Interspecies isobaric labeling-based quantitative proteomics reveals protein changes in the ovary of Aedes aegypti co-infected with ZIKV and Wolbachia

Zika is a vector-borne disease caused by an arbovirus (ZIKV) and overwhelmingly transmitted by Ae. aegypti. This disease is linked to adverse fetal outcomes, mostly microcephaly in newborns, and other clinical aspects such as acute febrile illness and neurologic complications, for example, Guillain-Barre syndrome. One of the actual most promising strategies to mitigate arbovirus transmission involves releasing Ae. aegypti mosquitoes carrying the maternally inherited endosymbiont bacteria Wolbachia pipientis. The presence of Wolbachia is associated with a reduced susceptibility to arboviruses and a fitness cost in mosquito life-history traits as fecundity and fertility. However, the mechanisms by which Wolbachia influences metabolic pathways leading to differences in egg production remains poorly known. To investigate the impact of co-infections on the reproductive tract of the mosquito, we applied an isobaric labeling-based quantitative proteomic strategy to investigate the influence of Wolbachia wMel and ZIKV infection in Ae. aegypti ovaries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the most complete proteome of Ae. aegypti ovaries reported so far, with a total of 3,913 proteins identified, also,were able to quantify a total of 1,044 Wolbachia proteins in complex sample tissue of Ae. aegypti ovary.. Furthermore, we discuss proteins and pathways altered in Ae. aegypti during ZIKV infections, Wolbachia infections, co-infection Wolbachia/ZIKV, and compared with no infection, focusing on immune and reproductive aspects of Ae. aegypti. The modified aspects were mostly related to the immune priming enhancement by Wolbachia presence and the modulation of the Juvenile Hormone pathway caused by both microorganisms infection. HighlightsO_LIProteome changes in Ae. aegypti, Wolbachia, and ZIKV interactions C_LIO_LIA great diversity of Wolbachia proteins were quantified in Ae. aegypti ovary C_LIO_LIJuvenile Hormone pathway is modulated by both infections C_LIO_LIWolbachia enhances Ae. aegypti immune priming mechanism C_LIO_LIZIKV unsettles host immune response by reducing antimicrobial peptides production C_LIO_LICoinfection triggers oxidative stress and a lack of vitellogenin precursors C_LI