Effect of Myracrodruon urundeuva leaf lectin on survival and digestive enzymes of Aedes aegypti larvae

Aedes aegypti transmits the viruses that cause yellow and dengue fevers. Vector control is essential, since a vaccine for dengue has not as yet been made available. This work reports on the larvicidal activity of Myracrodruon urundeuva leaf lectin (MuLL) against A. aegypti fourth-stage larvae (L-4). Also, the resistance of MuLL to digestion by L-4 gut proteases and the effects of MuLL on protease, trypsin-like and alpha-amylase activities from L-4 gut were evaluated to determine if lectin remains active in A. aegypti gut and if insect enzyme activities can be modulated by MuLL. MuLL promoted mortality of L-4 with LC50 of 0.202 mg/ml. Haemagglutinating activity of MuLL was detected even after incubation for 96 h with L-4 gut preparation containing protease activity. MuLL affected the activity of gut enzymes, inhibiting protease and trypsin activities and stimulating alpha-amylase activity. The results suggest that MuLL may become a new biodegradable larvicidal agent for dengue control. Larvicidal activity of MuLL may be linked to its resistance to proteolysis by larval enzymes and interference in the activity of digestive larval enzymes.