Immunological control of hematophagous arthropod vectors: utilization of novel antigens

The Bm86 Discovery: A Revolution in the Development of Anti-Tick Vaccines

The presence in nature of species with genetic resistance to ticks, or with acquired resistance after repeated tick infestations, has encouraged the scientific community to consider vaccination as an alternative to the unsustainable chemical control of ticks. After numerous attempts to artificially immunize hosts with tick extracts, the purification and characterization of the Bm86 antigen by Willadsen et al. in 1989 constituted a revolutionary step forward in the development of vaccines against ticks. Previously, innovative studies that had used tick gut extracts for the immunization of cattle against Rhipicepahalus microplus (previously named Boophilus microplus) ticks, with amazingly successful results, demonstrated the feasibility of using antigens other than salivary-gland-derived molecules to induce a strong anti-tick immunity. However, the practical application of an anti-tick vaccine required the isolation, identification, and purification of the responsible antigen, which was finally defined as the Bm86 protein. More than thirty years later, the only commercially available anti-tick vaccines are still based on this antigen, and all our current knowledge about the field application of immunological control based on vaccination against ticks has been obtained through the use of these vaccines.

Rhipicephalus microplus: An overview of vaccine antigens against the cattle tick

Rhipicephalus microplus, popularly known as the cattle tick, is the most important tick of livestock as it is responsible for significant economic losses. The use of chemical acaricides is still the most widely used control method despite its known disadvantages. Vaccination would be a safe alternative for the control of R. microplus and holds advantages over the use of chemical acaricides as it is environmental-friendly and leaves no residues in meat or milk. Two vaccines based on the Bm86 protein were commercialized, TickGARD® and Gavac®, with varying reported efficacies in different countries. The use of other vaccines, such as Tick Vac®, Go-Tick®, and Bovimune Ixovac® have been restricted to some countries. Several other proteins have been analyzed as possible antigens for more effective vaccines against R. microplus, including peptidases, serine proteinase inhibitors, glutathione S-transferases, metalloproteases, and ribosomal proteins, with efficacies ranging from 14% to 96%. Nonetheless, more research is needed to develop safe and efficient tick vaccines, such as the evaluation of the efficacy of antigens against other tick species to verify cross-reactivity and inclusion of additional antigens to promote the blocking of the infection and spreading of tick-borne diseases. This review summarizes the discoveries of candidate antigens for R. microplus tick vaccines as well as the methods used to test their efficacy.

Comparative vector competence of North American Lyme disease vectors

BACKGROUND

Understanding the drivers of Lyme disease incidence at broad spatial scales is critical for predicting and mitigating human disease risk. Previous studies have identified vector phenology and behavior, host community composition, and landscape features as drivers of variable Lyme disease risk. However, while the Lyme disease transmission cycles in the eastern and western USA involve different vector species (Ixodes scapularis and Ixodes pacificus, respectively), the role of vector-specific differences in transmission efficiency has not been directly examined. By comparing the performance of traits involved in vector competence between these two species, this study aims to identify how vector competence contributes to variable Lyme disease risk.

METHODS

We used a suite of laboratory experiments to compare the performance of traits related to vector competence for the two USA Lyme disease vectors. For each species, we measured the rate of attachment to a common rodent host, the engorgement weight, and the efficiency of pathogen acquisition (host to tick) and pathogen transmission (tick to host) from laboratory mice. In measuring pathogen acquisition and transmission, we used two different pathogen strains, one sympatric with I. scapularis and one sympatric with I. pacificus, to assess the importance of vector-pathogen coevolutionary history in transmission dynamics.

RESULTS

We found I. pacificus had significantly higher host attachment success and engorgement weights, but significantly lower pathogen transmission efficiency relative to I. scapularis. Molting success and pathogen acquisition did not differ between these two species. However, pathogen acquisition efficiency was significantly higher for both sympatric vector and pathogen strains than the allopatric pairings.

CONCLUSIONS

This study identified species-specific vector traits as a potential driver of broad scale variation in Lyme disease risk in the USA. In particular, the exceedingly low rates of pathogen transmission from tick to host observed for I. pacificus may limit Lyme disease transmission efficiency in the western USA. Further, observed variation in pathogen acquisition between sympatric and allopatric vector-pathogen strains indicate that vector-pathogen coevolutionary history may play a key role in transmission dynamics. These findings underscore the need to consider vector traits and vector-pathogen coevolution as important factors governing regional Lyme disease risk.

Vaccination against Lyme disease: past, present, and future

Lyme borreliosis is a zoonotic disease caused by Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato bacteria transmitted to humans and domestic animals by the bite of an Ixodes spp. tick (deer tick). Despite improvements in diagnostic tests and public awareness of Lyme disease, the reported cases have increased over the past decade to approximately 30,000 per year. Limitations and failed public acceptance of a human vaccine, comprised of the outer surface A (OspA) lipoprotein of B. burgdorferi, led to its demise, yet current research has opened doors to new strategies for protection against Lyme disease. In this review we discuss the enzootic cycle of B. burgdorferi, and the unique opportunities it poses to block infection or transmission at different levels. We present the correlates of protection for this infectious disease, the pros and cons of past vaccination strategies, and new paradigms for future vaccine design that would include elements of both the vector and the pathogen.

Ingestion of host blood by the monogenean Pseudodiplorchis americanus: a quantitative analysis

Pseudodiplorchis americanus infects the urinary bladder of a desert toad and feeds exclusively on blood, producing the iron-rich waste product haematin. The host, Scaphiopus couchii, retains dilute urine within the urinary bladder as a water store throughout hibernation and parasite waste will therefore not be eliminated. This study utilized atomic absorption spectrophotometry to quantify the iron within the urinary bladders of infected and uninfected toads after different periods of hibernation. During the first 4 months hibernation, no detectable iron, above that of the controls, was found in the urine and bladder tissue of infected animals, but after 5–6 months hibernation there was a small but not significant increase. The iron contained within most individual parasites was greater than that detected in the urine and bladder tissue of the host, and the total iron in each parasite infrapopulation was 3–83 times greater than the urinary bladder iron. This suggests that the parasites do not regurgitate their gut contents during host hibernation. The amount of iron in individual parasites increased with time after migration to the bladder and this was used to estimate the amount of blood ingested by P. americanus. At a controlled temperature of 25 °C, the estimated rate of ingestion increased from 0·33 μl blood/parasite/week by worms 2 weeks post-migration to a maximum of around 1·6 μl by worms 5 months post-migration. The rate of blood ingestion by older worms was also calculated as a function of the hibernation period (since this did not correspond to worm age) assuming complete gut evacuation at the start of hibernation. This provided maximum estimates of ingestion rate of 1·9–5·3 μl blood/parasite/week.

