Figure 10

Long-term experiment showing relative transcript abundance of antimicrobial peptides and lysozymes in Rhodnius prolixus midgut . Relative AMP mRNA levels from R. prolixus 5^th instar nymphs were analysed 1 and 7 days after feeding (DAF) on blood without parasites. A – anterior midgut 1 DAF; B – posterior midgut 1 DAF; C – anterior midgut 7 DAF; D – posterior midgut 7 DAF. Previously, 4^th instar nymphs were fed on inactivated blood with or without 1 × 10⁶ epimastigotes/mL. Treatments: white columns – control, uninfected group; black columns – infected group. Bars represent mean ± SEM of three independent experiments with a pool of 10 insects (n  = 3). Means were compared using one-way ANOVA and Student T-test; ***p < 0.001, **p < 0.01 and *p < 0.05.