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Zheng W, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Zhang Q, Okado K, Adjou Moumouni PF, Suzuki H, Chen H, Liu M, Xuan X. Porin Expression Profiles in Haemaphysalis longicornis Infected With Babesia microti. Front Physiol 2020; 11:502. [PMID: 32508681 PMCID: PMC7249857 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2020.00502] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The porin gene is widely disseminated in various organisms and has a pivotal role in the regulation of pathogen infection in blood-sucking arthropods. However, to date, information on the porin gene from the Haemaphysalis longicornis tick, an important vector of human and animal diseases, remains unknown. In this study, we identified the porin gene from H. longicornis and evaluated its expression levels in Babesia microti-infected and -uninfected H. longicornis ticks at developmental stages. We also analyzed porin functions in relation to both tick blood feeding and Babesia infection and the relationship between porin and porin-related apoptosis genes such as B-cell lymphoma (Bcl), cytochrome complex (Cytc), caspase 2 (Cas2), and caspase 8 (Cas8). The coding nucleotide sequence of H. longicornis porin cDNA was found to be 849 bp in length and encoded 282 amino acids. Domain analysis showed the protein to contain six determinants of voltage gating and two polypeptide binding sites. Porin mRNA levels were not significantly different between 1-day-laid and 7-day-laid eggs. In the nymphal stage, higher porin expression levels were found in unfed, 12-h-partially-fed (12 hPF), 1-day-partially-fed (1 dPF), 2 dPF nymphs and nymphs at 0 day post-engorgement (0 dAE) vs. nymphs at 2 dAE. Cytc and Cas2 mRNA levels were higher in 2 dPF nymphs in contrast to nymphs at 2 dAE. Porin expression levels appeared to be higher in the infected vs. uninfected nymphs during blood feeding except at 1 dPF and 0–1 dAE. Especially, the highest B. microti burden negatively affected porin mRNA levels in both nymphs and female adults. Porin knockdown affected body weight and Babesia infection levels and significantly downregulated the expression levels of Cytc and Bcl in H. longicornis female ticks. In addition, this study showed that infection levels of the B. microti Gray strain in nymphal and female H. longicornis peaked at or around engorgement from blood feeding to post engorgement. Taken together, the research conducted in this study suggests that H. longicornis porin might interfere with blood feeding and B. microti infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiqing Zheng
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan.,The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal-origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, China
| | - Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Qian Zhang
- The Ophthalmology Department, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, Nanchang, China
| | - Kiyoshi Okado
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Paul Franck Adjou Moumouni
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Suzuki
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Haiying Chen
- The Collaboration Unit for Field Epidemiology of State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Prevention and Control, Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal-origin and Vector-Borne Diseases, Nanchang Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Nanchang, China
| | - Mingming Liu
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
| | - Xuenan Xuan
- National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan
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Ortega-Sánchez R, Camacho-Nuez M, Castañeda-Ortiz EJ, Martínez-Benítez MB, Hernández-Silva DJ, Aguilar-Tipacamú G, Mosqueda J. Vaccine efficacy of recombinant BmVDAC on Rhipicephalus microplus fed on Babesia bigemina-infected and uninfected cattle. Vaccine 2020; 38:3618-3625. [PMID: 31928853 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2019.12.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Rhipicephalus microplus is the most widely distributed tick worldwide and causes significant economic losses in the livestock industry. It directly affects hosts (especially in large infestations) by feeding on blood and piercing the skin and indirectly affects hosts as a vector of pathogens that cause infectious diseases, such as bovine babesiosis. Current research on the control of ticks is focused on integrated tick control programmes, including vaccination treatment with acaricides and completely blocking pathogen transmission. Our previous studies showed that R. microplus VDAC (BmVDAC) expression is modulated by Babesia bigemina infection. VDAC is a mitochondrial protein with multiple functions in addition to its primary role as a central component of the apoptotic machinery. In this paper, we evaluated BmVDAC as an anti-tick vaccine and its capacity to block the infection of Babesia bigemina in ticks. Our results demonstrate that rBmVDAC is immunogenic and that antibodies specifically recognize the native protein from midguts of R. microplus. Immunization with rBmVDAC afforded an 82% efficacy against R. microplus infestation in the group of vaccinated cattle compared with the control group. In contrast, rBmVDAC showed a lower efficacy of 34% against tick infestation in cattle vaccinated with rBmVDAC, infested with R. microplus and infected with B. bigemina. The main effect on ticks fed in vaccinated and infected cattle was a 34% reduction in egg fertility (DF) compared to ticks fed on the control group. There was no reduction in the B. bigemina parasite levels of ticks fed on rBmVDAC-vaccinated cattle. These results suggest that the rBmVDAC protein could be tested as a vaccine for the control of tick infestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reyna Ortega-Sánchez
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C.A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro Queretaro 76140, Mexico; Maestria en Salud y Producción Animal Sustentable, Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Querétaro, Qro, Mexico
| | - Minerva Camacho-Nuez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo Núm. 290, esquina Roberto Gayol, colonia del Valle Sur, delegación Benito Juárez, México D.F. C.P. 03100, Mexico.
