Larvicidal activity of mosquito sterol carrier protein-2 inhibitors to the insecticide-resistant mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)

J Med Entomol. 2009 Nov;46(6):1430-5. doi: 10.1603/033.046.0626.

Abstract

AeSCP-2 inhibitors (SCPIs) compete with cholesterol for binding to a mosquito sterol carrier protein-2 (AeSCP-2) known to aid in the uptake of cholesterol in mosquito cells. The larvicidal activities of AeSCP-2 inhibitor-1 (SCPI-1) and inhibitor-2 (SCPI-2) against Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) were therefore examined in insecticide-resistant Culex mosquitoes HAmCq(G9), MAmCq(G2), and BAmCq(G0). All of the resistant Culex mosquito strains exhibited similar sensitivity to SCPI-1 and SCPI-2 inhibitors compared with a susceptible S-Lab strain. When an AeSCP-2 inhibitor was applied simultaneously with permethrin, the toxicity of permethrin to the second-instar larvae of all four strains of Culex mosquitoes increased, suggesting a synergistic effect of AeSCP-2 inhibitors on the toxicity of permethrin against Culex mosquitoes. Both SCPI-1 and SCPI-2 inhibitors caused a 2.4- to 3-fold reduction in the level of permethrin resistance in the highly resistant strain HAmCq(G9). This result suggests that the mode of action of the AeSCP-2 inhibitors, which reduces the uptake of cholesterol by inhibiting the function of AeSCP-2 in mosquito cells, may interfere with the mechanisms or ability that govern permethrin resistance in the HAmCq(G9) mosquito strain.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding, Competitive
  • Carrier Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Carrier Proteins / metabolism
  • Cholesterol / metabolism
  • Culex / growth & development*
  • Culex / metabolism
  • Drug Synergism
  • Insect Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Insect Proteins / metabolism
  • Insecticide Resistance
  • Insecticides*
  • Larva / metabolism
  • Permethrin*

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • Insect Proteins
  • Insecticides
  • sterol carrier proteins
  • Permethrin
  • Cholesterol