Post by A*STAR Infectious Diseases Labs - A*STAR IDL

🌍As global warming expands mosquito habitats, #Chikungunya is re-emerging as a serious public health threat. 🦟New research led by Dr Fong Siew Wai and Prof Lisa F.P. Ng reveals that 𝘀𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻 - a peptide in #Aedes mosquito saliva - not only aids the spread of chikungunya virus but also suppresses the host's immune responses. 💥Key findings: Sialokinin binds to human neurokinin receptors, reducing immune cell activation. In 𝘪𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘷𝘰 infection models, this reduced joint swelling and inflammation. In patients, higher levels of antibodies against sialokinin were linked to more severe disease and higher viral loads.   🔬 This means mosquito saliva isn’t just a passive carrier of the virus—it 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗱𝘆’𝘀 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲, shaping the course of infection. 💡 These findings not only deepen our understanding of host-vector-pathogen interactions but also 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 efforts by identifying a new 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗽𝗲𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁. By disrupting the action of salivary peptides like sialokinin, we may develop 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗲𝘀 for mosquito-borne diseases like chikungunya.   🤝 This work was supported by the A*STAR Career Development Fund and Ministry of Education, Singapore (MOE), in collaboration with NUS Department of Biological Sciences and National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID). 👉 Learn more about how vector biology and host immunity intersect in the fight against mosquito-borne infectious diseases here: 🔗Press release: https://lnkd.in/gnnUZsFR 📄Publication: https://lnkd.in/giyjPYyu #ASTAR #CreatingGrowth #EnhancingLives #InfectiousDiseases #PublicHealth #Collaboration