Abstract
It has recently been shown that Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (Btk) suppressed both immune and antioxidant responses in the autogenous mosquito, Aedes caspius. The purpose of the presented study herein was to investigate the concomitant oxidative stresses upon infection with Btk. Data showed elevation in the level of both lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation, as important oxidative stress biomarkers, in Btk-infected Ae. caspius mosquitoes. In larval mosquitoes, Btk-infection induced significant higher levels of both lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation at 12 And 24h post-infection compared to those of control ones. In adult mosquitoes, Btk-inoculation has induced significant higher lipid peroxidation at 12 and 24h post-inoculation compared to control ones, while E. coli-inoculation induced significant higher lipid peroxidation at 12h post-inoculation only compared to control ones. However, significant high protein oxidation was shown only at 12h post-Btk inoculation but not in E. coli-inoculated mosquitoes compared to control ones in each case. These data may indicate that oxidative stress was more pronounced in Btk-inoculated adult mosquitoes than that in E. coli-inoculated ones. Moreover, Btk-induced oxidative stress was more pronounced in larvae than that in adult mosquitoes. Consequently, these findings suggest that the oxidative stress-induced cellular damage in mosquito larvae may be considered as an important pathogenicity mechanism of Btk against host mosquito larvae.