Mitochondria have always been called the power plant of cells due to their chemical energy generation during the oxidative phosphorylation process1,2. Beyond their main core metabolic functions, mitochondria are also implicated in many other cellular processes, ranging from intracellular Ca2+ regulation levels, inflammatory processes, and reactive oxygen species production to cell death induction processes3. Mitochondrial bioenergetics and their dysregulation have been associated with intracellular processes that affect cellular function and overall health. This has sparked a growing interest in researching the pharmaceutical potential of targeting mitochondrial function to develop innovative therapies and safe bioproducts4,5,6. Additionally, understanding the intricate interplay of mitochondrial processes and their impact on cellular function is crucial for developing targeted therapies and presenting opportunities for designing bioproducts to control vector-borne diseases and pest infestations7,8.
Targeting specific components of the electron transport chain with xenobiotics has emerged as a strategy to modulate mitochondrial function for biopesticide generation. Natural and synthetic compounds included within pesticide formulations, such as nanoparticle-based mitochondria-targeted pesticides, have been shown to affect mitochondrial function by decreasing mitochondrial potential and ATP synthesis in S. frugiperda9.
Additionally, most of the carbamates and pyrethroid-based products have been reported as complex I inhibitors in mosquitoes; however, their extended exposure has created some pyrethroid-resistant populations in Anopheles gambiae, often related to elevated levels of P450s that can metabolize these substrates10,11. Similarly, plants and their essential oils, extracts, and secondary metabolites have been documented as potential insecticides having a wide range of mortality in different insect stages12,13. The insecticide activity of these natural compounds may be related to the electron transport inhibition in a specific point in the mitochondrial respiratory chain by modulating the reactive oxygen species production, mitochondrial potential ΔΨm, and ATP synthesis that can trigger cell death processes6,8.
Natural compounds, as sources for pesticide formulation, and their effects on mitochondria play a crucial role in the design of new and safe biopesticides. In this context, this manuscript describes a methodology to identify the capacity of xenobiotics to activate or inhibit electron transport through mitochondrial complexes. This comprehensive approach allows precise measurement of xenobiotics' effects on mitochondrial function using a variety of substrates, employing both respirometry and spectrophotometry methods. This methodology has been applied to analyze the mitochondrial function of key vector species, including Aedes aegypti, leading to theorizing the presence of uncoupler proteins and distinct oxidizable substrate preferences specific to each species.