Immunity against Ixodes scapularis salivary proteins expressed within 24 hours of attachment thwarts tick feeding and impairs Borrelia transmission

In North America, the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, an obligate haematophagus arthropod, is a vector of several human pathogens including Borrelia burgdorferi, the Lyme disease agent. In this report, we show that the tick salivary gland transcriptome and proteome is dynamic and changes during the process of engorgement. We demonstrate, using a guinea pig model of I. scapularis feeding and B. burgdorferi transmission, that immunity directed against salivary proteins expressed in the first 24 h of tick attachment — and not later — is sufficient to evoke all the hallmarks of acquired tick-immunity, to thwart tick feeding and also to impair Borrelia transmission. Defining this subset of proteins will promote a mechanistic understanding of novel I. scapularis proteins critical for the initiation of tick feeding and for Borrelia transmission.

Protective immunity against Ixodes ricinus induced by a salivary serpin

Iris is a specific elastase inhibitor expressed in the salivary glands of the hard tick Ixodes ricinus. It belongs to the superfamily of serpins and interferes with both haemostasis and the immune response of the host. In this study, we first show that Iris is expressed in nymphs but not in the female midgut nor in males. We also show that Iris is present in the saliva. To examine its potency as anti-tick vaccine candidate, we set up three models of I. ricinus infestation on immunized animals: nymphs on mice, and adults and nymphs on rabbits. We report the rise of neutralizing antibodies following immunization of rabbits and mice. This comes with a significant protective immunity against ticks in rabbits only, resulting in a 30% mortality rate and a diminution of weight gain in both nymphs and adults and a prolongation of blood feeding time in adults. This is the first report on an anti-tick vaccine trial on I. ricinus using a protein able to interact with both host immunity and haemostasis, as a vaccinating antigen.

Identification and partial purification of serologically defined Boophilus microplus larval antigens by natural ectoparasite exposure

In an effort to identify life-stage specific Boophilus microplus proteins that elicit a humoral response in cattle, soluble proteins were extracted from 10- to 14-day-old larvae and subsequently fractionated by size-exclusion chromatography and reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography. Several antigens were identified by Western blotting as potentially shared with other ixodid tick species since antibodies to these proteins were present in sera of calves not previously exposed to B. microplus. Six putative B. microplus-specific antigens were identified by antibodies in the sera of calves repeatedly exposed to B. microplus larvae. One of the antigens, a 19.1 kDa protein, was used in the development of a diagnostic kELISA for previous exposure to B. microplus. The 19.1 kDa protein did not have tryptic protease activity or inhibit bovine trypsin activity, but appeared to be allergenic in that a partially pure fraction elicited immediate-type hypersensitivity responses in calves previously exposed to B. microplus.

A serine protease inhibitor (serpin) from Haemaphysalis longicornis as an anti-tick vaccine

The application of anti-tick vaccine has been shown to be the most promising alternative tick control strategy compared to the current use of acaricides that suffer from a number of limitations. The success of this strategy is dependent on the cloning, and characterization of tick molecules involved in the mediation of tick central physiological roles. Rapid amplification of the cDNA ends (RACE) and primers designed based on a conserved serpin amino acid motif (NAVYFKG) were used to clone a cDNA with high similarity in the reactive center loop (RCL) to representative serpin, heparin cofactor II. We have named this novel gene as Haemaphysalis longicornis serpin-2 (HLS2). RT-PCR analysis showed that HLS2 mRNA transcripts are not expressed in salivary glands but in hemolymph by feeding ticks. HLS2 was not introduced into the bite site as measured by Western blot analysis. The activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and the thrombin inhibitory assay using recombinant HLS2 (rHLS2) demonstrated prolonged coagulation time and inhibition of thrombin activity. These results suggested that HLS2 is present only in hemolymph of the feeding ticks and the function of HLS2 is homeostasis in tick physiological compartment. Vaccination of rabbits with rHLS2 conferred protective immunity against ticks, resulting in 44.6 and 43.0% mortality in nymphal and adult ticks, respectively. These results show that rHLS2 could be an important candidate as a component of a cocktail anti-tick vaccine.

Protection of Dairy Cows Immunized with Tick Tissues against NaturalBoophilus microplusInfestations in Thailand

Boophilus microplus has a major impact on cattle production, and an antitick vaccine would be a valuable tool for control of this important ectoparasite in Thailand. Previous work has shown that immunization of hosts with different tick tissues has different implications regarding tick feeding and fecundity under experimental conditions. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of immunization of dairy cattle with B. microplus salivary gland or midgut extracts on natural infestations by this tick species. The different antigen extracts (1 mg total protein) or equivalent amounts of adjuvant alone were injected intradermally every two weeks for a total of three times before allowing cattle to graze in a tick-contaminated pasture. Animals were checked daily, and engorged female ticks collected, counted, weighed, and maintained in tick incubators to observe tick performance parameters, including engorged weight, egg mass weight, nonviable eggs, mortality, oviposition period, egg incubation period, and F1 larval weight. After six months, each group was reimmunized with the same antigen and/or adjuvant, and ticks were again collected and evaluated. Immunization of cattle with salivary gland preparations resulted in reductions in mean tick counts and in engorged female weights. Immunization with midgut antigens reduced tick oviposition and reduced egg mass weights. In addition, more ticks recovered from midgut-immunized cows produce nonviable eggs. This investigation indicates that a vaccine based on these antigen preparations could induce a lasting, protective immune response against B. microplus that would be expected to provide a safe nontoxic means of tick control.

