Effect of serine protease inhibitors on gut protease activity of Aedes albopictus fourth instar larvae

Abstract

Mosquitoes are vectors of many viral, protozoan and parasitic diseases. Mosquitoes of genus Aedes transmit many viral diseases including dengue fever, chikungunya and yellow fever. The mosquito control strategies are not completely successful owing to the development of insecticide resistant mosquitoes. In this study we examined the effect of different serine protease inhibitors on the gut protease activity of Aedes albopictus larvae. In in vitro study, the serine protease inhibitor Aprotinin inhibited the gut protease activity of Ae. albopictus fourth instar larvae to the extent of 91.28 ± 0.95% followed by soybean trypsin inhibitor 90.44 ± 6.03%, PMSF 65.00 ± 2.59%, and Benzamidine Hydrochloride 40.04 ± 2.02%. When larvae were exposed to protease inhibitors, the highest percentage of mortality was observed on treatment with SBTi (16.67 ± 1.95%), and for PMSF (16.67 ± 6.68%) followed by Aprotinin (15 ± 4.09%).