Chapter 14 - Insulin-Like Peptides Regulate Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles stephensi

Abstract

The insulin-like peptide (ILP) family is comprised of some of the most widely studied and highly conserved proteins in the biological world. From nematodes to humans, ILPs and their respective signaling pathways mediate a diverse array of physiological processes, including but not limited to: behavior, metabolism, reproduction, and immunity. In the mosquito Anopheles stephensi, ILP synthesis is dynamic and tightly controlled. During infection with the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, the upregulation of two ILPs, ILP3 and ILP4, affects parasite development and transmission potential through distinct effects on host physiology. This chapter highlights current understanding of the interplay between ILP synthesis and signaling, host physiology, and P. falciparum infection in A. stephensi, with a focus on the mechanisms that drive ILP-dependent effects on infection.