Disruption of Ixodes scapularis anticoagulation by using RNA interference

Ixodes scapularis ticks transmit many pathogens, including Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and Babesia microti. Vaccines directed against arthropod proteins injected into the host during tick engorgement could prevent numerous infectious diseases. Salp14, a salivary anticoagulant, poses a key target for such intervention. Salp14 is the prototypic member of a family of potential I. scapularis anticoagulants, expressed and secreted in tick saliva during tick feeding. RNA interference was used to assess the role of Salp14 in tick feeding. Salp14 and its paralogs were silenced, as demonstrated by the reduction of mRNA and protein specific for these antigens. Tick salivary glands lacking Salp14 had reduced anticoagulant activity, as revealed by a 60-80% reduction of anti-factor Xa activity. Silencing the expression of salp14 and its paralogs also reduced the ability of I. scapularis to feed, as demonstrated by a 50-70% decline in the engorgement weights. Because ticks have several anticoagulants, it is likely that the expression of multiple anticoagulants in I. scapularis saliva would have to be ablated simultaneously to abolish tick feeding. These studies demonstrate that RNA interference can silence I. scapularis genes and disrupt their physiologic function in vivo, and they identify vaccine candidates that can alter vector engorgement.

Immunization of crossbred cattle (Bos indicus x Bos taurus) with fractionated midgut antigens against Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum

Crossbred calves (Bos indicus x Bos taurus) were immunized with a fractionated midgut supernate antigen (GS-F Ag from Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum). The first inoculation on day 0 was given intramuscularly after emulsification with Freund's complete adjuvant; the second was given subcutaneously on day 14 in incomplete Freund's adjuvant; and the third on day 35 was given subcutaneously without adjuvant. Each injection comprised 1 mg of antigen protein. Ten days after the last inoculation, the immunized calves were challenged simultaneously with 1000 larvae and 20 pairs (20 males and 20 females) of adult H. a. anatolicum on one ear and a similar number of Hyalomma dromedarii ticks on the other ear. There was a significant decrease in the percentage larval engorgement and larval rejection of up to 34% on the immunized calves. A significant increase in the engorgement and preoviposition periods and a significant decrease in the engorged weight, egg mass weight and reproductive index were observed for adult female ticks when fed on the immunized calves. The GS-F Ag also induced a considerable degree of cross-protection in calves against H. dromedarii larval ticks.

A serine proteinase inhibitor (serpin) from ixodid tick Haemaphysalis longicornis; cloning and preliminary assessment of its suitability as a candidate for a tick vaccine

Rapid amplification of the cDNA ends (RACE) and primers designed based on a conserved serpin amino acid motif (NAVYFKG) were used to clone a 1350bp cDNA which encodes a 378 polypeptide with high sequence similarity to several known serpins. We have named this gene as Haemaphysalis longicornis serpin-1 (HLS1). Northern blotting and reverse transcription (RT)-PCR analysis of total RNA from unfed or partially fed whole ticks as well as dissected tick organs revealed that transcription of HLS1 mRNA was induced by blood meal feeding during the slow feeding phase (24-48 h post-attachment) only in the tick midguts. Vaccination of rabbits with recombinant HLS1 (rHLS1) expressed in Escherichia coli resulted in 43.9 and 11.2% mortality of nymph and adult ticks which were fed on immunized rabbits. Polyclonal rabbit antibodies to tick saliva did not react with rHLS1, suggesting that native HLS1 was not secreted into the host during tick feeding. rHLS1 could be a potential candidate for a cocktail anti-tick vaccine.

cDNA cloning, characterization and vaccine effect analysis of Haemaphysalis longicornis tick saliva proteins

Immunological control of ticks is currently the only sustainable and practical alternative method to the current use of acaricides which has serious limitations. The success of this method is dependent upon identification and cloning of potential tick vaccine antigens. We used a combination of immuno-screening of an adult tick cDNA library as well as the 3 and 5 rapid amplification of cDNA ends to clone two cDNAs, encoding tick saliva proteins from Haemaphysalis longicornis. The two cDNAs herein named HL 34 and 35 are 1000 bp each and encode polypeptides with 292 and 321 amino acid residues respectively. Northern blotting analysis of total RNA from ticks at different feeding stages revealed that expression of both HL 34 and HL35 mRNAs is induced during the slow feeding phase. We speculate that the functions of both genes are closely associated with blood feeding. Expression analysis by RT-PCR showed that both genes are expressed in other tick organs in addition to salivary glands. Recombinant HL 34 was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli and its suitability as a tick vaccine antigen was analyzed in rabbits. We propose that rHL34 could be a useful component of a cocktail tick vaccine.

Performance of female Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Acari: Ixodidae) fed on dogs exposed to multiple infestations or immunization with tick salivary gland or midgut tissues

This investigation compared the effects of repeated infestations to immunization of dogs with tick salivary gland or midgut extracts on the feeding and fecundity performances of female Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latrielle). In each immunized group, three tick-naive dogs were immunized three times with tick salivary gland or midgut extracts, and twice challenged at 21-d intervals by allowing 80 female and 40 male adult ticks to feed on each host. The repeated infestation group of three naive dogs was infested five times at 21-d intervals by the same numbers of ticks. The repeated infestation group showed a trend of reduced tick performance after the third infestation, but some of the tick performance parameters had recovered by the fifth infestation. Tick attachment was reduced by immunization with either tick salivary gland or midgut extract. Immunization with tick salivary gland extract had the greatest impact on the feeding period and engorgement weight of the female ticks. Immunization with tick midgut extract resulted in the greatest reduction of tick fecundity parameters, which included preoviposition, oviposition, and egg-incubation periods in addition to reduced egg production and egg viability. These results confirm that dogs can become resistant to R. sanguineus, and demonstrate that immunization with tick salivary gland or midgut extract has different effects on tick feeding and fecundity.

