The soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) plays a crucial role in insect immunity and development by metabolizing oxylipins such as EpOMEs and EETs. This study investigates sEH's involvement in insect antiviral response against Autographacalifornicanuclear polyhedrosis virus (AcNPV) infection. Viral infection assays were performed on Plutellaxylostellaand Marucavitrata, utilizing occlusion bodies (OB, via feeding) and budded virus (BV, through injection). Insect mortality was monitored every 12 h for up to 7 days. Our findings demonstrated a dose-dependent impact of both virus forms (OB and BV) on insects. Additionally, the sEH inhibitor, AUDA (12-(3-adamantan-1-yl-ureido) dodecanoic acid), was employed alongside the virus. The results indicated that combining AUDA with the virus increased insect mortality. Furthermore, fluorescence assays revealed the gradual movement of the virus from the gut to hemolymph and fat body. AUDA was observed to expedite virus infection. Moreover, sEH expression rapidly increased along with the viral infection in Spodoptera exigua. RNA interference of sEH expression enhanced the viral virulence against S.exigua. These suggest that EpOMEs play crucial roles in immune resolution against viral infection in insects.

• Eticha Abdisa(Department of Plant Medicals, College of Life Sciences, Andong National University) Corresponding author
• Niayesh Shahmohammadi(Department of Plant Medicals, College of Life Sciences, Andong National University)
• MojtabaEsmaeily(Department of Plant Medicals, College of Life Sciences, Andong National University)
• Yonggyun Kim(Department of Plant Medicals, College of Life Sciences, Andong National University)