-GRD</i> gene expression, reducing mortality by 34.52% following IVM treatment. Conversely, microinjection of a miR-71-5p inhibitor decreased miR-71-5p expression but did not affect the susceptibility to IVM despite increased <i>Ae-GRD</i> expression (<i>p</i> < 0.05). In conclusion, <i>Ae-GRD</i>, as one of the iGABA receptor subunits, is a potential target of ivermectin. It may influence ivermectin resistance by modulating the GABA signaling pathway. The inhibition of <i>Ae-GRD</i> expression by miR-71-5p decreased ivermectin resistance and consequently lowered the mortality rate of <i>Ae. aegypti</i> mosquitoes. This finding provides empirical evidence of the relationship between <i>Ae-GRD</i> and its miRNA in modulating insecticide resistance, offering novel perspectives for mosquito control strategies.