Areej Al-Dailami First Authored Paper Explores Hormone's Role in the Blood Feeding Rhodnius Prolixus

Areej Al-Dailami 's first-authored paper: Exploring the role of glycoprotein hormone GPA2/GPB5 in the medically important insect, Rhodnius prolixus was just published by Elsevier

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.peptides.2021.170710

  Rhodnius prolixus is a blood-feeding insect that has a life cycle consisting of five nymphal stages (or instars) and a final moult to adult. A successful moult from one life stage to the other requires a single and massive blood meal. Ingestion of this large blood meal triggers diuresis to remove excess water and salt. During the rapid post-feeding diuresis, R. prolixus can transmit, through its urine, the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the disease-causing agent of human Chagas disease. This infection is widespread in Central and South America with 6-7 million people infected worldwide. In this paper, we characterize the glycoprotein hormone (GPA2/GPB5) and its receptor (LGR1) and we examine the physiological roles of the GPA2/GPB5 hormone- signaling pathway in relation to feeding and diuresis in R. prolixus. Understanding the glycoprotein hormone pathway and mechanisms of action could be utilized for vector control by highlighting targets to alter feeding and diuresis, hence reducing the spread of this disease vector.