Amino acid and acylcarnitine profile of Aedes aegypti (L) post-blood feeding, after permethrin exposure, and during the life cycle

Aedes aegypti, a major vector for arboviruses, requires effective control strategies due to rising insecticide resistance. This study quantified 12 amino acids and 24 acylcarnitines in two strains of Ae. aegypti (New Orleans, susceptible; Apodaca, resistant) using tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) across three approaches: 1) life cycle stages, 2) fasting and post-blood feeding (24, 48, 72 h), and 3) before and after permethrin exposure. In the life cycle, alanine (Ala) was highest in adult males (40.3 %), arginine (Arg) peaked in adult females (18.35 %), and tyrosine (Tyr) reached 14.74 % in larvae. The acylcarnitine C0 (free carnitine) peaked in larvae stage 4 (94.21 %), while C2 (acetyl carnitine) was highest in adult females (47.68 %). Post-blood feeding, Ala peaked at 72 h (43.34 %), proline (Pro) at 48 h (20.63 %), and Arg decreased from 0 h (18.35 %) to 72 h (11.15 %). Acylcarnitines C0 and C2 showed a decline post-feeding, indicating fatty acid mobilization. After permethrin exposure, resistant mosquitoes exhibited higher Ala (51.7 %) and C2 (57.9 %) levels, suggesting increased metabolic activity for detoxification. In contrast, susceptible mosquitoes displayed less variability in amino acid and acylcarnitine levels. These results provide valuable insights into the metabolic adaptations of Ae. aegypti, indicating the potential for targeting amino acid and acylcarnitine pathways to improve vector control strategies, particularly in the context of rising insecticide resistance.