Grapefruit-derived nootkatone potentiates GABAergic signaling and acts as a dual-action mosquito repellent and insecticide
Fernandez Triana, Merybeth LU
; Andreazza, Felipe
; Melo, Nadia
LU
; Ignell, Rickard
LU
; Afify, Ali
; Li, Yuan
; Zhang, Dan Dan
LU
; Potter, Christopher J.
; Dong, Ke
and Stensmyr, Marcus C.
LU
(2025)
In Current Biology
35(1).
p.6-186
- Abstract
Humanity has long battled mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit—a struggle intensified by climate change and globalization, which have expanded mosquito ranges and the spread of associated diseases.1 Additionally, widespread insecticide resistance has reduced the efficacy of current control methods, necessitating new solutions.2,3 Nootkatone, a natural compound found in grapefruit, shows promise as both a mosquito repellent and an insecticide.4,5 However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Our study demonstrates that nootkatone acts as a potent spatial and contact repellent against multiple mosquito species. Nootkatone-induced spatial aversion, which... (More)
Humanity has long battled mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit—a struggle intensified by climate change and globalization, which have expanded mosquito ranges and the spread of associated diseases.1 Additionally, widespread insecticide resistance has reduced the efficacy of current control methods, necessitating new solutions.2,3 Nootkatone, a natural compound found in grapefruit, shows promise as both a mosquito repellent and an insecticide.4,5 However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Our study demonstrates that nootkatone acts as a potent spatial and contact repellent against multiple mosquito species. Nootkatone-induced spatial aversion, which is influenced by human odor, is in Aedes aegypti partially mediated by Orco- and ionotropic receptor (IR)-positive neurons, while contact aversion is robust and likely mediated via the proboscis and independent of TRPA1 and IRs. We further find that nootkatone potentiates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated signaling by modulating the broadly expressed major insect GABA-gated chloride channel resistant to dieldrin (Rdl). At low doses, the chemosensory-mediated spatial and contact repellency is likely strengthened by nootkatone's disruption of synaptic transmission in select mosquito sensory neurons. At higher doses, nootkatone induces paralysis and death, presumably through broad-range synaptic transmission disruption. These findings reveal nootkatone's unique mode of action and highlight its potential as an effective mosquito control agent. Its dual role as a repellent and an insecticide, combined with low-to-no toxicity to humans and a pleasant smell, underscores nootkatone's promise as a future tool in mosquito control efforts.
(Less)
- author
- Fernandez Triana, Merybeth
LU
; Andreazza, Felipe
; Melo, Nadia
LU
; Ignell, Rickard
LU
; Afify, Ali
; Li, Yuan
; Zhang, Dan Dan
LU
; Potter, Christopher J.
; Dong, Ke
and Stensmyr, Marcus C.
LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-01-06
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Aedes aegypti, GABAergic signaling, insecticide, mosquito, nootkatone, Rdl chloride channel, repellency
- in
- Current Biology
- volume
- 35
- issue
- 1
- pages
- 6 - 186
- publisher
- Elsevier
- external identifiers
-
- pmid:39631399
- scopus:85213545448
- ISSN
- 0960-9822
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.067
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- additional info
- Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
- id
- 06d231b5-2df6-4faa-81f1-8492af0d6bf2
- date added to LUP
- 2025-03-14 14:45:19
- date last changed
- 2025-05-09 19:12:54
@article{06d231b5-2df6-4faa-81f1-8492af0d6bf2,
abstract = {{<p>Humanity has long battled mosquitoes and the diseases they transmit—a struggle intensified by climate change and globalization, which have expanded mosquito ranges and the spread of associated diseases.<sup>1</sup> Additionally, widespread insecticide resistance has reduced the efficacy of current control methods, necessitating new solutions.<sup>2</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>3</sup> Nootkatone, a natural compound found in grapefruit, shows promise as both a mosquito repellent and an insecticide.<sup>4</sup><sup>,</sup><sup>5</sup> However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Our study demonstrates that nootkatone acts as a potent spatial and contact repellent against multiple mosquito species. Nootkatone-induced spatial aversion, which is influenced by human odor, is in Aedes aegypti partially mediated by Orco- and ionotropic receptor (IR)-positive neurons, while contact aversion is robust and likely mediated via the proboscis and independent of TRPA1 and IRs. We further find that nootkatone potentiates γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated signaling by modulating the broadly expressed major insect GABA-gated chloride channel resistant to dieldrin (Rdl). At low doses, the chemosensory-mediated spatial and contact repellency is likely strengthened by nootkatone's disruption of synaptic transmission in select mosquito sensory neurons. At higher doses, nootkatone induces paralysis and death, presumably through broad-range synaptic transmission disruption. These findings reveal nootkatone's unique mode of action and highlight its potential as an effective mosquito control agent. Its dual role as a repellent and an insecticide, combined with low-to-no toxicity to humans and a pleasant smell, underscores nootkatone's promise as a future tool in mosquito control efforts.</p>}},
author = {{Fernandez Triana, Merybeth and Andreazza, Felipe and Melo, Nadia and Ignell, Rickard and Afify, Ali and Li, Yuan and Zhang, Dan Dan and Potter, Christopher J. and Dong, Ke and Stensmyr, Marcus C.}},
issn = {{0960-9822}},
keywords = {{Aedes aegypti; GABAergic signaling; insecticide; mosquito; nootkatone; Rdl chloride channel; repellency}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{01}},
number = {{1}},
pages = {{6--186}},
publisher = {{Elsevier}},
series = {{Current Biology}},
title = {{Grapefruit-derived nootkatone potentiates GABAergic signaling and acts as a dual-action mosquito repellent and insecticide}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.067}},
doi = {{10.1016/j.cub.2024.10.067}},
volume = {{35}},
year = {{2025}},
}