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Bourgeois JS, McCarthy JE, Turk SP, Bernard Q, Clendenen LH, Wormser GP, Marcos LA, Dardick K, Telford SR, Marques AR, Hu LT. Peromyscus leucopus , Mus musculus , and humans have distinct transcriptomic responses to larval Ixodes scapularis bites. bioRxiv 2024:2024.05.02.592193. [PMID: 38746284 PMCID: PMC11092580 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.02.592193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis ticks are an important vector for at least six tick-borne human pathogens, including the predominant North American Lyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi . The ability for these ticks to survive in nature is credited, in part, to their ability to feed on a variety of hosts without excessive activation of the proinflammatory branch of the vertebrate immune system. While the ability for nymphal ticks to feed on a variety of hosts has been well-documented, the host-parasite interactions between larval I. scapularis and different vertebrate hosts is relatively unexplored. Here we report on the changes in the vertebrate transcriptome present at the larval tick bite site using the natural I. scapularis host Peromyscus leucopus deermouse, a non-natural rodent host Mus musculus (BALB/c), and humans. We note substantially less evidence of activation of canonical proinflammatory pathways in P. leucopus compared to BALB/c mice and pronounced evidence of inflammation in humans. Pathway enrichment analyses revealed a particularly strong signature of interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor, and interleukin 1 signaling at the BALB/c and human tick bite site. We also note that bite sites on BALB/c mice and humans, but not deermice, show activation of wound-healing pathways. These data provide molecular evidence of the coevolution between larval I. scapularis and P. leucopus as well as expand our overall understanding of I. scapularis feeding. Significance Ixodes scapularis tick bites expose humans to numerous diseases in North America. While larval tick feeding enables pathogens to enter the tick population and eventually spread to humans, how larval ticks interact with mammals has been understudied compared to other tick stages. Here we examined the transcriptomic response of a natural I. scapularis rodent host ( Peromyscus leucopus ), a non-native I. scapularis rodent host ( Mus musculus ), and an incidental host (humans). We find that there are differences in how all three species respond to larval I. scapularis , with the natural host producing the smallest transcriptomic signature of a canonical proinflammatory immune response and the incidental human host producing the most robust signature of inflammation in response to the larval tick. These data expand our understanding of the pressures on ticks in the wild and inform our ability to model these interactions in laboratory settings.
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Frank MG, Weaver G, Raabe V. Crimean Congo Hemorrhagic Fever Virus for Clinicians-Virology, Pathogenesis, and Pathology. Emerg Infect Dis 2024; 30:847-853. [PMID: 38666566 PMCID: PMC11060449 DOI: 10.3201/eid3005.231646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF), caused by CCHF virus, is a tickborne disease that can cause a range of illness outcomes, from asymptomatic infection to fatal viral hemorrhagic fever; the disease has been described in >30 countries. We conducted a literature review to provide an overview of the virology, pathogenesis, and pathology of CCHF for clinicians. The virus life cycle and molecular interactions are complex and not fully described. Although pathogenesis and immunobiology are not yet fully understood, it is clear that multiple processes contribute to viral entry, replication, and pathological damage. Limited autopsy reports describe multiorgan involvement with extravasation and hemorrhages. Advanced understanding of CCHF virus pathogenesis and immunology will improve patient care and accelerate the development of medical countermeasures for CCHF.
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Khogali R, Bastos A, Bargul JL, Getange D, Kabii J, Masiga D, Villinger J. Tissue-specific localization of tick-borne pathogens in ticks collected from camels in Kenya: insights into vector competence. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1382228. [PMID: 38698904 PMCID: PMC11063324 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1382228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Tick-borne pathogen (TBP) surveillance studies often use whole-tick homogenates when inferring tick-pathogen associations. However, localized TBP infections within tick tissues (saliva, hemolymph, salivary glands, and midgut) can inform pathogen transmission mechanisms and are key to disentangling pathogen detection from vector competence. Methods We screened 278 camel blood samples and 504 tick tissue samples derived from 126 camel ticks sampled in two Kenyan counties (Laikipia and Marsabit) for Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Coxiella, Rickettsia, Theileria, and Babesia by PCR-HRM analysis. Results Candidatus Anaplasma camelii infections were common in camels (91%), but absent in all samples from Rhipicephalus pulchellus, Amblyomma gemma, Hyalomma dromedarii, and Hyalomma rufipes ticks. We detected Ehrlichia ruminantium in all tissues of the four tick species, but Rickettsia aeschlimannii was only found in Hy. rufipes (all tissues). Rickettsia africae was highest in Am. gemma (62.5%), mainly in the hemolymph (45%) and less frequently in the midgut (27.5%) and lowest in Rh. pulchellus (29.4%), where midgut and hemolymph detection rates were 17.6% and 11.8%, respectively. Similarly, in Hy. dromedarii, R. africae was mainly detected in the midgut (41.7%) but was absent in the hemolymph. Rickettsia africae was not detected in Hy. rufipes. No Coxiella, Theileria, or Babesia spp. were detected in this study. Conclusions The tissue-specific localization of R. africae, found mainly in the hemolymph of Am. gemma, is congruent with the role of this tick species as its transmission vector. Thus, occurrence of TBPs in the hemolymph could serve as a predictor of vector competence of TBP transmission, especially in comparison to detection rates in the midgut, from which they must cross tissue barriers to effectively replicate and disseminate across tick tissues. Further studies should focus on exploring the distribution of TBPs within tick tissues to enhance knowledge of TBP epidemiology and to distinguish competent vectors from dead-end hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rua Khogali
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North, Sudan
| | - Armanda Bastos
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Joel L. Bargul
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dennis Getange
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
- School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa
| | - James Kabii
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Daniel Masiga
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Jandouwe Villinger
- International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (icipe), Nairobi, Kenya
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Hendawy SHM, Alzan HF, Abdel-Ghany HSM, Suarez CE, Kamel G. Biochemical analysis of Hyalomma dromedarii salivary glands and gut tissues using SR-FTIR micro-spectroscopy. Sci Rep 2024; 14:8515. [PMID: 38609442 PMCID: PMC11014997 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59165-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are obligatory voracious blood feeders infesting diverse vertebrate hosts, that have a crucial role in the transmission of diverse pathogens that threaten human and animal health. The continuous emergence of tick-borne diseases due to combined worldwide climatic changes, human activities, and acaricide-resistant tick strains, necessitates the development of novel ameliorative tick control strategies such as vaccines. The synchrotron-based Fourier transform infrared micro-spectroscopy (SR-FTIR) is a bioanalytical microprobe capable of exploring the molecular chemistry within microstructures at a cellular or subcellular level and is considered as a nondestructive analytical approach for biological specimens. In this study, SR-FTIR analysis was able to explore a qualitative and semi-quantitative biochemical composition of gut and salivary glands of Hyalomma dromedarii (H. dromedarii) tick detecting differences in the biochemical composition of both tissues. A notable observation regarding Amide I secondary structure protein profile was the higher ratio of aggregated strands in salivary gland and beta turns in gut tissues. Regarding the lipid profile, there was a higher intensity of lipid regions in gut tissue when compared to salivary glands. This detailed information on the biochemical compositions of tick tissues could assist in selecting vaccine and/or control candidates. Altogether, these findings confirmed SR-FTIR spectroscopy as a tool for detecting differences in the biochemical composition of H. dromedarii salivary glands and gut tissues. This approach could potentially be extended to the analysis of other ticks that are vectors of important diseases such as babesiosis and theileriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seham H M Hendawy
- Parasitology and Animal Diseases Department, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt.
- Tick and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Unit, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt.
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7040, USA.
| | - Heba F Alzan
- Parasitology and Animal Diseases Department, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
- Tick and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Unit, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7040, USA
| | - Hoda S M Abdel-Ghany
- Parasitology and Animal Diseases Department, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
- Tick and Tick-Borne Diseases Research Unit, Veterinary Research Institute, National Research Centre, 33 El Buhouth St., Dokki, Giza, 12622, Egypt
| | - Carlos E Suarez
- Department of Veterinary Microbiology and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, 99164-7040, USA
- Animal Disease Research Unit, United States Department of Agricultural-Agricultural Research Service, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - Gihan Kamel
- SESAME Synchrotron (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East), Allan, 19252, Jordan.
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Helwan University, Cairo, Egypt.
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Zhang T, Chien RC, Budachetri K, Lin M, Boyaka P, Huang W, Rikihisa Y. Ehrlichia effector TRP120 manipulates bacteremia to facilitate tick acquisition. mBio 2024; 15:e0047624. [PMID: 38501870 PMCID: PMC11005420 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00476-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Ehrlichia species are obligatory intracellular bacteria that cause a potentially fatal disease, human ehrlichiosis. The biomolecular mechanisms of tick acquisition of Ehrlichia and transmission between ticks and mammals are poorly understood. Ehrlichia japonica infection of mice recapitulates the full spectrum of human ehrlichiosis. We compared the pathogenicity and host acquisition of wild-type E. japonica with an isogenic transposon mutant of E. japonica that lacks tandem repeat protein 120 (TRP120) (ΔTRP120). Both wild-type and ΔTRP120 E. japonica proliferated similarly in cultures of mammalian and tick cells. Upon inoculation into mice, both wild-type and ΔTRP120 E. japonica multiplied to high levels in various tissues, with similar clinical chemistry and hematologic changes, proinflammatory cytokine induction, and fatal disease. However, the blood levels of ΔTRP120 E. japonica were almost undetectable within 24 h, whereas the levels of the wild type increased exponentially. Greater than 90% of TRP120 was released from infected cells into the culture medium. Mouse blood monocytes exposed to native TRP120 from culture supernatants showed significantly reduced cell surface expression of the transmigration-related markers Ly6C and CD11b. Larval ticks attached to mice infected with either wild-type or ΔTRP120 E. japonica imbibed similar amounts of blood and subsequently molted to nymphs at similar rates. However, unlike wild-type E. japonica, the ΔTRP120 mutant was minimally acquired by larval ticks and subsequent molted nymphs and, thus, failed to transmit to naïve mice. Thus, TRP120 is required for bacteremia but not disease. These findings suggest a novel mechanism whereby an obligatory intracellular bacterium manipulates infected blood monocytes to sustain the tick-mammal transmission cycle. IMPORTANCE Effective prevention of tick-borne diseases such as human ehrlichiosis requires an understanding of how disease-causing organisms are acquired. Ehrlichia species are intracellular bacteria that require infection of both mammals and ticks, involving cycles of transmission between them. Mouse models of ehrlichiosis and tick-mouse transmission can advance our fundamental understanding of the pathogenesis and prevention of ehrlichiosis. Herein, a mutant of Ehrlichia japonica was used to investigate the role of a single Ehrlichia factor, named tandem repeat protein 120 (TRP120), in infection of mammalian and tick cells in culture, infection and disease progression in mice, and tick acquisition of E. japonica from infected mice. Our results suggest that TRP120 is necessary only for Ehrlichia proliferation in circulating mouse blood and ongoing bacteremia to permit Ehrlichia acquisition by ticks. This study provides new insights into the importance of bacterial factors in regulating bacteremia, which may facilitate tick acquisition of pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsian Zhang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Rory C. Chien
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Khemraj Budachetri
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Mingqun Lin
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Prosper Boyaka
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Weiyan Huang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
| | - Yasuko Rikihisa
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA
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Dedavid E Silva LA, Parizi LF, Molossi FA, Driemeier D, da Silva Vaz Junior I. Rhipicephalus microplus thyropin-like protein: Structural and immunologic analyzes. Vet Parasitol 2024; 327:110136. [PMID: 38290194 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2024.110136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Tick saliva has a pivotal function in parasitism. It has pharmacological and immunomodulatory properties, with several proteins reported in its composition. Thyroglobulin type-1 domain protease inhibitor (thyropin)-like proteins are found in tick saliva, but their function, properties and structures are poorly characterized. It has been reported that thyropins are capable of inhibiting cysteine peptidases present in antigen-presenting cells. To elucidate the role of thyropin-like proteins in ticks, we conducted in silico analysis and cloned an open reading frame from a thyropin-like protein found in Rhipicephalus microplus. The recombinant protein was successfully expressed, followed by immunological characterization and a vaccine trial against Rhipicephalus sanguineus in rabbits. Several differences are observed between thyropin-like proteins from hard and soft ticks, especially the number of thyroglobulin domains and predicted glycosylation pattern. Thyropin-like proteins also differ between postriata and metastriata ticks, the latter having a coil-domain at the C-terminal region and high number of predicted glycosylation sites. Overall, the data suggested divergence in thyropin-like proteins functions among ticks. The recombinant thyropin-like protein is immunogenic and the antibodies against it are able to recognize the native protein in tick saliva and tissues. While the recombinant protein does not elicit a protective response against R. sanguineus infestation, its characterization paves the way for further investigations aimed at determining the precise function of this protein in tick physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Andre Dedavid E Silva
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil
| | - Luís Fernando Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil
| | - Franciéli Adriane Molossi
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
| | - David Driemeier
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia - Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil.