Vaccination against ticks (Boophilus spp.): the experience with the Bm86-based vaccine Gavac

The control of tick infestations and the transmission of tick-borne diseases remain a challenge for the cattle industry in tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Traditional control methods have been only partially successful and the parasites continue to result in significant losses for the cattle industry. Recently, vaccines containing the recombinant B. microplus gut antigen Bm86 have been developed. Our vaccine formulation (Gavac, Heber Biotec S.A., Havana, Cuba) has been registered and is commercially available in Cuba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Brazil and Mexico. In controlled pen trials, Gavac has been effective for the control of artificial infestations of B. annulatus, B. decoloratus and chemical-sensitive and resistant B. microplus strains from Australia, Africa, America and Iran. In controlled field trials in Cuba, Brazil, Argentina and Mexico, Gavac has shown a 55-100% efficacy in the control of B. microplus infestations in grazing cattle 12-36 weeks after the first vaccination. Field trials under production conditions have been conducted in Cuba, Colombia, Brazil and Mexico in pure and cross-bred cattle herds. The application of Gavac has increased the time between acaricide treatments by an average of 32 /-21 days (P = 0.0005) resulting in important savings for the cattle industry. In Cuba, a cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted in more than 260000 animals. The cost-effectiveness analysis showed a 60% reduction in the number of acaricide treatments, together with the control of tick infestations and transmission of babesiosis, which resulted in savings of 23.4 dollars animal(-1) year (-1). These results clearly demonstrate the advantage of vaccination and support the application of Gavac for the control of Boophilus spp. infestations.

Immunological control of ectoparasites: past achievements and future research priorities

Recombinant vaccines are available for the control of the tick Boophilus microplus, while progress has been made in the development of vaccines against Lucilia cuprina and Chrysomya bezziana. Literature suggests that the control of other ectoparasites is feasible, either through the duplication in a vaccine of naturally acquired immunity or through 'concealed' antigen vaccines. Major deficiencies in our current knowledge however point to possible research opportunities for the future. The identification of protective antigens from all species is proceeding slowly, particularly for the antigens of naturally acquired immunity. Our capacity to produce effective recombinant antigens has progressed greatly, though there remains a major difficulty where some or all of the protective effect is due to immunogenic oligosaccharide. Our understanding of protective mechanisms is limited. The delivery of the appropriate immunological response remains difficult. Nevertheless, some of the most critical areas of ignorance are in basic biological issues: factors which affect the susceptibility of particular pest species to immunological attack and the implications of vaccine-induced effects for pest and disease control under field conditions. Increasingly too, effective pest control is likely to demand the integration of a variety of control technologies. The study of this integration is in its infancy.

Reproductive and safety assessment of vaccination with Gavac against the cattle tick (Boophilus microplus)

Recent developments in cattle tick control have incorporated the use of recombinant Bm86 vaccines against this ectoparasite. The vaccine developed by our group (Gavac) contains an antigen expressed in Pichia pastoris, and has been successfully employed for the control of tick infestations and transmission of tick-borne diseases. Here, we examined the safety and effect of the Gavac vaccine on reproductive parameters in cattle. Toxicity tests in mice and guinea pigs demonstrated the safety of Gavac. To study the adverse effects of vaccination on reproduction, a field trial involving 9,500 animals in Cuba was conducted. The cattle at 3 farms were vaccinated while those on a fourth farm were left unvaccinated and served as the control. Following vaccination, the control of tick infestation and the transmission of babesiosis were used to demonstrate the efficacy of the vaccine. No adverse effects were observed in any of the reproductive parameters studied when comparing the data before and after vaccination with Gavac and between the vaccinated farms and the control farm. These results demonstrate that under the conditions of our study vaccination with Gavac is safe for use on cattle.

Molecular characterization of a Haemaphysalis longicornis tick salivary gland-associated 29-kilodalton protein and its effect as a vaccine against tick infestation in rabbits

The use of tick vaccines in mammalian hosts has been shown to be the most promising alternative tick control method to current use of acaricides, which suffers from a number of limitations. However, the success of this method is dependent on the identification, cloning, and in vitro expression of tick molecules involved in the mediation of key physiological roles with respect to the biological success of a tick as a vector and pest. We have sequenced and characterized a Haemaphysalis longicornis tick salivary gland-associated cDNA coding for a 29-kDa extracellular matrix-like protein. This protein is expressed in both unfed and fed immature and mature H. longicornis ticks. The predicted amino acid sequence of p29 shows high homology to sequences of some known extracellular matrix like-proteins with the structural conservation similar to all known collagen proteins. Immunization with the recombinant p29 conferred a significant protective immunity in rabbits, resulting in reduced engorgement weight for adult ticks and up to 40 and 56% mortality in larvae and nymphs that fed on the immunized rabbits. We speculate that this protein is associated with formation of tick cement, a chemical compound that enables the tick to remain attached to the host, and suggest a role for p29 as a candidate tick vaccine molecule for the control of ticks. We have discussed our findings with respect to the search of tick molecules for vaccine candidates.

Arthropod vaccines

Antigens located in the midgut of the tick are hidden from the host's immune system. Egg production of ticks can be reduced when ticks are fed on animals vaccinated with midgut antigens of the tick, and a subunit vaccine formulated with the recombinant antigen Bm86 is now available that can reduce the number of ticks infesting cattle grazing on pasture. Midgut antigens used in vaccines against insects that transmit pathogenic organisms to humans have not been as effective in reducing insect fecundity and an alternative approach may be necessary. Transmission-blocking vaccines directed at interfering with the vector-pathogen interaction could result in loss of vector competence and block the spread of disease-causing organisms.

A simulation study of the effects of acaricides and vaccination on Boophilus cattle-tick populations

This paper describes a simulation model to evaluate different control strategies for Boophilus microplus. The model combines a dynamic life-history module for tick-population dynamics with other modules for vaccination, sterile-hybrid larval release and use of acaricide dipping vats. The tick life-history module considers the cattle's nutritional level and allows for distribution of ticks by age at all stages of growth. Appropriately, the model was sensitive to host resistance and to host-nutritional status. The validity of the life-history module--as well as that of the vaccination and acaricide dipping--vats modules--was demonstrated by comparing simulated and real data for several geographical locations in Cuba and Brazil. Optimum tick-control strategies for the first year of vaccination were designed and the effect of long-term vaccination on tick population was also studied.

