Hemocyte alterations during melanotic encapsulation of Brugia malayi in the mosquito Armigeres subalbatus.

The involvement of hemocytes in melanotic encapsulation reactions against Brugia malayi was assessed in Armigeres subalbatus. Hemocyte populations, epitope changes, phenol oxidase (PO) activity, and the presence of an 84-kDa polypeptide were investigated in mosquitoes exposed to a B. malayi-infective bloodmeal (= immune-activated), in mosquitoes given a noninfective bloodmeal (= controls), in nonbloodfed mosquitoes (= naive), or in some combination of these. Total hemocyte populations in immune-activated mosquitoes significantly decreased at 24 hr postbloodmeal (PB) as compared with controls. At 48 and 72 hr PB, hemocyte population levels in immune-activated mosquitoes increased to control levels. Epitope changes, as indicated by wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) binding, also were observed. There was a significant increase in the percentage of hemocytes binding WGA in immune-activated mosquitoes at 24 hr PB as compared with controls. Furthermore, the activity of hemocyte PO, an enzyme involved in the melanotic encapsulation pathway, was significantly elevated at 12 hr PB in immune-activated mosquitoes as compared with controls. Analysis for the presence of an 84-kDa polypeptide in A. subalbatus indicates that a 2.0-kb message in total RNA hybridized to D6.12, an Aedes aegypti cDNA encoding an 84-kDa polypeptide that is associated with melanotic encapsulation responses. The hybridization of D6.12 to RNA was not greater in immune-activated as compared to control A. subalbatus, as has been observed in A. aegypti. Results indicate that these hemocyte changes correspond in time with the melanotic encapsulation reactions of A. subalbatus against filarial worms.