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Wang Y, Xu Z, Zhang H, Zhou Y, Cao J, Zhang Y, Wang Z, Zhou J. Towards modelling tick-virus interactions using the weakly pathogenic Sindbis virus: Evidence that ticks are competent vectors. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1334351. [PMID: 38567020 PMCID: PMC10985168 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1334351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Most tick-borne viruses (TBVs) are highly pathogenic and require high biosecurity, which severely limits their study. We found that Sindbis virus (SINV), predominantly transmitted by mosquitoes, can replicate in ticks and be subsequently transmitted, with the potential to serve as a model for studying tick-virus interactions. We found that both larval and nymphal stages of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides can be infected with SINV-wild-type (WT) when feeding on infected mice. SINV replicated in two species of ticks (R. haemaphysaloides and Hyalomma asiaticum) after infecting them by microinjection. Injection of ticks with SINV expressing enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein (eGFP) revealed that SINV-eGFP specifically aggregated in the tick midguts for replication. During blood-feeding, SINV-eGFP migrated from the midguts to the salivary glands and was transmitted to a new host. SINV infection caused changes in expression levels of tick genes related to immune responses, substance transport and metabolism, cell growth and death. SINV mainly induced autophagy during the early stage of infection; with increasing time of infection, the level of autophagy decreased, while the level of apoptosis increased. During the early stages of infection, the transcript levels of immune-related genes were significantly upregulated, and then decreased. In addition, SINV induced changes in the transcription levels of some functional genes that play important roles in the interactions between ticks and tick-borne pathogens. These results confirm that the SINV-based transmission model between ticks, viruses, and mammals can be widely used to unravel the interactions between ticks and viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhengmao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yongzhi Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Cao
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yuqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zedong Wang
- Center of Infectious Diseases and Pathogen Biology, Key Laboratory of Organ Regeneration and Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Jilin, China
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Wu Y, Zhou Q, Mao M, Chen H, Qi R. Diversity of species and geographic distribution of tick-borne viruses in China. Front Microbiol 2024; 15:1309698. [PMID: 38476950 PMCID: PMC10929907 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1309698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Tick-borne pathogens especially viruses are continuously appearing worldwide, which have caused severe public health threats. Understanding the species, distribution and epidemiological trends of tick-borne viruses (TBVs) is essential for disease surveillance and control. Methods In this study, the data on TBVs and the distribution of ticks in China were collected from databases and literature. The geographic distribution of TBVs in China was mapped based on geographic locations of viruses where they were prevalent or they were detected in vector ticks. TBVs sequences were collected from The National Center for Biotechnology Information and used to structure the phylogenetic tree. Results Eighteen TBVs from eight genera of five families were prevalent in China. Five genera of ticks played an important role in the transmission of TBVs in China. According to phylogenetic analysis, some new viral genotypes, such as the Dabieshan tick virus (DTV) strain detected in Liaoning Province and the JMTV strain detected in Heilongjiang Province existed in China. Discussion TBVs were widely distributed but the specific ranges of viruses from different families still varied in China. Seven TBVs belonging to the genus Orthonairovirus of the family Nairoviridae such as Nairobi sheep disease virus (NSDV) clustered in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (XUAR) and northeastern areas of China. All viruses of the family Phenuiviridae except Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) were novel viruses that appeared in the last few years, such as Guertu virus (GTV) and Tacheng tick virus 2 (TcTV-2). They were mainly distributed in the central plains of China. Jingmen tick virus (JMTV) was distributed in at least fourteen provinces and had been detected in more than ten species of tick such as Rhipicephalus microplus and Haemaphysalis longicornis, which had the widest distribution and the largest number of vector ticks among all TBVs. Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) and Lymphatic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) were two potential TBVs in Northeast China that could cause serious diseases in humans or animals. Ixodes persulcatus carried the highest number of TBVs, followed by Dermacentor nuttalli and H. longicornis. They could carry as many as ten TBVs. Three strains of Tick-borne encephalitis (TBEV) from Inner Mongolia Province clustered with ones from Russia, Japan and Heilongjiang Province, respectively. Several SFTSV strains from Zhejiang Province clustered with strains from Korea and Japan. Specific surveillance of dominant TBVs should be established in different areas in China.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Rui Qi
- Institute of Microbiome Frontiers and One Health, School of Public Health, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China
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Tongluan N, Engström P, Jirakanwisal K, Langohr IM, Welch MD, Macaluso KR. Critical roles of Rickettsia parkeri outer membrane protein B (OmpB) in the tick host. Infect Immun 2024; 92:e0051523. [PMID: 38206007 PMCID: PMC10863407 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00515-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia parkeri is a pathogen of public health concern and transmitted by the Gulf Coast tick, Amblyomma maculatum. Rickettsiae are obligate intracellular bacteria that enter and replicate in diverse host cells. Rickettsial outer membrane protein B (OmpB) functions in bacterial adhesion, invasion, and avoidance of cell-autonomous immunity in mammalian cell infection, but the function of OmpB in arthropod infection is unknown. In this study, the function of R. parkeri OmpB was evaluated in the tick host. R. parkeri wild-type and R. parkeri ompBSTOP::tn (non-functional OmpB) were capillary fed to naïve A. maculatum ticks to investigate dissemination in the tick and transmission to vertebrates. Ticks exposed to R. parkeri wild-type had greater rickettsial loads in all organs than ticks exposed to R. parkeri ompBSTOP::tn at 12 h post-capillary feeding and after 1 day of feeding on host. In rats that were exposed to R. parkeri ompBSTOP::tn-infected ticks, dermal inflammation at the bite site was less compared to R. parkeri wild-type-infected ticks. In vitro, R. parkeri ompBSTOP::tn cell attachment to tick cells was reduced, and host cell invasion of the mutant was initially reduced but eventually returned to the level of R. parkeri wild-type by 90 min post-infection. R. parkeri ompBSTOP::tn and R. parkeri wild-type had similar growth kinetics in the tick cells, suggesting that OmpB is not essential for R. parkeri replication in tick cells. These results indicate that R. parkeri OmpB functions in rickettsial attachment and internalization to tick cells and pathogenicity during tick infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natthida Tongluan
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama, Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Patrik Engström
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Krit Jirakanwisal
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama, Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, USA
| | - Ingeborg M. Langohr
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, Louisiana State University, School of Veterinary Medicine, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA
| | - Matthew D. Welch
- Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, California, USA
| | - Kevin R. Macaluso
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama, Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine, Mobile, Alabama, USA
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Bullard RL, Cheslock M, Goud Gadila SK, Maggi RG, Breitschwerdt EB, Saied AA, Embers ME. A comparison of Bartonella henselae infection in immunocompetent and immunocompromised mice. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0297280. [PMID: 38346057 PMCID: PMC10861063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0297280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Bartonellosis refers to disease caused by the Bartonella genus of bacteria. The breadth of disease manifestations associated with Bartonella is currently expanding and includes regional lymphadenopathy, rheumatic, ocular, and neurological disorders. The dearth of knowledge regarding diagnosis, treatment and pathogenesis of this disease can be partially attributed to the lack of a reliable small animal model for the disease. For this study, Bartonella henselae, the most common species associated with human disease, was injected into Swiss Webster (SW) mice. When the outcome indicated that productive infection did not occur, SCID/Beige (immune compromised) mice were inoculated. While SW mice may potentially harbor an acute infection, less than 10 days in length, the SCID/Beige model provided a sustained infection lasting up to 30-days. These data indicate that SCID/Beige mice can provide a model to study Bartonella infection, therapeutics, and vector dynamics in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah L. Bullard
- Division of Immunology, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Mercedes Cheslock
- Division of Immunology, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
| | | | - Ricardo G. Maggi
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Edward B. Breitschwerdt
- Intracellular Pathogens Research Laboratory, Department of Clinical Sciences, Comparative Medicine Institute, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Ahmad A. Saied
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Monica E. Embers
- Division of Immunology, Tulane University, Covington, Louisiana, United States of America
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11
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Butler LR, Singh N, Marnin L, Valencia LM, O'Neal AJ, Paz FEC, Shaw DK, Chavez ASO, Pedra JHF. The role of Rab27 in tick extracellular vesicle biogenesis and pathogen infection. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:57. [PMID: 38336752 PMCID: PMC10854084 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06150-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, transmits most vector-borne diseases in the US. It vectors seven pathogens of public health relevance, including the emerging human pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Nevertheless, it remains critically understudied compared to other arthropod vectors. Ixodes scapularis releases a variety of molecules that assist in the modulation of host responses. Recently, it was found that extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry several of these molecules and may impact microbial transmission to the mammalian host. EV biogenesis has been studied in mammalian systems and is relatively well understood, but the molecular players important for the formation and secretion of EVs in arthropods of public health relevance remain elusive. RabGTPases are among the major molecular players in mammalian EV biogenesis. They influence membrane identity and vesicle budding, uncoating, and motility. METHODS Using BLAST, an in silico pathway for EV biogenesis in ticks was re-constructed. We identified Rab27 for further study. EVs were collected from ISE6 tick cells after knocking down rab27 to examine its role in tick EV biogenesis. Ixodes scapularis nymphs were injected with small interfering RNAs to knock down rab27 and then fed on naïve and A. phagocytophilum-infected mice to explore the importance of rab27 in tick feeding and bacterial acquisition. RESULTS Our BLAST analysis identified several of the proteins involved in EV biogenesis in ticks, including Rab27. We show that silencing rab27 in I. scapularis impacts tick fitness. Additionally, ticks acquire less A. phagocytophilum after rab27 silencing. Experiments in the tick ISE6 cell line show that silencing of rab27 causes a distinct range profile of tick EVs, indicating that Rab27 is needed to regulate EV biogenesis. CONCLUSIONS Rab27 is needed for successful tick feeding and may be important for acquiring A. phagocytophilum during a blood meal. Additionally, silencing rab27 in tick cells results in a shift of extracellular vesicle size. Overall, we have observed that Rab27 plays a key role in tick EV biogenesis and the tripartite interactions among the vector, the mammalian host, and a microbe it encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Rainer Butler
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nisha Singh
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Liron Marnin
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | | | - Anya J O'Neal
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Dana K Shaw
- Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | | | - Joao H F Pedra
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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12
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Beránková Z, Khanna R, Spěváková M, Langhansová H, Kopecký J, Lieskovská J. Cellular stress is triggered by tick-borne encephalitis virus and limits the virus replication in PMJ2-R mouse macrophage cell line. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102269. [PMID: 37813002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Viral infection may represent a stress condition to the host cell. Cells react to it by triggering the defence programme to restore homeostasis and these events may in turn impact the viral replication. The knowledge about tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infection-associated stress is limited. Here we investigated the interplay between TBEV infection and stress pathways in PMJ2-R mouse macrophage cell line, as macrophages are the target cells in early phases of TBEV infection. First, to determine how stress influences TBEV replication, the effect of stress inducers H2O2 and tunicamycin (TM) was tested. Viral multiplication was decreased in the presence of both stress inducers suggesting that the stress and cellular stress responses restrict the virus replication. Second, we investigated the induction of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress upon TBEV infection. The level of oxidative stress was interrogated by measuring the reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS were intermittently increased in infected cells at 12 hpi and at 72 hpi. As mitochondrial dysfunction may result in increased ROS level, we evaluated the mitochondrial homeostasis by measuring the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and found that TBEV infection induced the hyperpolarization of MMP. Moreover, a transient increase of gene expression of stress-induced antioxidative enzymes, like p62, Gclm and Hmox1, was detected. Next, we evaluated the ER stress upon TBEV infection by analysing unfolded protein responses (UPR). We found that infection induced gene expression of two general sensors BiP and CHOP and activated the IRE1 pathway of UPR. Finally, since the natural transmission route of TBEV from its tick vector to the host is mediated via tick saliva, the impact of tick saliva from Ixodes ricinus on stress pathways in TBEV-infected cells was tested. We observed only marginal potentiation of UPR pathway. In conclusion, we found that TBEV infection of PMJ2-R cells elicits the changes in redox balance and triggers cellular stress defences, including antioxidant responses and the IRE1 pathway of UPR. Importantly, our results revealed the negative effect of stress-evoked events on TBEV replication and only marginal impact of tick saliva on stress cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Beránková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ritesh Khanna
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Spěváková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kopecký
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslava Lieskovská
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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13
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Vaz-Rodrigues R, Mazuecos L, Villar M, Contreras M, Artigas-Jerónimo S, González-García A, Gortázar C, de la Fuente J. Multi-omics analysis of zebrafish response to tick saliva reveals biological processes associated with alpha-Gal syndrome. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115829. [PMID: 37922649 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115829] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/31/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The alpha-Gal syndrome (AGS) is a tick-borne allergy. A multi-omics approach was used to determine the effect of tick saliva and mammalian meat consumption on zebrafish gut transcriptome and proteome. Bioinformatics analysis using R software was focused on significant biological and metabolic pathway changes associated with AGS. Ortholog mapping identified highly concordant human ortholog genes for the detection of disease-enriched pathways. Tick saliva treatment increased zebrafish mortality, incidence of hemorrhagic type allergic reactions and changes in behavior and feeding patterns. Transcriptomics analysis showed downregulation of biological and metabolic pathways correlated with anti-alpha-Gal IgE and allergic reactions to tick saliva affecting blood circulation, cardiac and vascular smooth muscle contraction, behavior and sensory perception. Disease enrichment analysis revealed downregulated orthologous genes associated with human disorders affecting nervous, musculoskeletal, and cardiovascular systems. Proteomics analysis revealed suppression of pathways associated with immune system production of reactive oxygen species and cardiac muscle contraction. Underrepresented proteins were mainly linked to nervous and metabolic human disorders. Multi-omics data revealed inhibition of pathways associated with adrenergic signaling in cardiomyocytes, and heart and muscle contraction. Results identify tick saliva-related biological pathways supporting multisystemic organ involvement and linking α-Gal sensitization with other illnesses for the identification of potential disease biomarkers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rita Vaz-Rodrigues
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Lorena Mazuecos
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Science and Chemical Technologies, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Marinela Contreras
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sara Artigas-Jerónimo
- Biochemistry Section, Faculty of Science and Chemical Technologies, University of Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Almudena González-García
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Christian Gortázar
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Centre for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
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14
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Karim S, Leyva-Castillo JM, Narasimhan S. Tick salivary glycans - a sugar-coated tick bite. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:1100-1113. [PMID: 37838514 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.09.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous arthropods that transmit disease-causing pathogens worldwide. Tick saliva deposited into the tick-bite site is composed of an array of immunomodulatory proteins that ensure successful feeding and pathogen transmission. These salivary proteins are often glycosylated, and glycosylation is potentially critical for the function of these proteins. Some salivary glycans are linked to the phenomenon of red meat allergy - an allergic response to red meat consumption in humans exposed to certain tick species. Tick salivary glycans are also invoked in the phenomenon of acquired tick resistance wherein non-natural host species exposed to tick bites develop an immune response that thwarts subsequent tick feeding. This review dwells on our current knowledge of these two phenomena, thematically linked by salivary glycans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shahid Karim
- University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA
| | - Juan Manuel Leyva-Castillo
- Division of Immunology, Boston Children's Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven-06520, CT, USA.