Characterization of body louse midgut proteins recognized by resistant hosts

The human body louse, Pediculus humanus, showed eighteen midgut proteins ranging between 12 and 117 kDa, when analysed by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. Seven of them (12 kDa, 17 kDa, 29 kDa, 35 kDa, 40 kDa, 55 kDa and 97 kDa) were major bands based on their intensity of staining. The immunization of rabbits with a midgut extract elicited the production of protective polyclonal antibodies. These antibodies reacted strongly with all major midgut proteins as well as with 63 kDa and 117 kDa proteins when tested by the Western blot technique. The analysis of the proteins revealed that the 12 kDa, 25 kDa, 29 kDa, 35 kDa, 45 kDa, 87 kDa and 97 kDa proteins are glycosylated and none of them contained a lipid moiety. By electroelution, the proteins of 35 kDa and 63 kDa were purified. On trypsinization, the proteins of 35 kDa and 63 kDa produced four major fragments (F1, F2, F3, and F4) when resolved on a 18% SDS-PAGE. The F1 fragment of the 35 kDa protein reacted with the polyclonal antibodies by the immunoblot technique.

Control of Boophilus microplus populations in grazing cattle vaccinated with a recombinant Bm86 antigen preparation

Current methods for the control of cattle tick Boophilus microplus infestations are not effective and the parasite remains a serious problem for the cattle industry in tropical and subtropical areas. Recently, we developed a vaccine against B. microplus employing a recombinant Bm86 (rBm86) antigen preparation (Gavac, Heber Biotec) and it was shown to induce a protective response in vaccinated animals under controlled conditions. Here we show that, under field conditions in grazing cattle, the vaccine is able to control B. microplus populations. Two parasite-free farms were employed for the study. In the first farm, animals were vaccinated with the recombinant vaccine, while, in the second, animals received a saline injection in adjuvant. After immunization, animals were artificially infected and the infestation rate was recorded. Over the 33 weeks of the experiment, the infestation rate was lower in the vaccinated group compared with the control group. At the end of the experiment it was necessary to use chemicals in the control farm after serious losses in production and animals.

Targeting ticks for control of selected hemoparasitic diseases of cattle

Development in and transmission of hemoparasites by tick vectors are phenomena closely synchronized with the tick feeding cycle. In all known life cycles, initial infection of tick tissues occurs in midgut epithelial cells and transmission is effected as ticks feed after parasites have developed and multiplied in salivary glands. Many factors reviewed affect development and transmission of hemoparasites by ticks including age of ticks, artificial temperature, climate and/or season, tick stage or sex, hemoparasite variation, concurrent infection of ticks with other pathogens, host cell susceptibility, transovarial transmission, effect of hemoparasites on tick biology, and the effect of infecting parasitemia level in cattle on infection rates in ticks. Four hemoparasites of cattle, Anaplasma marginale, Cowdria ruminantium, Theileria parva, and Babesia spp., are all dependent on ticks for biological transmission. Babesia is transmitted transovarially whereas the other three are transmitted transstadially. Mechanical transfer of infective blood via fomites and mouthparts of biting arthropods is also a major means of transmission for Anaplasma marginale but not of the others. Potential control methods for hemoparasites that target parasites as they are developing in their respective tick hosts include tick control, vaccines (against ticks and parasites), and drugs (against ticks and parasites). Successful application of control strategies will be dependent upon thorough understanding of parasite developmental cycles, biology of the tick vectors and the immune response of cattle to ticks and to hemoparasites. The most effective control measures will be those that are targeted against both ticks and the hemoparasites they vector.

Relationships and influences between Boophilus microplus characteristics in tick-naive or repeatedly infested cattle

Six tick-naive male Hereford calves were infested once a month for 6 months with 18,000 Boophilus microplus larvae on the back and with 400 larvae in a cloth bag glued on the lumbar region. Working with the bag ticks, 12 tick characteristics were recorded for each infestation. Each tick attribute was analyzed for significant differences with those of the first infestation (analysis of variance), and for similarity (clustering), degree of relationship (correlation), and concomitant variation (regression) against all the other attributes during the first, third, and sixth infestations. Some attributes were affected maximally by host immunity about the third infestation but recovered later (length of feeding, detachment weight, egg weight, start of oviposition, fertility efficiency index), whereas others continued to be affected until the last infestation (length of oviposition, corpse weight, start of hatching, feeding efficiency index). All analyses showed that weight at detachment and egg weight were closely related, and corpse weight was partially related to these two. All other natural characteristics were largely independent. Length of feeding showed no significant relation with weight at detachment nor length of oviposition with egg weight. These findings suggest that different tick functions are independently affected by host immunity and recommends against estimating general anti-tick resistance by the evaluation of only a few tick characteristics.

A review on vaccination against protozoa and arthropods of veterinary importance

The recent advances in immunology and biotechnology have stimulated much research on the control of parasitic diseases through vaccination. This is a review of the state of the art regarding important protozoan and arthropod veterinary parasites. A live oocyst vaccine for avian coccidiosis is still in use but much work has been done on the identification, cloning, and assay of protective antigens. The sporozoites of Eimeria tenella have been the preferred subject and at least four recombinant antigens have already been tested with partial success. Premunization against babesiosis is still widely used in Latin America as is a live vaccine with attenuated parasites in Australia. At least three Babesia bovis and three Babesia bigemina antigens that generate partial protection have been produced as recombinant proteins. A vaccine against canine babesiosis is being commercialized in France. Infection-treatment is still used to vaccinate against Theileria parva and a schizont vaccine against Theileria annulata. Recombinant sporozoite antigens have been assayed with partial success against both species but the identification and administration of protective schizont antigens, regarded as the most important, still requires considerable work. The immunological control of African trypanosomoses is still impaired by the antigenic variation that the parasites experience during the infection. Although some possibilities exist, most specialists are pessimistic about the promise of developing a vaccine in the near future. Control of Boophilus ticks with an occult tick intestine recombinant antigen seems to have potential in inhibiting reproduction of the tick but salivary antigens appear to be more effective at inhibiting feeding and pathogen transmission. Vaccination with a Hypoderma protein, recently cloned, has induced 90% protection against subsequent infestations. It is very likely that effective vaccines against veterinary parasites will become available in the near future.

