Effect of salivary CYP4EM1 and CYP4EM2 gene silencing on the life span of Chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae) exposed to sublethal dose of deltamethrin

Control of Chagas disease in endemic countries is primarily accomplished through insecticide spraying for triatomine vectors. In this context, pyrethroids are the first-choice insecticide, and the evolution of insect resistance to these insecticides may represent an important barrier to triatomine control. In insects, cytochrome P450s are enzymes involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics and endogenous chemicals that are encoded by genes divided into different families. In this work, we evaluated the role of three Rhodnius prolixus CYP4EM subfamily genes during blood meal and after deltamethrin exposure. CYP4 gene members were expressed in different insect organs (integument, salivary glands (SGs), midgut, fat body and malpighian tubules) at distinct transcriptional levels. CYP4EM1 gene was highly expressed in the SG and was clearly modulated after insect blood meal. Injection of CYP4EM1dsRNA promoted significant reduction in mRNA levels of both CYP4EM1 and CYP4EM2 genes and induced deleterious effects in R. prolixus nymphs subsequently exposed to sublethal doses of deltamethrin (3.4 or 3.8 ng/nymph treated). The higher dose reduced the survival over time and increased susceptibility of R. prolixus nymphs to deltamethrin. A better understanding of this mechanism can help in developing of more efficient strategies to reduce Trypanosoma cruzi vector transmission in Americas.