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15
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Boulanger N, Insonere JLM, Van Blerk S, Barthel C, Serres C, Rais O, Roulet A, Servant F, Duron O, Lelouvier B. Cross-alteration of murine skin and tick microbiome concomitant with pathogen transmission after Ixodes ricinus bite. Microbiome 2023; 11:250. [PMID: 37952001 PMCID: PMC10638774 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01696-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks are major vectors of diseases affecting humans such as Lyme disease or domestic animals such as anaplasmosis. Cross-alteration of the vertebrate host skin microbiome and the tick microbiome may be essential during the process of tick feeding and for the mechanism of pathogen transmission. However, it has been poorly investigated. METHODS We used mice bitten by field-collected ticks (nymphs and adult ticks) in different experimental conditions to investigate, by 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, the impact of blood feeding on both the mouse skin microbiome and the tick microbiome. We also investigated by PCR and 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding, the diversity of microorganisms transmitted to the host during the process of tick bite at the skin interface and the dissemination of the pathogen in host tissues (blood, heart, and spleen). RESULTS Most of the commensal bacteria present in the skin of control mice were replaced during the blood-feeding process by bacteria originating from the ticks. The microbiome of the ticks was also impacted by the blood feeding. Several pathogens including tick-borne pathogens (Borrelia/Borreliella, Anaplasma, Neoehrlichia, Rickettsia) and opportunistic bacteria (Williamsia) were transmitted to the skin microbiome and some of them disseminated to the blood or spleen of the mice. In the different experiments of this study, skin microbiome alteration and Borrelia/Borreliella transmission were different depending on the tick stages (nymphs or adult female ticks). CONCLUSIONS Host skin microbiome at the bite site was deeply impacted by the tick bite, to an extent which suggests a role in the tick feeding, in the pathogen transmission, and a potentially important impact on the skin physiopathology. The diversified taxonomic profiles of the tick microbiome were also modified by the blood feeding. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathalie Boulanger
- UR7290: Virulence bactérienne précoce: groupe Borrelia, FMTS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France.
| | | | | | - Cathy Barthel
- UR7290: Virulence bactérienne précoce: groupe Borrelia, FMTS, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | - Céline Serres
- Vaiomer, 516 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31670, Labège, France
| | - Olivier Rais
- Laboratoire d'écologie et d'épidémiologie parasitaires Institut de Biologie, University of Neuchatel, 2000, Neuchâtel, Switzerland
| | - Alain Roulet
- Vaiomer, 516 rue Pierre et Marie Curie, 31670, Labège, France
| | | | - Olivier Duron
- Maladies Infectieuses et Vecteurs: Ecologie, Génétique, Evolution et Contrôle (MIVEGEC), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut pour la Recherche et le Développement (IRD), Université de Montpellier (UM), 911 Avenue Agropolis, 34394, Montpellier, France
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16
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Rainer Butler L, Singh N, Marnin L, Valencia LM, O’Neal AJ, Cabrera Paz FE, Shaw DK, Oliva Chavez AS, Pedra JH. Rab27 in tick extracellular vesicle biogenesis and infection. bioRxiv 2023:2023.11.02.565357. [PMID: 37961338 PMCID: PMC10635084 DOI: 10.1101/2023.11.02.565357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Background The blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis, transmits most vector-borne diseases in the United States. It vectors seven pathogens of public health relevance, including the emerging human pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Nevertheless, it remains critically understudied when compared to other arthropod vectors. I. scapularis releases a variety of molecules that assist in the modulation of host responses. Recently, it was found that extracellular vesicles (EVs) carry several of these molecules and may impact microbial transmission to the mammalian host. EV biogenesis has been studied in mammalian systems and is relatively well understood, but the molecular players important for the formation and secretion of EVs in arthropods of public health relevance remain elusive. RabGTPases are among the major molecular players in mammalian EV biogenesis. They influence membrane identity and vesicle budding, uncoating, and motility. Methods Using BLAST, an in-silico pathway for EV biogenesis in ticks was re-constructed. We identified Rab27 for further study. EVs were collected from ISE6 tick cells after knocking down rab27 to examine its role in tick EV biogenesis. I. scapularis nymphs were injected with small interfering RNAs to knock down rab27 then fed on naïve and A. phagocytophilum infected mice to explore the importance of rab27 in tick feeding and bacterial acquisition. Results Our BLAST analysis identified several of the proteins involved in EV biogenesis in ticks, including Rab27. We show that silencing rab27 in I. scapularis impacts tick fitness. Additionally, ticks acquire less A. phagocytophilum after rab27 silencing. Experiments in the tick ISE6 cell line show that silencing of rab27 causes a distinct range profile of tick EVs, indicating that Rab27 is needed to regulate EV biogenesis. Conclusions Rab27 is needed for successful tick feeding and may be important for acquiring A. phagocytophilum during a blood meal. Additionally, silencing rab27 in tick cells results in a shift of extracellular vesicle size. Overall, we have observed that Rab27 plays a key role in tick EV biogenesis and the tripartite interactions among the vector, the mammalian host, and a microbe it encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nisha Singh
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Liron Marnin
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Anya J. O’Neal
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | | | - Dana K. Shaw
- Washington State University, Pullman, Washington, USA
| | | | - Joao H.F. Pedra
- The University of Maryland Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
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17
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Nandy K, Tamakloe C, Sonenshine DE, Sultana H, Neelakanta G. Anti-tick vaccine candidate subolesin is important for blood feeding and innate immune gene expression in soft ticks. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2023; 17:e0011719. [PMID: 37934730 PMCID: PMC10629623 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Subolesin is a conserved molecule in both hard and soft ticks and is considered as an effective candidate molecule for the development of anti-tick vaccine. Previous studies have reported the role of subolesin in blood feeding, reproduction, development, and gene expression in hard ticks. However, studies addressing the role of subolesin in soft ticks are limited. In this study, we report that subolesin is not only important in soft tick Ornithodoros turicata americanus blood feeding but also in the regulation of innate immune gene expression in these ticks. We identified and characterized several putative innate immune genes including Toll, Lysozyme precursor (Lp), fibrinogen-domain containing protein (FDP), cystatin and ML-domain containing protein (MLD) in O. turicata americanus ticks. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed the expression of these genes in both O. turicata americanus salivary glands and midgut and in all developmental stages of these soft ticks. Significantly increased expression of fdp was noted in salivary glands and midgut upon O. turicata americanus blood feeding. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated knockdown of O. turicata americanus subolesin expression affected blood feeding and innate immune gene expression in these ticks. Significant downregulation of toll, lp, fdp, cystatin, and mld transcripts was evident in sub-dsRNA-treated ticks when compared to the levels noted in mock-dsRNA-treated control. Collectively, our study not only reports identification and characterization of various innate immune genes in O. turicata americanus ticks but also provides evidence on the role of subolesin in blood feeding and innate immune gene expression in these medically important ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krittika Nandy
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Comfort Tamakloe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
- The University of Queensland- Ochsner Clinical School, Jefferson, Loiusiana, United States of America
| | - Daniel E. Sonenshine
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia, United States of America
- Vector Molecular Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Hameeda Sultana
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
| | - Girish Neelakanta
- Department of Biomedical and Diagnostic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee, United States of America
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18
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Carnero-Morán Á, Oleaga A, Cano-Argüelles AL, Pérez-Sánchez R. Function-guided selection of salivary antigens from Ornithodoros erraticus argasid ticks and assessment of their protective efficacy in rabbits. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102218. [PMID: 37364364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The identification of new protective antigens for the development of tick vaccines may be approached by selecting antigen candidates that have key biological functions. Bioactive proteins playing key functions for tick feeding and pathogen transmission are secreted into the host via tick saliva. Adult argasid ticks must resynthesise and replace these proteins after each feeding to be able to repeat new trophogonic cycles. Therefore, these proteins are considered interesting antigen targets for tick vaccine development. In this study, the salivary gland transcriptome and saliva proteome of Ornithodoros erraticus females were inspected to select and test new vaccine candidate antigens. For this, we focused on transcripts overexpressed after feeding that encoded secretory proteins predicted to be immunogenic and annotated with functions related to blood ingestion and modulation of the host defensive response. Completeness of the transcript sequence, as well as a high expression level and a high fold-change after feeding were also scored resulting in the selection of four candidates, an acid tail salivary protein (OeATSP), a multiple coagulation factor deficiency protein 2 homolog (OeMCFD2), a Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (OeSOD) and a sulfotransferase (OeSULT), which were later produced as recombinant proteins. Vaccination of rabbits with each individual recombinant antigen induced strong humoral responses that reduced blood feeding and female reproduction, providing, respectively, 46.8%, 45.7%, 54.3% and 31.9% protection against O. erraticus infestations and 0.7%, 3.9%, 3.1% and 8.7% cross-protection against infestations by the African tick, Ornithodoros moubata. The joint protective efficacy of these antigens was tested in a second vaccine trial reaching 58.3% protection against O. erraticus and 18.6% cross-protection against O. moubata. These results (i) provide four new protective salivary antigens from argasid ticks that might be included in multi-antigenic vaccines designed for the control of multiple tick species; (ii) reveal four functional protein families never tested before as a source of protective antigens in ticks; and (iii) show that multi-antigenic vaccines increase vaccine efficacy compared with individual antigens. Finally, our data add value to the salivary glands as a protective antigen source in argasids for the control of tick infestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Carnero-Morán
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Ana Oleaga
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Ana Laura Cano-Argüelles
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain.