Detection of Bm86 antigen in different strains of Boophilus microplus and effectiveness of immunization with recombinant Bm86

The control of tick populations by using conventional strategies poses several problems, including the appearance of organophosphate resistant strains, among others. The possibility of using alternative strategies such as vaccination with tick antigens has been suggested by several authors. One particular antigen (Bm86) has been described and shown to be able to induce a protective immunity against the cattle tick Boophilus microplus. In this paper we demonstrate by means of immunohistochemical staining that this antigen is conserved among several strains of this species. These results correlate with those showing that animals vaccinated with a preparation of recombinant Bm86 were protected against challenge with the four different strains tested, including one resistant to organophosphates. These results favour the immunization with recombinant Bm86 for the control of the cattle tick B. microplus.

Vaccines against blood-sucking arthropods

This paper provides selected personal insights on the development of vaccines against blood-sucking arthropods, with particular emphasis on vaccines against ticks. The emergence of novel or concealed antigens of haematophagous ectoparasites as candidate vaccine antigens is reviewed and the effect of feeding by the parasite on the expression of protective antigens is considered. The distribution of protective antigens through life cycle stages, the stage of the life cycle targeted by protective responses, and the nature of these responses, are commented on briefly. Concealed antigens of the gut, including the peritrophic membrane, and other internal organs, are evaluated for the role they play in induction of immunity artificially. Some of the work carried out to purify and characterise protective antigens of tick guts is described. A commentary is developed on vaccines that combine both "concealed" and "exposed" antigens. Some of the problems associated with the infestation and challenge of vaccinated hosts in the field are identified and the delivery of parasite antigens as vaccines that are both protective and "user-friendly" is emphasised as a major problem to be solved.

Immunisation of rabbits against the brown ear tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus using tick haemolymph

Tick naive rabbits were immunised with haemolymph components from partially fed Rhipicephalus appendiculatus adult ticks and subsequently challenged with all the developmental instars of the tick. The results obtained showed that the rabbits were rendered resistant to all the instars of the tick. However, the resistance was more pronounced in adult ticks than in the immature stages. The resistance was manifested as a reduction in the number of ticks that fed successfully to engorgement, reduced engorgement weights and reduced fecundities. Re challenging the resistant experimental rabbits with all the developmental instar stages of Rhipicephalus appendiculatus showed that resistance was maintained in subsequent infestations.

Antigens and glycoproteins of larvae, nymphs and adults of the tick Ixodes ricinus

Protein components of homogenates of unfed larvae and nymphs of Ixodes ricinus (L.), and of ovary, haemolymph, Malpighian tubules, rectal ampulla, fat body, integument, salivary glands and midgut of partially fed adult females were studied for their antigenicity and carbohydrate moieties using immunoblotting and lectin affinity blotting (LAB) techniques. Comparing the individual anti-larval, anti-nymphal and anti-adult immune sera for their capacity to recognize the specific and trans-stadially cross-reactive antigenic proteins, larval feeding induced the most effective humoral response. The majority of immunogens recognized by rabbit anti-tick immune sera are glycoproteins. Most of the glycosylated antigens were modified with N-type glycans; however, O-type glycans were also demonstrated in some antigens. The correlation of the type of glycosylation with antigenicity, and the sharing of common antigenic epitopes by various tissues, are discussed.

High level expression of the B. microplus Bm86 antigen in the yeast Pichia pastoris forming highly immunogenic particles for cattle

Recently, a gene coding for the Bm86 tick gut glycoprotein was cloned, expressed in Escherichia coli and shown to induce an immunological response in cattle to damage ticks engorging on these animals (Rand et al., 1989). We report here the increased expression of the Bm86 antigen from the cattle tick Boophilus microplus in the methylotrophic yeast Pichia pastoris. The recombinant protein was obtained with a purity higher than 95% by a procedure with a high yield. The conducted biochemical studies demonstrated the antigen to be glycosylated and found to form particles of around 17 to 45 nm in diameter with enhanced immunogenic properties. Ticks engorging on vaccinated cattle were significantly damaged as a result of the immune response against the recombinant antigen. This system permits the obtainment in a high yield of the tick Bm86 antigen, in a glycosylated and particulated form.

Serum of Boophilus microplus infested cattle reacts with different tick tissues

Five cattle were each experimentally infested with 30,000 Boophilus microplus larvae and their humoral immune response to salivary gland, gut, embryo and larval extracts during infestation were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western blot analysis. Serum antibodies to embryo extract were detected by ELISA 21 days after infestation and antibodies to the other extracts 28 days following infestation. Using Western blot analysis, new bands were recognized and others disappeared during infestation. One low molecular weight band (10,000) was detected in embryo extract 14 days after infestation and in other extracts 28 days after infestation; another band (12,000 mol. wt.) in embryo, larval and salivary gland extracts was detected at the same time as the 10,000 mol. wt. band. These results suggest that common antigens are present in different tissues of B. microplus.

