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Dexketoprofen trometamol (DT), a selective cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) inhibitor, has been investigated for its effects on immune modulation in insects, specifically in the endoparasitoid Pimpla turionellae. This study explores DT's role in modulating eicosanoid biosynthesis, particularly prostaglandins (PGs), which influence the immune response to viral infections.
In this experiment, P. turionellae adults were exposed to bovine herpes simplex virus-1 (BHSV-1) after treatment with DT via intrahaemocoelic injection and dietary administration. Results demonstrated a significant reduction in nodulation, the first immune defense mechanism involving melanization in response to microbial threats, when insects were co-injected with DT and BHSV-1. At higher dietary concentrations of DT (0.1 g/100 ml diet), the number of nodules formed was reduced by approximately 12-fold, while phenoloxidase (PO) activity, a marker for immune activation, increased nearly threefold.
Specifically, low concentrations of DT (0.001%) enhanced PO enzyme activity, while reducing nodules in virus-infected P. turionellae adults. This indicates that DT can modulate the immune response, skewing it towards heightened enzyme activity while suppressing nodulation. These findings suggest that COX-1 derived PGs play a pivotal role in the regulation of immune responses to viral pathogens in parasitic insects.