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19
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Butler LR, Gonzalez J, Pedra JHF, Oliva Chavez AS. Tick extracellular vesicles in host skin immunity and pathogen transmission. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:873-885. [PMID: 37591719 PMCID: PMC10528898 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Ticks can transmit a variety of human pathogens, including intracellular and extracellular bacteria, viruses, and protozoan parasites. Historically, their saliva has been of immense interest due to its anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, and anesthetic properties. Only recently, it was discovered that tick saliva contains extracellular vesicles (EVs). Briefly, it has been observed that proteins associated with EVs are important for multiple tick-borne intracellular microbial lifestyles. The impact of tick EVs on viral and intracellular bacterial pathogen transmission from the tick to the mammalian host has been shown experimentally. Additionally, tick EVs interact with the mammalian skin immune system at the bite site. The interplay between tick EVs, the transmission of pathogens, and the host skin immune system affords opportunities for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Rainer Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julia Gonzalez
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Petrović A, Stanić K, Popović A, Ivanović I, Supić D, Marinković D, Bursić V. Seasonal Dynamics and Physiological Age of Ixodid Ticks Collected from Dogs. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3026. [PMID: 37835632 PMCID: PMC10571853 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In order to reproduce and complete life cycles, ticks have to feed on different hosts, thus participating as vectors and reservoirs in the maintenance and circulation of different pathogens. Since dogs can serve as suitable hosts for numerous tick species, the aims of this study were to determine tick species and their seasonal occurrence on pet dogs and to compare the accuracy of three indices frequently used to calculate engorged female physiological age. Ticks were collected from dogs brought to veterinary clinics. Three indices were analyzed: scutal index, alloscutal/scutal index ratio, and physiological age index. Four tick species were identified: Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor marginatus, D. reticulatus, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus group, and the last was the most abundant. The highest number of collected ticks was in April, but two species were continuously active throughout the year. The statistical analyses distinguished the physiological age index as more precise because of lower variability. Dog owners usually ignore regular dog anti-tick treatments throughout the year, as they are not aware that ticks could be active during the winter months. Tick surveillance is unquestionably important in order to monitor and prevent the distribution of these vectors and also the diseases they transmit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleksandra Petrović
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (A.P.); (K.S.); (I.I.); (D.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Ksenija Stanić
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (A.P.); (K.S.); (I.I.); (D.M.); (V.B.)
- Agro-Vet, Šenoina 16/I, 24000 Subotica, Serbia
| | - Aleksandra Popović
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (A.P.); (K.S.); (I.I.); (D.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Ivana Ivanović
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (A.P.); (K.S.); (I.I.); (D.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Dejan Supić
- Faculty of Ecological Agriculture, University Educons, Vojvode Putnika 87, 21208 Sremska Kamenica, Serbia;
| | - Dušan Marinković
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (A.P.); (K.S.); (I.I.); (D.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Vojislava Bursić
- Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, Trg Dositeja Obradovića 8, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (A.P.); (K.S.); (I.I.); (D.M.); (V.B.)
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21
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Rodríguez-Durán A, Ullah S, Parizi LF, Ali A, da Silva Vaz Junior I. Rabbits as Animal Models for Anti-Tick Vaccine Development: A Global Scenario. Pathogens 2023; 12:1117. [PMID: 37764925 PMCID: PMC10536012 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies evaluating candidate tick-derived proteins as anti-tick vaccines in natural hosts have been limited due to high costs. To overcome this problem, animal models are used in immunization tests. The aim of this article was to review the use of rabbits as an experimental model for the evaluation of tick-derived proteins as vaccines. A total of 57 tick proteins were tested for their immunogenic potential using rabbits as models for vaccination. The most commonly used rabbit breeds were New Zealand (73.8%), Japanese white (19%), Californians (4.8%) and Flemish lop-eared (2.4%) rabbits. Anti-tick vaccines efficacy resulted in up to 99.9%. Haemaphysalis longicornis (17.9%) and Ornithodoros moubata (12.8%) were the most common tick models in vaccination trials. Experiments with rabbits have revealed that some proteins (CoAQP, OeAQP, OeAQP1, Bm86, GST-Hl, 64TRP, serpins and voraxin) can induce immune responses against various tick species. In addition, in some cases it was possible to determine that the vaccine efficacy in rabbits was similar to that of experiments performed on natural hosts (e.g., Bm86, IrFER2, RmFER2, serpins and serine protease inhibitor). In conclusion, results showed that prior to performing anti-tick vaccination trials using natural hosts, rabbits can be used as suitable experimental models for these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlex Rodríguez-Durán
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
- Grupo de Investigación Parasitología Veterinaria, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 No. 26-85, Bogotá 110911, Colombia
| | - Shafi Ullah
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Luís Fernando Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
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22
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Pereira PDC, Diniz DG, da Costa ER, Magalhães NGDM, da Silva ADJF, Leite JGS, Almeida NIP, Cunha KDN, de Melo MAD, Vasconcelos PFDC, Diniz JAP, Brites D, Anthony DC, Diniz CWP, Guerreiro-Diniz C. Genes, inflammatory response, tolerance, and resistance to virus infections in migratory birds, bats, and rodents. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1239572. [PMID: 37711609 PMCID: PMC10497949 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1239572] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Normally, the host immunological response to viral infection is coordinated to restore homeostasis and protect the individual from possible tissue damage. The two major approaches are adopted by the host to deal with the pathogen: resistance or tolerance. The nature of the responses often differs between species and between individuals of the same species. Resistance includes innate and adaptive immune responses to control virus replication. Disease tolerance relies on the immune response allowing the coexistence of infections in the host with minimal or no clinical signs, while maintaining sufficient viral replication for transmission. Here, we compared the virome of bats, rodents and migratory birds and the molecular mechanisms underlying symptomatic and asymptomatic disease progression. We also explore the influence of the host physiology and environmental influences on RNA virus expression and how it impacts on the whole brain transcriptome of seemingly healthy semipalmated sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) and spotted sandpiper (Actitis macularius). Three time points throughout the year were selected to understand the importance of longitudinal surveys in the characterization of the virome. We finally revisited evidence that upstream and downstream regulation of the inflammatory response is, respectively, associated with resistance and tolerance to viral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Douglas Corrêa Pereira
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Daniel Guerreiro Diniz
- Seção de Hepatologia, Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Ramos da Costa
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Nara Gyzely de Morais Magalhães
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Anderson de Jesus Falcão da Silva
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Gizele Sousa Leite
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Natan Ibraim Pires Almeida
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Kelle de Nazaré Cunha
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Mauro André Damasceno de Melo
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
| | - Pedro Fernando da Costa Vasconcelos
- Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade do Estado do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
- Seção de Arbovirologia e Febres Hemorrágicas, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Ananindeua, Pará, Brazil
| | - José Antonio Picanço Diniz
- Seção de Hepatologia, Laboratório de Microscopia Eletrônica, Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Dora Brites
- Research Institute for Medicines (iMed.ULisboa), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicines, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Daniel Clive Anthony
- Department of Pharmacology, Laboratory of Experimental Neuropathology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Cristovam Wanderley Picanço Diniz
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Hospital Universitário João de Barros Barreto, Laboratório de Investigações em Neurodegeneração e Infecção, Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Cristovam Guerreiro-Diniz
- Ciência e Tecnologia do Pará, Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Neuroecologia, Instituto Federal de Educação, Bragança, Pará, Brazil
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23
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Feng T, Tong H, Zhang Q, Ming Z, Song Z, Zhou X, Dai J. Targeting Haemaphysalis longicornis serpin to prevent tick feeding and pathogen transmission. Insect Sci 2023. [PMID: 37635449 DOI: 10.1111/1744-7917.13260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2023] [Revised: 07/03/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins), identified from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis of China, play significant roles in various animal physiological processes. In this study, we showed that H. longicornis serpins (Hlserpin-a and Hlserpin-b) were induced during blood-feeding in nymph ticks and exhibited anticoagulation activity in vitro. Silencing Hlserpins through RNA interference (RNAi) significantly impaired tick feeding. Immunization of mice with recombinant Hlserpins or passive transfer of Hlserpin antiserum significantly curtails the efficacy of tick feeding. Concurrently, the transmission of the Langat virus (LGTV) from ticks to mice witnessed a substantial decrease when Hlserpins were silenced. Our findings suggest that inhibiting Hlserpins can hamper tick engorgement and pathogen transmission, indicating the potential of Hlserpins as a vaccine to counter tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Feng
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Hao Tong
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhihao Ming
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Zhenyu Song
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Xia Zhou
- School of Biology and Basic Medical Science, Suzhou Medical College of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
| | - Jianfeng Dai
- Institute of Biology and Medical Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Infection and Immunity, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, China
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24
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Reynolds ES, Wooldridge JT, Stevenson HL, Thangamani S. The Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum, salivary factors exacerbate the clinical outcome of Heartland virus disease in a small animal model. Sci Rep 2023; 13:13304. [PMID: 37587216 PMCID: PMC10432400 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-40397-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Heartland virus was first isolated in 2009 from two patients in Missouri and is transmitted by the Lone Star tick, Amblyomma americanum. To understand disease transmission and pathogenesis, it is necessary to develop an animal model which utilizes the natural route of transmission and manifests in a manner similar to documented human cases. Herein we describe our investigations on identifying A129 mice as the most appropriate small animal model for HRTV pathogenesis that mimics human clinical outcomes. We further investigated the impact of tick saliva in enhancing pathogen transmission and clinical outcomes. Our investigations revealed an increase in viral load in the groups of mice that received both virus and tick salivary gland extract (SGE). Spleens of all infected mice showed extramedullary hematopoiesis (EH), depleted white pulp, and absence of germinal centers. This observation mimics the splenomegaly observed in natural human cases. In the group that received both HRTV and tick SGE, the clinical outcome of HRTV infection was exacerbated compared to HRTV only infection. EH scores and the presence of viral antigens in spleen were higher in mice that received both HRTV and tick SGE. In conclusion, we have developed a small animal model that mimics natural human infection and also demonstrated the impact of tick salivary factors in exacerbating the HRTV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin S Reynolds
- SUNY Center for Vector-Borne Diseases, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Institute for Global Health and Translational Sciences, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA
| | - Jacob T Wooldridge
- Department of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Heather L Stevenson
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- SUNY Center for Vector-Borne Diseases, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
- Institute for Global Health and Translational Sciences, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Upstate Medical University, Syracuse, NY, USA.
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25
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Ma H, Lao Y, Liu S, Ai J, Sun X, Zhang W, Kang M, Li J, Sun Y. The diurnal salivary glands transcriptome of Dermacentor nuttalli from the first four days of blood feeding. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102178. [PMID: 37001418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023]
Abstract
The ixodid tick Dermacentor nuttalli is distributed from southern Siberia to North China and is a vector of many pathogens. This species can have severe impacts on animal husbandry and human health. To date, the control of D. nuttalli is limited to the use of acaricides such as organophosphorus, synthetic pyrethroids and amidine pesticides. There are no environmentally friendly or reliable prevention and control measures, and little is known regarding key antigens involved in blood feeding. Salivary glands are major tissues involved in the blood feeding and pathogen transmission of ticks. Therefore, this study focused on salivary glands tissue to identify the dominant antigens of D. nuttalli involved in tick feeding. For this, high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was used for analysis. The transcriptome of female D. nuttalli ticks was assembled and characterized, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the salivary glands of ticks that had not fed (0 h) and of ticks after 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of feeding. There were 22,802,784, 22,275,013, 26,629,453, 24,982,389, and 22,596,230 high-quality clean reads obtained from salivary glands tissues at the five different blood feeding time points. The total number of annotated unigenes was 100,347. The differences in gene expression between different time points were compared, and functional enrichment was performed. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT‒qPCR) was used to validate the RNA-seq results, the results of which showed that the differences in expressed transcripts presented similar trends. Among the identified DEGs, the most numerous were those with catalytic and binding activities and those involved in diverse metabolic pathways and cellular processes. The expression patterns of homologous and family-member proteins throughout the blood feeding period exhibited significant differences, strongly suggesting that the transcriptome composition is highly dynamic and likely subjected to important variation throughout the life cycle. Studies of gene sequences in D. nuttalli will greatly increase the information on tick protective antigens, which could potentially function as effective vaccine candidates or drug targets for the development of environmentally friendly acaricides.