Cell membrane receptors and regulation of cell function in ticks and blood-sucking insects

Immunoglobulins cross the midgut epithelium and enter the haemolymph of many blood-feeding arthropods without losing their immunological properties. Antigens essential to the survival of the blood-sucking arthropods which may be affected by the small amounts of specific antibody that cross the gut epithelium include membrane receptors or other factors which regulate cell function. Membrane receptors implicated in transmembrane signalling in response to specific neural and endocrine factors fall into three major classes: (1) gated ion channels, (2) agonist-stimulated tyrosine kinases and (3) receptors that interact with GTP-binding (G) proteins. Examples of all three types have been found in insects and ticks. A dopamine receptor interacts with a G-protein essential for controlling fluid secretion by the salivary glands of ixodid ticks. Another receptor in the ixodid tick salivary gland binds a neuropeptide from the tick synganglion and stimulates turnover of plasma membrane phosphoinositides, but its mechanisms of transmembrane signalling and function remain elusive. Another large class of membrane receptors are those concerned with endocytosis. Examples of receptor-mediated endocytosis include incorporation of vitellogenin by developing oocytes in mosquitoes and ticks and uptake of lysed blood-meal components by digest cells of the tick gut. Many cell membrane receptors and possibly hormones could serve as targets for vaccines in blood-feeding insects and ticks. The major challenge is to identify and characterize essential internal receptors and cellular components that are accessible to and affected by specific antibodies that are introduced into the body of blood-feeding arthropods.

Generic approaches to obtaining efficacious antigens from vector arthropods

The development of vaccines to control ectoparasites is dependent upon the identification of key parasite antigens. While a rational, pragmatic approach to antigen identification has yielded a successful vaccine candidate from ticks, there may be problems with such an approach when dealing with other ectoparasites. As an alternative approach, the search for vaccine candidates may be facilitated by cloning and expressing parasite genes encoding proteins involved in key physiological roles. A number of criteria may be applied to short-list candidate vaccines, these being; (a) host antibodies should be able to gain access to the parasite antigen; (b) sufficient antibody must gain access to the antigen target; (c) the formation of antibody-antigen complex should disrupt the normal function of the parasite antigen (d) the antigen should share conserved structural/sequence motifs with related, characterised, proteins, thus allowing the use of recombinant DNA methods to clone and express the candidate antigen. We propose three major groups of parasite antigens which may fulfill these criteria; serine proteases, chemoreceptors/ion channels and neuropeptides.

Tick-induced modulation of the host immune response

The tick-host-pathogen interface is characterised by complex immunological interactions. Host immune responses to tick infestation and infection with tick-borne pathogens involve cytokines, antibodies, complement and T lymphocyte regulatory and effector pathways. A successful host-parasite relationship is a balance between limiting the parasite by host defenses and the ability of the parasite to modulate, evade or restrict the host response. Hosts acquire immunological based resistance to tick infestation, which reduces engorgement, production of ova and viability. Salivary glands of ixodid ticks produce a complex array of immunogens and pharmacologically active molecules. Tick salivary gland derived material can modulate host cytokine, antibody and cell mediated immune responses. Both immunoregulatory and immune effector pathways of the host are suppressed. Tick feeding impairs the ability to develop a primary immune response to a thymic dependent immunogen. Lymphocytes obtained from tick infested hosts are reduced in their ability to proliferate in vitro to T lymphocyte mitogens, while responses to B lymphocyte polyclonal activators are unaltered. Normal macrophages and lymphocytes were exposed to female tick salivary gland extracts prepared daily during the course of engorgement. All extracts reduced lymphocyte responses to T cell mitogens and enhanced in vitro proliferation in the presence of a B lymphocyte mitogen. Macrophage elaboration of tumour necrosis factor alpha and interleukin-1 are significantly reduced in a differential manner. Production of interleukin-2 and interferon-gamma by T lymphocytes is reduced. Tick modulation of the host immune response could enhance the ability of the arthropod to obtain a blood meal and facilitate pathogen transmission to an immunocompetent host.

A family of serine protease genes expressed in adult buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua)

Gene fragments encoding serine proteases expressed in adult buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) were amplified from cDNA using generic oligonucleotide PCR primers, based on conserved residues surrounding the active-site His and Ser amino acids found in all serine proteases. The PCR product consisted of a broad band extending from about 450 bp to 520 bp, which suggested that the PCR product actually consisted of numerous DNA fragments of slightly variable sizes. Seventeen independent clones of these fragments, each with an insert of approximately 480 bp, were digested with HaeIII. Comparison of restriction fragment patterns indicated that 13 of these clones harboured different PCR products. This was confirmed by DNA sequence analysis of 9 clones. Each of the sequenced clones contained an open reading frame which included structurally conserved regions characteristic of the serine protease superfamily. This study reveals the expression of a large and highly variable repertoire of serine proteases in adult buffalo fly. Importantly, these data also demonstrate the utility of such an approach in obtaining DNA probes for use in further investigations of gene family organization and expression, as well as providing recombinant antigens in the form of fusion proteins which may be used as candidates for vaccine production.

Contrasting effects of sera from rabbits and cattle infested with ticks on the in vitro feeding performance of the tick Rhipicephalus appendiculatus

The in vitro feeding activity of partially engorged Rhipicephalus appendiculatus (Neumann) (Acari: Ixodidae) females fed on sera from uninfested hosts was compared to that of ticks fed serum of hosts which had previously been infested with ticks. Although ticks fed best on sera from bovid hosts which had no prior exposure to this ectoparasite, two infestations of a bovid had no significant effect on the acceptability of its serum. In contrast, ticks fed sera from rabbits which had twice been infested with ticks gained significantly less weight than those fed serum obtained from the same animals before the infestations. Clearly there is a difference between natural host resistance and that of laboratory animals.

Host resistance in cattle tick control

Cattle ticks are an important constraint on the livestock industry, particularly in tropical and subtropical areas, mainly because of the diseases they transmit and the costs of control. Conventional control is by means of acaricides; although there are still serious drawbacks, these can be minimized by a strategic approach. In this review Julio de Castro and Robin Newson look at alternatives. One is to make use of the host's innate abilities. In the simplest situation, where no control measures are applied, the animals develop their own protective immunity against ticks and tick-borne diseases (TBDs). Alternatively, breeds of cattle with naturally high resistance to ticks can be used, enhanced by selection. Methods of immunizing cattle against ticks are also under development. Ideally, ticks should be managed at an economically acceptable level by a combination of techniques, supported where necessary by vaccination against TBDs.