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26
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Cerri F, Araujo MDS, Aguirre ADAR, Evaristo GPC, Evaristo JAM, Nogueira FCS, de Medeiros JF, Dias QM. Crude saliva of Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae) reduces locomotor activity and increases the hemocyte number in the females of Aedes aegypti (Diptera: Culicidae). Exp Parasitol 2023:108570. [PMID: 37330106 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Aedes aegypti are vector insects of arboviruses such as dengue, Zika, and chikungunya. All available vector control methods have limited efficacy, highlighting the urgent need to find alternative ones. Evidence shows that arachnids like ticks are sources of biologically active compounds. Moreover, chemical modulation of the locomotor and immune systems of vector insects can be used to control arbovirus transmission. The present study evaluated the effectiveness of crude saliva of female Amblyomma cajennense sensu stricto (s.s.) ticks in reducing locomotor activity and inducing an immune response in Ae. aegypti females. Additionally, the study evaluated the protein constitution of tick saliva. For this purpose, the crude saliva obtained from several semi-engorged A. cajennense females was used. A volume of 0.2 nL of crude tick saliva was administered to mosquitoes by direct intrathoracic microinjection. The effect of the tick's saliva on the locomotor activity of the mosquito was observed using Flybox, a video-automated monitoring system, and the hemolymph hemocyte levels were quantified by reading slides under a light microscope. The protein concentration of the crude tick saliva was 1.27 μg/μL, and its electrophoretic profile indicates the presence of proteins with a molecular weight ranging between ∼17 and 95 kDa. Microplusins, ixodegrins, cystatin, actins, beta-actin, calponin, albumin, alpha-globulins, and hemoglobin were the main proteins identified by proteomics in the saliva of A. cajennense. The microinjected saliva had low toxicity for Ae. aegypti females and significantly reduced their locomotor activity, especially in the transition between the light and dark phases. The crude tick saliva did not change the period and rhythmicity of the circadian cycle. The tick saliva significantly increased the number of hemocytes two days after injection and reduced it after five days. These results suggest that further evaluation of the biological properties of tick saliva proteins against Ae. aegypti would be of interest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiano Cerri
- Laboratório de Neuro e Imunofarmacologia (NIMFAR) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ Rondônia) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Rondônia - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, (PGBIOEXP), Brazil
| | - Maisa da Silva Araujo
- Laboratório de Entomologia/Plataforma de Produção e Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ Rondônia) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - André de Abreu Rangel Aguirre
- Laboratório de Entomologia/Plataforma de Produção e Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ Rondônia) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | | | - Joseph Albert Medeiros Evaristo
- Laboratório de Proteômica, LADETEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Fábio César Sousa Nogueira
- Laboratório de Proteômica, LADETEC, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jansen Fernandes de Medeiros
- Universidade Federal de Rondônia - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, (PGBIOEXP), Brazil; Laboratório de Entomologia/Plataforma de Produção e Infecção de Vetores da Malária (PIVEM) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ Rondônia) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil
| | - Quintino Moura Dias
- Laboratório de Neuro e Imunofarmacologia (NIMFAR) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ Rondônia) - Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Porto Velho, RO, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Neuroimunomodulação (INCT - NIM), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Universidade Federal de Rondônia - Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Experimental, (PGBIOEXP), Brazil.
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27
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Guerrib F, Ning C, Mateos-Hernandéz L, Rakotobe S, Park Y, Hajdusek O, Perner J, Vancová M, Valdés JJ, Šimo L. Dual SIFamide receptors in Ixodes salivary glands. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 2023:103963. [PMID: 37257628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2023.103963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Salivary glands are vital to tick feeding success and also play a crucial role in tick-borne pathogen transmission. In previous studies of Ixodes scapularis salivary glands, we demonstrated that saliva-producing type II and III acini are innervated by neuropeptidergic axons which release different classes of neuropeptides via their terminals (Šimo et al., 2009b, 2013). Among these, the neuropeptide SIFamide-along with its cognate receptor-were postulated to control the basally located acinar valve via basal epithelial and myoepithelial cells (Vancová et al., 2019). Here, we functionally characterized a second SIFamide receptor (SIFa_R2) from the I. scapularis genome and proved that it senses a low nanomolar level of its corresponding ligand. Insect SIFamide paralogs, SMYamides, also activated the receptor but less effectively compared to SIFamide. Bioinformatic and molecular dynamic analyses suggested that I. scapularis SIFamide receptors are class A GPCRs where the peptide amidated carboxy-terminus is oriented within the receptor binding cavity. The receptor was found to be expressed in Ixodes ricinus salivary glands, synganglia, midguts, trachea, and ovaries, but not in Malpighian tubules. Investigation of the temporal expression patterns suggests that the receptor transcript is highly expressed in unfed I. ricinus female salivary glands and then decreases during feeding. In synganglia, a significant transcript increase was detected in replete ticks. In salivary gland acini, an antibody targeting the second SIFamide receptor recognized basal epithelial cells, myoepithelial cells, and basal granular cells in close proximity to the SIFamide-releasing axon terminals. Immunoreactivity was also detected in specific neurons distributed throughout various I. ricinus synganglion locations. The current findings, alongside previous reports from our group, indicate that the neuropeptide SIFamide acts via two different receptors that regulate distinct or common cell types in the basal region of type II and III acini in I. ricinus salivary glands. The current study investigates the peptidergic regulation of the I. ricinus salivary gland in detail, emphasizing the complexity of this system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fetta Guerrib
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Caina Ning
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernandéz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sabine Rakotobe
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Yoonseong Park
- Entomolgy department, Kansas State University, 123 Waters Hall, 66506-4004, Manhattan, KS, USA
| | - Ondrej Hajdusek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Vancová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, České Budějovice, 37005, Czech Republic
| | - James J Valdés
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ladislav Šimo
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, 94700, Maisons-Alfort, France.
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Reynolds ES, Wooldridge JT, Stevenson H, Thangamani S. The Lone Star Tick, Amblyomma americanum, salivary factors exacerbate the clinical outcome of Heartland virus disease in a small animal model. Res Sq 2023:rs.3.rs-2828801. [PMID: 37163121 PMCID: PMC10168474 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-2828801/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Heartland virus was first isolated in 2009 from two patients in Missouri and is transmitted by the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum. To understand disease transmission and pathogenesis, it is necessary to develop an animal model that utilizes the natural transmission route and manifests in a manner similar to documented human cases. Herein we describe our investigations on identifying A129 mice as the most appropriate small animal model for HRTV pathogenesis that mimics human clinical outcomes. We further investigated the impact of tick saliva in enhancing pathogen transmission and clinical outcomes. Our investigations revealed an increase in viral load in the groups of mice that received both virus and tick salivary gland extract (SGE). Spleens of all infected mice showed extramedullary hematopoiesis (EH), depleted white pulp, and absence of germinal centers. This observation mimics the splenomegaly observed in natural human cases. In the group that received both HRTV and tick SGE, the clinical outcome of HRTV infection was exacerbated compared to HRTV-only infection. EH scores and viral antigens in the spleen were higher in mice that received both HRTV and tick SGE. In conclusion, we have developed a small animal model that mimics natural human infection and also demonstrated the impact to tick salivary factors in exacerbating the HRTV infection.
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Temeyer KB, Schlechte KG, Gross AD, Lohmeyer KH. Identification, Baculoviral Expression, and Biochemical Characterization of a Novel Cholinesterase of Amblyomma americanum (Acari: Ixodidae). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097681. [PMID: 37175388 PMCID: PMC10178864 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A cDNA encoding a novel cholinesterase (ChE, EC 3.1.1.8) from the larvae of Amblyomma americanum (Linnaeus) was identified, sequenced, and expressed in Sf21 insect cell culture using the baculoviral expression vector pBlueBac4.5/V5-His. The open reading frame (1746 nucleotides) of the cDNA encoded 581 amino acids beginning with the initiation codon. Identical cDNA sequences were amplified from the total RNA of adult tick synganglion and salivary gland, strongly suggesting expression in both tick synganglion and saliva. The recombinant enzyme (rAaChE1) was highly sensitive to eserine and BW284c51, relatively insensitive to tetraisopropyl pyrophosphoramide (iso-OMPA) and ethopropazine, and hydrolyzed butyrylthiocholine (BuTCh) 5.7 times as fast as acetylthiocholine (ATCh) at 120 µM, with calculated KM values for acetylthiocholine (ATCh) and butyrylthiocholine of 6.39 µM and 14.18 µM, respectively. The recombinant enzyme was highly sensitive to inhibition by malaoxon, paraoxon, and coroxon in either substrate. Western blots using polyclonal rabbit antibody produced by immunization with a peptide specific for rAaChE1 exhibited reactivity in salivary and synganglial extract blots, indicating the presence of AaChE1 antigenic protein. Total cholinesterase activities of synganglial or salivary gland extracts from adult ticks exhibited biochemical properties very different from the expressed rAaACh1 enzyme, evidencing the substantial presence of additional cholinesterase activities in tick synganglion and saliva. The biological function of AaChE1 remains to be elucidated, but its presence in tick saliva is suggestive of functions in hydrolysis of cholinergic substrates present in the large blood mean and potential involvement in the modulation of host immune responses to tick feeding and introduced pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin B Temeyer
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Arthropod Genomics Center, USDA-ARS, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA
| | - Kristie G Schlechte
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Arthropod Genomics Center, USDA-ARS, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA
| | - Aaron D Gross
- Molecular Physiology and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Entomology (MC 0390), Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Latham Hall (Rm 307), 220 Ag Quad Lane, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Kimberly H Lohmeyer
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Arthropod Genomics Center, USDA-ARS, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028, USA
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Bonnet SI, Bertagnoli S, Falchi A, Figoni J, Fite J, Hoch T, Quillery E, Moutailler S, Raffetin A, René-Martellet M, Vourc’h G, Vial L. An Update of Evidence for Pathogen Transmission by Ticks of the Genus Hyalomma. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12040513. [PMID: 37111399 PMCID: PMC10146795 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12040513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Current and likely future changes in the geographic distribution of ticks belonging to the genus Hyalomma are of concern, as these ticks are believed to be vectors of many pathogens responsible for human and animal diseases. However, we have observed that for many pathogens there are no vector competence experiments, and that the level of evidence provided by the scientific literature is often not sufficient to validate the transmission of a specific pathogen by a specific Hyalomma species. We therefore carried out a bibliographical study to collate the validation evidence for the transmission of parasitic, viral, or bacterial pathogens by Hyalomma spp. ticks. Our results show that there are very few validated cases of pathogen transmission by Hyalomma tick species.
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Du LF, Zhang MZ, Yuan TT, Ni XB, Wei W, Cui XM, Wang N, Xiong T, Zhang J, Pan YS, Zhu DY, Li LJ, Xia LY, Wang TH, Wei R, Liu HB, Sun Y, Zhao L, Lam TTY, Cao WC, Jia N. New insights into the impact of microbiome on horizontal and vertical transmission of a tick-borne pathogen. Microbiome 2023; 11:50. [PMID: 36915209 PMCID: PMC10012463 DOI: 10.1186/s40168-023-01485-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The impact of host skin microbiome on horizontal transmission of tick-borne pathogens , and of pathogen associated transstadial and transovarial changes in tick microbiome are largely unknown, but are important to control increasingly emerging tick-borne diseases worldwide. METHODS Focusing on a rickettsiosis pathogen, Rickettsia raoultii, we used R. raoultii-positive and R. raoultii-negative Dermacentor spp. tick colonies to study the involvement of skin microbiota in cutaneous infection with rickettsiae in laboratory mice, and the function of the tick microbiome on maintenance of rickettsiae through all tick developmental stages (eggs, larvae, nymphs, adults) over two generations. RESULTS We observed changes in the skin bacteria community, such as Chlamydia, not only associated with rickettsial colonization but also with tick feeding on skin. The diversity of skin microbiome differed between paired tick-bitten and un-bitten sites. For vertical transmission, significant differences in the tick microbiota between pathogenic rickettsia-positive and -negative tick chorts was observed across all developmental stages at least over two generations, which appeared to be a common pattern not only for R. raoultii but also for another pathogenic species, Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae. More importantly, bacterial differences were complemented by functional shifts primed for genetic information processing during blood feeding. Specifically, the differences in tick microbiome gene repertoire between pathogenic Rickettsia-positive and -negative progenies were enriched in pathways associated with metabolism and hormone signals during vertical transmission. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrate that host skin microbiome might be a new factor determining the transmission of rickettsial pathogens through ticks. While pathogenic rickettsiae infect vertebrate hosts during blood-feeding by the tick, they may also manipulate the maturation of the tick through changing the functional potential of its microbiota over the tick's life stages. The findings here might spur the development of new-generation control methods for ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Feng Du
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Ming-Zhu Zhang
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Ting-Ting Yuan
- School of Medicine, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xue-Bing Ni
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, 19W Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Ming Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Wang
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Tao Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Jie Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yu-Sheng Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Dai-Yun Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang-Jing Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Luo-Yuan Xia
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Hong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Ran Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
- The Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, People's Republic of China
| | - Hong-Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
- Chinese PLA Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Yi Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Zhao
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Tommy Tsan-Yuk Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, School of Public Health, The University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
- Laboratory of Data Discovery for Health Limited, 19W Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
- Guangdong-Hongkong Joint Laboratory of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Joint Institute of Virology (Shantou University/The University of Hong Kong), Shantou, Guangdong, 515063, People's Republic of China.
- EKIH (Gewuzhikang) Pathogen Research Institute, Futian District, Shenzhen City, Guangdong, 518045, People's Republic of China.
- Centre for Immunology & Infection Limited, 17W Hong Kong Science & Technology Parks, Hong Kong SAR, People's Republic of China.
| | - Wu-Chun Cao
- Institute of EcoHealth, School of Public Health, Shandong University, 44 Wenhuaxi Street, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China.
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China.
| | - Na Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, 100071, People's Republic of China.
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Kahl O, Gray JS. The biology of Ixodes ricinus with emphasis on its ecology. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102114. [PMID: 36603231 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Prior to its identification as the vector of Lyme borreliosis spirochaetes in Europe in 1983, interest in Ixodes ricinus (L.) was moderate and mainly concerned the transmission of pathogens to farm animals and of tick-borne encephalitis virus to humans. The situation now is very different, and more papers have been published on I. ricinus than on any other ixodid tick species. However, this large literature is scattered and in recent years has become dominated by the molecular detection and characterization of the many pathogens that I. ricinus transmits. Several decades have now elapsed since a review addressing its basic biology and ecology appeared, and the present publication seeks to present basic aspects of its biology and ecology that are related to its role as a vector of disease agents, including its life cycle, feeding behaviour, host relations, survival off the host, and the impact of weather and climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olaf Kahl
- tick-radar GmbH, 10555 Berlin, Germany.
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Šimo L. 50 Years since Kaufman and Phillips’ Groundbreaking Trilogy Elucidating Ion and Water Homeostasis in Ixodid Ticks. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030385. [PMID: 36986307 PMCID: PMC10052448 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The enormous volume of blood ingested by hard ticks during their long attachment period is without a doubt the hallmark of their biology. Maintaining a homeostatic balance between ion and water intake and loss during their feeding is critical to preventing osmotic stress and death. Exactly 50 years ago, Kaufman and Phillips published a series of three consecutive papers on “Ion and water balance in the ixodid tick Dermacentor andersoni”, Journal of Experimental Biology (1973): I. Routes of ion and water excretion, 58: 523–36; II. Mechanism and control of salivary secretion 58: 537–547; and III. Influence of monovalent ions and osmotic pressure on salivary secretion 58: 549–564. This classic series significantly expanded our knowledge of the unique regulatory processes governing ion and water balance in fed ixodid ticks, highlighting its uniqueness among the blood-feeding arthropods. Their pioneer work had an enormous impact on understanding the vital role of salivary glands in these actions, and ultimately provided a consequential stepping stone for a new era of hard tick salivary gland physiological research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladislav Šimo
- Laboratoire de Santé Animale, UMR BIPAR, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, INRAE, ANSES, F-94700 Maisons-Alfort, France
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Antunes S, Domingos A. Tick Vaccines and Concealed versus Exposed Antigens. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12030374. [PMID: 36986295 PMCID: PMC10056810 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12030374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/16/2023] [Indexed: 03/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-tick vaccines development mainly depends on the identification of suitable antigens, which ideally should have different features. These should be key molecules in tick biology, encoded by a single gene, expressed across life stages and tick tissues, capable of inducing B and T cells to promote an immunological response without allergenic, hemolytic, and toxic effects; and should not be homologous to the mammalian host. The discussion regarding this subject and the usefulness of “exposed” and “concealed” antigens was effectively explored in the publication by Nuttall et al. (2006). The present commentary intends to debate the relevance of such study in the field of tick immunological control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, NOVA University of Lisbon, Rua da Junqueira, 100, 1349-008 Lisboa, Portugal
- Correspondence:
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Bartíková P, Štibrániová I, Kazimírová M. Discovery of the Role of Tick Salivary Glands in Enhancement of Virus Transmission-Beginning of an Exciting Story. Pathogens 2023; 12. [PMID: 36839606 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023] Open
Abstract
There is increasing evidence that arthropod-borne pathogens exploit saliva of their vectors during the transmission process to vertebrate hosts. Extensive research of the composition of tick saliva and its role in blood-feeding and transmission of pathogens started in the late 1980s and led to a number of discoveries on the composition and function of salivary molecules, some of which are associated with pathogen transmission. The study by Jones et al. published in 1989 can be ranked among the pioneer works in this field as it demonstrated for the first time the role of tick salivary glands in enhancement of transmission of a tick-borne virus. Thogoto virus was used in the model and subsequently similar results were obtained for tick-borne encephalitis virus. After a relatively silent period of almost 20 years, interest in tick-arbovirus-host interactions emerged again in the 2010s. However, no particular salivary molecule(s) enhancing virus transmission has (have) been identified to date. Intensive research in this field will certainly lead to new discoveries with future implications in the control of transmission of dangerous tick-borne viruses.
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Banović P, Piloto-Sardiñas E, Mijatović D, Foucault-Simonin A, Simin V, Bogdan I, Obregón D, Mateos-Hernández L, Moutailler S, Cabezas-Cruz A. Differential detection of tick-borne pathogens in human platelets and whole blood using microfluidic PCR. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106756. [PMID: 36435213 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
The tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) with adhesive phenotype can use platelets for dissemination and colonization of distant tissues and organs, and it has been shown that they can be found concentrated in the platelet fraction of blood. This study shows the differential presence of TBPs in samples of human platelet fraction (n = 68), whole blood samples (n = 68) and ticks collected (n = 76) from the same individuals, using an unbiased high-throughput pathogen detection microfluidic system. The clinical symptoms were characterized in enrolled patients. In patients with suspected TBP infection, serological assays were conducted to test for the presence of antibodies against specific TBPs. Tick species infesting humans were identified as Ixodes ricinus, Dermacentor reticulatus, and Haemaphysalis punctata. Eight patients developed local skin lesions at the site of the tick bite including non-specific lesions, itching sensation at the lesion site, and eschar. Most common TBPs detected in platelet fraction were Borrelia spielmanii and Rickettsia sp., followed by Borrelia afzelii and Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Multiple infections with three TBPs were detected in platelet fraction. In whole blood, most common TBPs detected were Anaplasma spp. and A. phagocytophilum, followed by Rickettsia spp. and B. afzelii. In ticks, the most common TBP detected was Rickettsia spp., followed by Borrelia spp. and Anaplasma spp. Overall, nine different pathogens with variable prevalence were identified using species-specific primers, and the most common was Rickettsia helvetica. In three patients, there were no coincidences between the TBPs detected in whole blood and tick samples. Only in one patient was detected A. phagocytophilum in both, whole blood and tick samples. These results suggest the unequal detection of TBPs in whole blood, platelet fraction and ticks collected, from the same individual. The results justify the use of both whole blood and platelet fraction for molecular diagnosis of TBPs in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavle Banović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia; Department of Microbiology With Parasitology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine in Novi Sad, University of Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia.
| | - Elianne Piloto-Sardiñas
- Direction of Animal Health, National Center for Animal and Plant Health, Carretera de Tapaste y Autopista Nacional, Apartado Postal 10, San José de las Lajas, Mayabeque 32700, Cuba
| | - Dragana Mijatović
- Ambulance for Lyme Borreliosis and Other Tick-Borne Diseases, Department of Prevention of Rabies and Other Infectious Diseases, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Angélique Foucault-Simonin
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Verica Simin
- Department for Microbiological & Other Diagnostics, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Ivana Bogdan
- Department for Microbiological & Other Diagnostics, Pasteur Institute Novi Sad, Novi Sad, Serbia
| | - Dasiel Obregón
- School of Environmental Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd. E, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Sara Moutailler
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- ANSES, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Laboratoire de Santé Animale, Maisons-Alfort, F-94700, France.
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Fujisawa S, Murata S, Isezaki M, Win SY, Sato T, Oishi E, Taneno A, Maekawa N, Okagawa T, Konnai S, Ohashi K. Suppressive modulation of host immune responses by Dermanyssus gallinae infestation. Poult Sci 2023; 102:102532. [PMID: 36796246 PMCID: PMC9958498 DOI: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.102532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The poultry red mite (Dermanyssus gallinae, PRM) is a blood-sucking ectoparasite in chickens and is one of the most serious threats to poultry farms. Mass infestation with PRMs causes various health problems in chickens, resulting in significant productivity reduction in the poultry industry. Infestation with hematophagous ectoparasites, such as ticks, induces host inflammatory and hemostatic reactions. On the other hand, several studies have reported that hematophagous ectoparasites secrete various immunosuppressants from their saliva to suppress host immune responses to maintain blood sucking. Here, we examined the expression of cytokines in peripheral blood cells to investigate whether PRM infestation affects immunological states in chickens. In PRM-infested chickens, anti-inflammatory cytokines, IL-10 and TGF-β1, and immune checkpoint molecules, CTLA-4 and PD-1, were highly expressed compared to noninfested chickens. PRM-derived soluble mite extracts (SME) upregulated the gene expression of IL-10 in peripheral blood cells and HD-11 chicken macrophages. In addition, SME suppressed the expression of interferons and inflammatory cytokines in HD-11 chicken macrophages. Moreover, SME induces the polarization of macrophages into anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Collectively, PRM infestation could affect host immune responses, especially suppress the inflammatory responses. Further studies are warranted to fully understand the influence of PRM infestation on host immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sotaro Fujisawa
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shiro Murata
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan; Department of Advanced Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Masayoshi Isezaki
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shwe Yee Win
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takumi Sato
- Vaxxinova Japan K.K., Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Eiji Oishi
- Vaxxinova Japan K.K., Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Naoya Maekawa
- Department of Advanced Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Okagawa
- Department of Advanced Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoru Konnai
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan,Department of Advanced Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ohashi
- Department of Disease Control, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan,Department of Advanced Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan,International Affairs Office, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Chlastáková A, Kaščáková B, Kotál J, Langhansová H, Kotsyfakis M, Kutá Smatanová I, Tirloni L, Chmelař J. Iripin-1, a new anti-inflammatory tick serpin, inhibits leukocyte recruitment in vivo while altering the levels of chemokines and adhesion molecules. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1116324. [PMID: 36756125 PMCID: PMC9901544 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1116324] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Serpins are widely distributed and functionally diverse inhibitors of serine proteases. Ticks secrete serpins with anti-coagulation, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory activities via their saliva into the feeding cavity to modulate host's hemostatic and immune reaction initiated by the insertion of tick's mouthparts into skin. The suppression of the host's immune response not only allows ticks to feed on a host for several days but also creates favorable conditions for the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. Herein we present the functional and structural characterization of Iripin-1 (Ixodes ricinus serpin-1), whose expression was detected in the salivary glands of the tick Ixodes ricinus, a European vector of tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. Of 16 selected serine proteases, Iripin-1 inhibited primarily trypsin and further exhibited weaker inhibitory activity against kallikrein, matriptase, and plasmin. In the mouse model of acute peritonitis, Iripin-1 enhanced the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 and chemokines involved in neutrophil and monocyte recruitment, including MCP-1/CCL2, a potent histamine-releasing factor. Despite increased chemokine levels, the migration of neutrophils and monocytes to inflamed peritoneal cavities was significantly attenuated following Iripin-1 administration. Based on the results of in vitro experiments, immune cell recruitment might be inhibited due to Iripin-1-mediated reduction of the expression of chemokine receptors in neutrophils and adhesion molecules in endothelial cells. Decreased activity of serine proteases in the presence of Iripin-1 could further impede cell migration to the site of inflammation. Finally, we determined the tertiary structure of native Iripin-1 at 2.10 Å resolution by employing the X-ray crystallography technique. In conclusion, our data indicate that Iripin-1 facilitates I. ricinus feeding by attenuating the host's inflammatory response at the tick attachment site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adéla Chlastáková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia,Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Ticks, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Barbora Kaščáková
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Kotál
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Ivana Kutá Smatanová
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia,*Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař,
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Jmel MA, Voet H, Araújo RN, Tirloni L, Sá-Nunes A, Kotsyfakis M. Tick Salivary Kunitz-Type Inhibitors: Targeting Host Hemostasis and Immunity to Mediate Successful Blood Feeding. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24. [PMID: 36675071 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Kunitz domain-containing proteins are ubiquitous serine protease inhibitors with promising therapeutic potential. They target key proteases involved in major cellular processes such as inflammation or hemostasis through competitive inhibition in a substrate-like manner. Protease inhibitors from the Kunitz superfamily have a low molecular weight (18-24 kDa) and are characterized by the presence of one or more Kunitz motifs consisting of α-helices and antiparallel β-sheets stabilized by three disulfide bonds. Kunitz-type inhibitors are an important fraction of the protease inhibitors found in tick saliva. Their roles in inhibiting and/or suppressing host homeostatic responses continue to be shown to be additive or synergistic with other protease inhibitors such as cystatins or serpins, ultimately mediating successful blood feeding for the tick. In this review, we discuss the biochemical features of tick salivary Kunitz-type protease inhibitors. We focus on their various effects on host hemostasis and immunity at the molecular and cellular level and their potential therapeutic applications. In doing so, we highlight that their pharmacological properties can be exploited for the development of novel therapies and vaccines.