Isolation and partial characterisation of an immunogen from the mite, Psoroptes cuniculi

The immunological reactions of Psoroptes cuniculi protein components with antigen-specific rabbit antisera and with six plant lectins are described. In immunoblotting, the antisera from rabbits heavily and mildly infested with Psoroptes cuniculi recognized from two to five protein components. Affino-blotting analysis showed that eight mite components were glycoproteins with different types of glycan structures. The immunogenic antigen was isolated by both immunoaffinity chromatography and identified by crossed immunoelectrophoresis. It was a glycoprotein with a relative molecular mass of 48 kDa and with complex or high mannose type of oligosaccharides.

Vaccination with 'concealed' antigens: myth or reality?

Cattle infested with the tick Boophilus microplus produce antibodies to intrinsic membrane glycoproteins of the tick, as well as to Bm86, a well characterized antigen from the tick gut. Several factors explain how cattle could produce antibody to such antigens, which one would expect to be 'concealed' from the host's immune system, during natural infestation. It has been shown that the carbohydrate determinants on many tick glycoproteins are cross-reactive immunologically and that the reaction of bovine antibodies with intrinsic membrane glycoprotein is at least partially blocked by low molecular weight carbohydrate. Further, antisera from cattle exposed to ticks react with a glycosylated, native Bm86 but not with a non-glycosylated, recombinant Bm86. Thus the reaction of concealed antigens with antibodies produced as a result of tick infestation appears to be due to a relatively non-specific reaction with carbohydrate determinants on tick glycoprotein. Evidence is also presented that antibodies directed against carbohydrate determinants of Bm86 are not protective. Care must therefore be exercised in interpreting the results of antibody reaction with glycoproteins in such complex organisms.

Isolation and characterization of an immunogen from the louse Polyplax spinulosa

The reaction of Polyplax spinulosa protein components with antigen-specific rat antisera and with five plant lectins is described. In immunoblotting, the antisera from rats infested with the louse P. spinulosa specifically recognized from 7 to 11 antigenic components of louse whole-body homogenates. Affinoblotting analysis with lectins showed that 10 of these components were glycoproteins with different types of glycan structure. Only one immunogenic antigen was isolated using immunoaffinity chromatography with the gammaglobulin fraction of an antigen-specific antiserum as immunospecific ligand. Further electrophoretic and immunochemical analyses revealed that it was a glycoprotein with relative molecular weight (RMW) 31 kDa and with high mannose type of oligosaccharide.

Lectin binding analysis of Argas polonicus tissue glycoproteins

Proteins of the Malpighian tubules (MT), midgut tissue (MG), salivary glands (SG), internal reproductive organs (RO), epidermis (EP), cerebral ganglion (CG), rectal ampulla (RA) and larval homogenate (LA) of Argas (Argas) polonicus were studied for their antigenicity and lecin affinity using sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), immunoblotting, lectin affinoblotting and enzyme-linked lectin sorbentassay (ELLSA) techniques. A glycoprotein of 305 kDA was found in all tissues studied. All low molecular weight antigenic proteins recognized by anti-larval immune pigeon serum, except for one of 35 kDA, i.e. the 19-, 21-, 23-, 27-, 34-, and 46- kDa proteins, were shown to be glycoproteins. The glycosylation was shown to be N-linked in all of these antigens, but O-type glycosylation was also demonstrated in the 34-kDa glycoprotein. The correlation between the glycosylation and antigenicity of these proteins is also discussed.

Induction of host resistance to Rhipicephalus appendiculatus in rabbits: effects of immunizing with detergent-solubilized tick tissue proteins

Resistance to the hard tick, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus, was induced in rabbits by immunizing them with tick tissue proteins extracted with a detergent, Triton X-100. There was 25% mortality in female ticks fed on immunized rabbits as compared with those fed on controls. Similarly, there was a 40% and 60% reduction in the engorged weight and the weight of egg batches, respectively, of ticks fed on immunized rabbits. Western blot analysis of detergent-solubilized tick tissue proteins, carried out using immune sera, recognized a complex pattern of proteins. A strong reaction was observed with proteins with apparent molecular weights of 94,000 and 40,000 daltons.

Larval membrane antigens protect Hereford cattle against infestation with Boophilus microplus

Hereford cattle (Bos taurus) were immunized with antigens solubilized with Triton X-100 from larval membranes of the cattle tick (Boophilus microplus). Based on tick egg production compared to control cattle, vaccinated cattle were protected (78%) against challenge with 2 x 20,000 tick larvae. The soluble Triton X-100 extract of tick larval membranes was further purified by immunoaffinity chromatography, using immunoglobulin ligands (IgG1 and IgG2) from three immune steers, previously vaccinated with membrane antigens from the midgut of partly engorged adult female ticks. Cattle vaccinated with these purified antigens were protected in two separate experiments (80 and 89% respectively), against challenge with 2 x 20,000 larval ticks compared to control cattle. Whole larval membranes used as vaccines in cattle reduced the amount of eggs produced from ticks by 47% compared to control cattle, but this difference was not significant.

A reappraisal of vector control strategies for babesiosis

This review suggests that we are on the threshold of a new epoch in the control of ticks and the diseases transmitted by them. Ecological studies of parasitic and non-parasitic stages of the tick life cycle have shown how strategic dipping can lead to effective control of Boophilus ticks. However, this approach can lead to drastic reduction in tick populations which may favour the development of enzootic instability. On the other hand, mathematical models and field studies indicate that we can eradicate babesiosis without eradicating the tick vector. As no well-established vaccine exists for babesiosis or its vectors, it is important to anticipate the possible effects of low or fluctuating populations of ticks caused by strategic control programmes. Under these conditions, it is probable that babesiosis will disappear before the tick vector does. Prudent use of tick bionomic data from several centres of field research, as well as models to analyse these data, should accelerate the latter process. Epidemiological models should be included in the analysis of babesiosis in areas that run the risk of converting from stable zones to unstable zones due to strategic dipping. These observations and projections underscore the value of integration of traditional and modern techniques in the control of babesiosis and other vector-borne diseases.