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Lv T, Xie X, Song N, Zhang S, Ding Y, Liu K, Diao L, Chen X, Jiang S, Li T, Zhang W, Cao Y. Expounding the role of tick in Africa swine fever virus transmission and seeking effective prevention measures: A review. Front Immunol 2022; 13:1093599. [PMID: 36591310 PMCID: PMC9800779 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1093599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
African swine fever (ASF), a highly contagious, deadly infectious disease, has caused huge economic losses to animal husbandry with a 100% mortality rate of the most acute and acute infection, which is listed as a legally reported animal disease by the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE). African swine fever virus (ASFV) is the causative agent of ASF, which is the only member of the Asfarviridae family. Ornithodoros soft ticks play an important role in ASFV transmission by active biological or mechanical transmission or by passive transport or ingestion, particularly in Africa, Europe, and the United States. First, this review summarized recent reports on (1) tick species capable of transmitting ASFV, (2) the importance of ticks in the transmission and epidemiological cycle of ASFV, and (3) the ASFV strains of tick transmission, to provide a detailed description of tick-borne ASFV. Second, the dynamics of tick infection with ASFV and the tick-induced immune suppression were further elaborated to explain how ticks spread ASFV. Third, the development of the anti-tick vaccine was summarized, and the prospect of the anti-tick vaccine was recapitulated. Then, the marked attenuated vaccine, ASFV-G-ΔI177L, was compared with those of the anti-tick vaccine to represent potential therapeutic or strategies to combat ASF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tianbao Lv
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xufeng Xie
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Ning Song
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shilei Zhang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Yue Ding
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Kun Liu
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Luteng Diao
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Shuang Jiang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Tiger Li
- Portsmouth Abbey School, Portsmouth, RI, United States
| | - Wenlong Zhang
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China,Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China,*Correspondence: Yongguo Cao, ; Wenlong Zhang,
| | - Yongguo Cao
- Department of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China,Key Laboratory for Zoonosis Research, Ministry of Education, College of Veterinary Medicine, Jilin University, Changchun, China,*Correspondence: Yongguo Cao, ; Wenlong Zhang,
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Adegoke A, Kumar D, Budachetri K, Karim S. Hematophagy and tick-borne Rickettsial pathogen shape the microbial community structure and predicted functions within the tick vector, Amblyomma maculatum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1037387. [PMID: 36478675 PMCID: PMC9719966 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1037387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 11/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are the primary vectors of emerging and resurging pathogens of public health significance worldwide. Analyzing tick bacterial composition, diversity, and functionality across developmental stages and tissues is crucial for designing new strategies to control ticks and prevent tick-borne diseases. Materials and methods Here, we explored the microbial communities across the developmental timeline and in different tissues of the Gulf-Coast ticks (Amblyomma maculatum). Using a high-throughput sequencing approach, the influence of blood meal and Rickettsia parkeri, a spotted fever group rickettsiae infection in driving changes in microbiome composition, diversity, and functionality was determined. Results This study shows that the core microbiome of Am. maculatum comprises ten core bacterial genera. The genus Rickettsia, Francisella, and Candidatus_Midichloria are the key players, with positive interactions within each developmental stage and adult tick organ tested. Blood meal and Rickettsia parkeri led to an increase in the bacterial abundance in the tissues. According to functional analysis, the increase in bacterial numbers is positively correlated to highly abundant energy metabolism orthologs with blood meal. Correlation analysis identified an increase in OTUs identified as Candidatus Midichloria and a subsequent decrease in Francisella OTUs in Rickettsia parkeri infected tick stages and tissues. Results demonstrate the abundance of Rickettsia and Francisella predominate in the core microbiome of Am. maculatum, whereas Candidatus_Midichloria and Cutibacterium prevalence increase with R. parkeri-infection. Network analysis and functional annotation suggest that R. parkeri interacts positively with Candidatus_Midichloria and negatively with Francisella. Conclusion We conclude that tick-transmitted pathogens, such as R. parkeri establishes infection by interacting with the core microbiome of the tick vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulsalam Adegoke
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Deepak Kumar
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Khemraj Budachetri
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
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Liu YK, Liu GH, Liu L, Wang AB, Cheng TY, Duan DY. Comparative analysis of the anticoagulant activities and immunogenicity of HSC70 and HSC70 TKD of Haemaphysalis flava. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:411. [PMID: 36335395 PMCID: PMC9636643 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05521-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemaphysalis flava is a hematophagous ectoparasite that acquires the nutrition needed for development and reproduction by sucking blood and digesting the blood meal. During blood-sucking and blood-meal digestion, the prevention of blood coagulation is important for this tick. Previous studies have shown that heat shock cognate 70 (HSC70) protein has certain anticoagulant activities, but its immunogenicity remains unclear. Also, whether the mutation of individual bases of the TKD-like peptide of HSC70 through the overlap extension method can change its anticoagulant activities and immunogenicity remains to be investigated. METHODS The gene encoding the HSC70 protein was cloned from a complementary DNA library synthesized from H. flava. The coding gene of the TKD-like peptide of HSC70 was mutated into a TKD peptide coding gene (HSC70TKD) using the overlap extension method. Escherichia coli prokaryotic expression plasmids were constructed to obtain the recombinant proteins of HSC70 (rHSC70) and HSC70TKD (rHSC70TKD). The purified rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD were evaluated at different concentrations for anticoagulant activities using four in vitro clotting assays. Emulsifying recombinant proteins with complete and incomplete Freund's adjuvants were subcutaneously immunized in Sprague Dawley rats. The serum antibody titers and serum concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were detected using an indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to assess the immunogenicity of rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD. RESULTS The open reading frame of HSC70 was successfully amplified and found to have a length of 1958 bp. The gene encoding the TKD-like peptide of HSC70 was artificially mutated, with the 1373-position adenine (A) of the original sequence mutated into guanine (G), the 1385-position cytosine (C) mutated into G and the 1386-position G mutated into C. rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD that fused with His-tag were obtained using the expression plasmids pET-28a-HSC70 and pET-28a-HSC70TKD, respectively. rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD prolonged the thrombin time (TT) and reduced the fibrinogen (FIB) content in the plasma, but did not affect the prothrombin time (PT) or activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) when compared to the negative control. Interestingly, the ability of rHSC70TKD to prolong the TT and reduce the FIB content in the plasma was better than that of rHSC70. The specific antibody titers of both rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD in rat serum reached 1:124,000 14 days after the third immunization. The serum concentration of IFN-γ in the rHSC70TKD group was higher than that in the rHSC70 group. The rHSC70 group has the highest serum concentration of IL-4, and the serum concentration of IL-4 in the rHSC70TKD group was higher than that in the negative group. CONCLUSIONS rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD exhibited anticoagulant activities by prolonging the TT and reducing the FIB content in vitro. rHSC70TKD had better anticoagulant activities than rHSC70. Both rHSC70 and rHSC70TKD had good immunogenicity and induced humoral and cellular immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Ke Liu
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan Province China
| | - Guo-Hua Liu
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan Province China
| | - Lei Liu
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan Province China
| | - Ai-Bing Wang
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan Province China
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan Province China
| | - De-Yong Duan
- grid.257160.70000 0004 1761 0331Research Center for Parasites & Vectors, College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128 Hunan Province China
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Strobl J, Mündler V, Müller S, Gindl A, Berent S, Schötta AM, Kleissl L, Staud C, Redl A, Unterluggauer L, Aguilar González AE, Weninger ST, Atzmüller D, Klasinc R, Stanek G, Markowicz M, Stockinger H, Stary G. Tick feeding modulates the human skin immune landscape to facilitate tick-borne pathogen transmission. J Clin Invest 2022; 132:e161188. [PMID: 36166299 PMCID: PMC9621130 DOI: 10.1172/jci161188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
During cutaneous tick attachment, the feeding cavity becomes a site of transmission for tick salivary compounds and tick-borne pathogens. However, the immunological consequences of tick feeding for human skin remain unclear. Here, we assessed human skin and blood samples upon tick bite and developed a human skin explant model mimicking Ixodes ricinus bites and tick-borne pathogen infection. Following tick attachment, we observed rapidly occurring patterns of immunomodulation, including increases in neutrophils and cutaneous B and T cells. T cells upregulated tissue residency markers, while lymphocytic cytokine production was impaired. In early stages of Borrelia burgdorferi model infections, we detected strain-specific immune responses and close spatial relationships between macrophages and spirochetes. Preincubation of spirochetes with tick salivary gland extracts hampered accumulation of immune cells and increased spirochete loads. Collectively, we showed that tick feeding exerts profound changes on the skin immune network that interfere with the primary response against tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Strobl
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Verena Mündler
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Müller
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Gindl
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sara Berent
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna-Margarita Schötta
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Lisa Kleissl
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases, Vienna, Austria
| | - Clement Staud
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Redl
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Sophie T. Weninger
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Denise Atzmüller
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases, Vienna, Austria
| | - Romana Klasinc
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Gerold Stanek
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Mateusz Markowicz
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety (AGES), Vienna, Austria
| | - Hannes Stockinger
- Institute for Hygiene and Applied Immunology, Center for Pathophysiology, Infectiology and Immunology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Georg Stary
- Department of Dermatology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
- Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Rare and Undiagnosed Diseases, Vienna, Austria
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Lagunes-Quintanilla R, Valdez-Espinoza UM, Hernández-Ortiz R, Castro-Saines E, Merino O, Mendoza-Martínez N. Experimental vaccination in rabbits using the peptide RmS-17 antigen reduces the performance of a Mexican Rhipicephalus microplus tick strain. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2022; 13:102044. [PMID: 36166916 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2022.102044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
The tick vector Rhipicephalus microplus is considered one of the main problems in cattle production in tropical and subtropical regions. Anti-tick vaccines may form an alternative tick control method to the use of acaricides, and tick salivary proteins, such as Serpins, may be valuable as target antigens for developing anti-tick vaccines. In this study, we synthesized a recombinant peptide derived from Serpin RmS-17 protein using an Escherichia coli expression system and characterized the efficacy of the peptide RmS-17 for the control of R. microplus females infesting rabbits. Twelve New Zealand white rabbits were assigned to three experimental groups and vaccinated with three subcutaneous doses of the peptide RmS-17, recombinant R. microplus Bm86 antigen, and adjuvant/saline alone. The tick challenge was conducted with 120 R. microplus adults (60 females and 60 males) per animal, with the ticks placed inside a cotton sleeve glued to the back of the rabbit. Serum antibody levels (IgG) were assessed by ELISA and confirmed by Western blot; also, the reproductive performance of R. microplus was determined. The results showed that experimental vaccination in rabbits using the peptide RmS-17 antigen had a vaccine efficacy of 79% based on reductions in adult tick number, oviposition, and egg fertility compared to control animals. The peptide RmS-17 vaccinated rabbits developed a strong humoral immune response expressed by high anti-pRmS-17 IgG levels, and the Western blot analysis confirmed that it is immunogenic. The efficacy for the Bm86 vaccine was 62%, which is within the range of efficacy reported previously for Bm86 vaccine. The negative correlation between antibody levels and reduction in tick number strongly suggests that the effect of the vaccine was the result of the antibody response in vaccinated rabbits. In conclusion, this is the first study to evaluate the efficacy of the peptide RmS-17 against R. microplus tick infestation and show it to be immunogenic and protective in a rabbit model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodolfo Lagunes-Quintanilla
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad - INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca - Cuautla 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos CP 62550, México.
| | - Uriel Mauricio Valdez-Espinoza
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad - INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca - Cuautla 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos CP 62550, México
| | - Rubén Hernández-Ortiz
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad - INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca - Cuautla 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos CP 62550, México
| | - Edgar Castro-Saines
- Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad - INIFAP, Carretera Federal Cuernavaca - Cuautla 8534, Col. Progreso, Jiutepec, Morelos CP 62550, México
| | - Octavio Merino
- Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Km. 5, Carretera Victoria‑Mante, Ciudad Victoria, Tamaulipas CP 87000, México
| | - Nancy Mendoza-Martínez
- Centro de Enseñanza, Investigación y Extensión en Ganadería Tropical, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3000, Ciudad de México CP 04510, México
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Wulff JP, Temeyer KB, Tidwell JP, Schlechte KG, Lohmeyer KH, Pietrantonio PV. Periviscerokinin (Cap 2b; CAPA) receptor silencing in females of Rhipicephalus microplus reduces survival, weight and reproductive output. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:359. [PMID: 36203198 PMCID: PMC9535995 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05457-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The cattle fever tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, is a vector of pathogens causative of babesiosis and anaplasmosis, both highly lethal bovine diseases that affect cattle worldwide. In Ecdysozoa, neuropeptides and their G-protein-coupled receptors play a critical integrative role in the regulation of all physiological processes. However, the physiological activity of many neuropeptides is still unknown in ticks. Periviscerokinins (CAP2b/PVKs) are neuropeptides associated with myotropic and diuretic activities in insects. These peptides have been identified only in a few tick species, such as Ixodes ricinus, Ixodes scapularis and R. microplus, and their cognate receptor only characterized for the last two. METHODS Expression of the periviscerokinin receptor (Rhimi-CAP2bR) was investigated throughout the developmental stages of R. microplus and silenced by RNA interference (RNAi) in the females. In a first experiment, three double-stranded (ds) RNAs, named ds680-805, ds956-1109 and ds1102-1200, respectively, were tested in vivo. All three caused phenotypic effects, but only the last one was chosen for subsequent experiments. Resulting RNAi phenotypic variables were compared to those of negative controls, both non-injected and dsRNA beta-lactamase-injected ticks, and to positive controls injected with beta-actin dsRNA. Rhimi-CAP2bR silencing was verified by quantitative reverse-transcriptase PCR in whole females and dissected tissues. RESULTS Rhimi-CAP2bR transcript expression was detected throughout all developmental stages. Rhimi-CAP2bR silencing was associated with increased female mortality, decreased weight of surviving females and of egg masses, a delayed egg incubation period and decreased egg hatching (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS CAP2b/PVKs appear to be associated with the regulation of female feeding, reproduction and survival. Since the Rhimi-CAP2bR loss of function was detrimental to females, the discovery of antagonistic molecules of the CAP2b/PVK signaling system should cause similar effects. Our results point to this signaling system as a promising target for tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan P. Wulff
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843-2475 USA
| | - Kevin B. Temeyer
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028-9184 USA
| | - Jason P. Tidwell
- Cattle Fever Tick Research Laboratory, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, 22675 N. Moorefield Rd. Building 6419, Edinburg, TX 78541-5033 USA
| | - Kristie G. Schlechte
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028-9184 USA
| | - Kimberly H. Lohmeyer
- Knipling-Bushland U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory and Veterinary Pest Genomics Center, United States Department of Agriculture–Agricultural Research Service, 2700 Fredericksburg Road, Kerrville, TX 78028-9184 USA
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Kight E, Alfaro R, Gadila SKG, Chang S, Evans D, Embers M, Haselton F. Direct Capture and Early Detection of Lyme Disease Spirochete in Skin with a Microneedle Patch. Biosensors (Basel) 2022; 12:819. [PMID: 36290956 PMCID: PMC9599122 DOI: 10.3390/bios12100819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato family of spirochetes causes Lyme disease (LD) in animals and humans. As geographic territory of ticks expands across the globe, surveillance measures are needed to measure transmission rates and provide early risk testing of suspected bites. The current standard testing of LD uses an indirect two-step serological assay that detects host immune reactivity. Early detection remains a challenge because the host antibody response develops several weeks after infection. A microneedle (MN) device was developed to sample interstitial fluid (ISF) and capture spirochetes directly from skin. After sampling, the MN patch is easily dissolved in water or TE buffer, and the presence of spirochete DNA is detected by PCR. Performance was tested by spiking porcine ear skin with inactivated Borrelia burgdorferi, which had an approximate recovery of 80% of spirochetes. With further development, this simple direct PCR method could be a transformative approach for early detection of the causative agent of Lyme disease and enable rapid treatment to patients when infection is early, and numbers of systemic spirochetes are low.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Kight
- Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37211, USA
| | - Rosana Alfaro
- Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37211, USA
| | - Shiva Kumar Goud Gadila
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University Health Sciences, Covington, LA 70433, USA
| | - Shuang Chang
- Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37211, USA
| | - David Evans
- Biomedical Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37211, USA
| | - Monica Embers
- Division of Immunology, Tulane National Primate Research Center, Tulane University Health Sciences, Covington, LA 70433, USA
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Medina JM, Abbas MN, Bensaoud C, Hackenberg M, Kotsyfakis M. Bioinformatic Analysis of Ixodes ricinus Long Non-Coding RNAs Predicts Their Binding Ability of Host miRNAs. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179761. [PMID: 36077158 PMCID: PMC9456184 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus ticks are distributed across Europe and are a vector of tick-borne diseases. Although I. ricinus transcriptome studies have focused exclusively on protein coding genes, the last decade witnessed a strong increase in long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) research and characterization. Here, we report for the first time an exhaustive analysis of these non-coding molecules in I. ricinus based on 131 RNA-seq datasets from three different BioProjects. Using this data, we obtained a consensus set of lncRNAs and showed that lncRNA expression is stable among different studies. While the length distribution of lncRNAs from the individual data sets is biased toward short length values, implying the existence of technical artefacts, the consensus lncRNAs show a more homogeneous distribution emphasizing the importance to incorporate data from different sources to generate a solid reference set of lncRNAs. KEGG enrichment analysis of host miRNAs putatively targeting lncRNAs upregulated upon feeding showed that these miRNAs are involved in several relevant functions for the tick-host interaction. The possibility that at least some tick lncRNAs act as host miRNA sponges was further explored by identifying lncRNAs with many target regions for a given host miRNA or sets of host miRNAs that consistently target lncRNAs together. Overall, our findings suggest that lncRNAs that may act as sponges have diverse biological roles related to the tick–host interaction in different tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- José María Medina
- Departamentode Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Muhammad Nadeem Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Chaima Bensaoud
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Hackenberg
- Departamentode Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, 18016 Granada, Spain
- Correspondence: (M.H.); (M.K.)
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Correspondence: (M.H.); (M.K.)
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Lobba ARM, Alvarez-Flores MP, Fessel MR, Buri MV, Oliveira DS, Gomes RN, Cunegundes PS, DeOcesano-Pereira C, Cinel VD, Chudzinski-Tavassi AM. A Kunitz-type inhibitor from tick salivary glands: A promising novel antitumor drug candidate. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:936107. [PMID: 36052162 PMCID: PMC9424826 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.936107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Salivary glands are vital structures responsible for successful tick feeding. The saliva of ticks contains numerous active molecules that participate in several physiological processes. A Kunitz-type factor Xa (FXa) inhibitor, similar to the tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) precursor, was identified in the salivary gland transcriptome of Amblyomma sculptum ticks. The recombinant mature form of this Kunitz-type inhibitor, named Amblyomin-X, displayed anticoagulant, antiangiogenic, and antitumor properties. Amblyomin-X is a protein that inhibits FXa in the blood coagulation cascade and acts via non-hemostatic mechanisms, such as proteasome inhibition. Amblyomin-X selectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells and promotes tumor regression through these mechanisms. Notably, the cytotoxicity of Amblyomin-X seems to be restricted to tumor cells and does not affect non-tumorigenic cells, tissues, and organs, making this recombinant protein an attractive molecule for anticancer therapy. The cytotoxic activity of Amblyomin-X on tumor cells has led to vast exploration into this protein. Here, we summarize the function, action mechanisms, structural features, pharmacokinetics, and biodistribution of this tick Kunitz-type inhibitor recombinant protein as a promising novel antitumor drug candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline R. M. Lobba
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Miryam Paola Alvarez-Flores
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Melissa Regina Fessel
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Buri
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Douglas S. Oliveira
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Biochemistry Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Renata N. Gomes
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Priscila S. Cunegundes
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Biochemistry Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carlos DeOcesano-Pereira
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Victor D. Cinel
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Biochemistry Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ana M. Chudzinski-Tavassi
- Centre of Excellence in New Target Discovery-CENTD, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Development and Innovation Centre, Butantan Institute, Butantan Institute, São Paulo, Brazil
- Biochemistry Department, Federal University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Ana M. Chudzinski-Tavassi,
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Lu J, Wang K, Gao Z, Zhang S, Li H, Shi Y, Song X, Liu J, Yu Z, Yang X. Doenitin-1: A novel Kunitz family protein with versatile functions during feeding and reproduction of the tick Haemaphysalis doenitzi. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:872244. [PMID: 36032296 PMCID: PMC9399790 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.872244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites, ticks secrete a great diversity of antithrombin molecules during feeding. In this study, a novel antithrombin gene named Doenitin-1 was characterized from the tick Haemaphysalis doenitzi. It has an open reading frame size of 426 bp; it encodes 141 amino acids and has a predicted molecular weight of 15.8 kDa. The fibrinogen coagulation test showed that the time of coagulation was increased significantly with increase in rDoenitin-1 protein concentration, and the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) assays showed that rDoenitin-1 significantly prolonged the coagulation time of APTT, indicating that rDoenitin-1 has an anticoagulant activity in vitro. In addition, rDoenitin-1 presents a significant inhibitory activity in thrombin and cathepsin G. The hemolysis rate of rDoenitin-1 in healthy human blood cells was 4.25%, and no obvious hemolysis activity was observed. The comparison with other life stages shows that the higher expression occurs in adults, and tissue comparison indicated a higher expression in the midgut. The RNAi results indicated that interference of Doenitin-1 significantly reduced the engorgement rate and egg hatchability of H. doenitzi, and that the engorged body weight was slightly reduced. In conclusion, the results suggested that the novel gene Doenitin-1 functions in blood-feeding of H. doenitzi and performs various functions during feeding and reproduction of H. doenitzi. Doenitin-1 may be a potential vaccine candidate for tick control and for developing new antithrombotic drugs in the future.
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Schön MP. The tick and I: Parasite-host interactions between ticks and humans. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2022; 20:818-853. [PMID: 35674196 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.14821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ticks, particularly hard ticks (Ixodidae), which are among the most important vectors of dangerous infectious agents, feed on their hosts for extended periods of time. With this lifestyle, numerous adaptations have evolved in ticks and their hosts, the pharmacological importance of which is increasingly being recognized. Many bioactive substances in tick saliva are being considered as the basis of new drugs. For example, components of tick cement can be developed into tissue adhesives or wound closures. Analgesic and antipruritic salivary components inhibit histamine or bradykinin, while other tick-derived molecules bind opioid or cannabinoid receptors. Tick saliva inhibits the extrinsic, intrinsic, or common pathway of blood coagulation with implications for the treatment of thromboembolic diseases. It contains vasodilating substances and affects wound healing. The broad spectrum of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive effects of tick saliva, such as inhibition of chemokines or cellular immune responses, allows development of drugs against inflammation in autoimmune diseases and/or infections. Finally, modern vaccines against ticks can curb the spread of serious infections. The medical importance of the complex tick-host interactions is increasingly being recognized and translated into first clinical applications. Using selected examples, an overview of the mutual adaptations of ticks and hosts is given here, focusing on their significance to medical advance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Schön
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
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