| | - Elizabeth Jacqueline Castañeda-Ortiz
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo Núm. 290, esquina Roberto Gayol, colonia del Valle Sur, delegación Benito Juárez, México D.F. C.P. 03100, Mexico
| | - Máximo Berto Martínez-Benítez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo Núm. 290, esquina Roberto Gayol, colonia del Valle Sur, delegación Benito Juárez, México D.F. C.P. 03100, Mexico
| | - Diego Josimar Hernández-Silva
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C.A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro Queretaro 76140, Mexico
| | - Gabriela Aguilar-Tipacamú
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n, Col Juriquilla C.P. 76230, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Juan Mosqueda
- Immunology and Vaccines Laboratory, C.A. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Carretera a Chichimequillas, Ejido Bolaños, Queretaro Queretaro 76140, Mexico; Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n, Col Juriquilla C.P. 76230, Queretaro, Mexico.
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Camacho-Nuez M, Hernández-Silva DJ, Castañeda-Ortiz EJ, Paredes-Martínez ME, Rocha-Martínez MK, Alvarez-Sánchez ME, Mercado-Curiel RF, Aguilar-Tipacamu G, Mosqueda J. Hap2, a novel gene in Babesia bigemina is expressed in tick stages, and specific antibodies block zygote formation. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:568. [PMID: 29132437 PMCID: PMC5683354 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2510-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2017] [Accepted: 10/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Bovine babesiosis is a tick-borne disease caused by the protozoan parasites of the genus Babesia. In their host vector, Babesia spp. undergo sexual reproduction. Therefore, the development of sexual stages and the subsequent formation of the zygote are essential for the parasite to invade the intestinal cells of the vector tick and continue its life-cycle. HAP2/GCS1 is a protein identified in plants, protozoan parasites and other organisms that has an important role during membrane fusion in fertilization processes. The identification and characterization of HAP-2 protein in Babesia would be very significant to understand the biology of the parasite and to develop a transmission-blocking vaccine in the future. Results To isolate and sequence the hap2 gene DNA from an infected bovine with Babesia bigemina was purified. The hap2 gene was amplified, cloned and sequenced. The sequences of hap2 from four geographically different strains showed high conservation at the amino acid level, including the typical structure with a signal peptide and the HAP2/GSC domain. Antisera anti-HAP2 against the conserved extracellular region of the HAP2 amino acid sequence were obtained from rabbits. The expression of hap2 in the host and vector tissues was analyzed by using semi-quantitative RT-PCR, and the protein was examined by western blot and immunofluorescence. Based on the RT-PCR and WB results, HAP2 is expressed in both, sexual stages induced in vitro, and in infected ticks as well. We did not detect any expression in asexual erythrocytic stages of B. bigemina, relevantly anti-HAP2 specific antibodies were able to block zygotes formation in vitro. Conclusion Babesia bigemina HAP2 is expressed only in tick-infecting stages, and specific antibodies block zygote formation. Further studies regarding the function of HAP2 during tick infection may provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms of sexual reproduction of the parasite. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2510-0) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minerva Camacho-Nuez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo, esquina Roberto Gayol, Colonia del Valle Sur, Delegación Benito Juárez, C.P. 03100, Mexico D.F, Mexico
| | - Diego Josimar Hernández-Silva
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, C.P, 76230, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth Jacqueline Castañeda-Ortiz
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo, esquina Roberto Gayol, Colonia del Valle Sur, Delegación Benito Juárez, C.P. 03100, Mexico D.F, Mexico
| | - María Elena Paredes-Martínez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo, esquina Roberto Gayol, Colonia del Valle Sur, Delegación Benito Juárez, C.P. 03100, Mexico D.F, Mexico.,Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, C.P, 76230, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Marisol Karina Rocha-Martínez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo, esquina Roberto Gayol, Colonia del Valle Sur, Delegación Benito Juárez, C.P. 03100, Mexico D.F, Mexico
| | - María Elizbeth Alvarez-Sánchez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, San Lorenzo, esquina Roberto Gayol, Colonia del Valle Sur, Delegación Benito Juárez, C.P. 03100, Mexico D.F, Mexico
| | | | - Gabriela Aguilar-Tipacamu
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, C.P, 76230, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Juan Mosqueda
- Facultad de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, Av. de las Ciencias s/n Col Juriquilla, C.P, 76230, Queretaro, Mexico.
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Antunes S, Rosa C, Couto J, Ferrolho J, Domingos A. Deciphering Babesia-Vector Interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:429. [PMID: 29034218 PMCID: PMC5627281 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2017] [Accepted: 09/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding host-pathogen-tick interactions remains a vitally important issue that might be better understood by basic research focused on each of the dyad interplays. Pathogens gain access to either the vector or host during tick feeding when ticks are confronted with strong hemostatic, inflammatory and immune responses. A prominent example of this is the Babesia spp.—tick—vertebrate host relationship. Babesia spp. are intraerythrocytic apicomplexan organisms spread worldwide, with a complex life cycle. The presence of transovarial transmission in almost all the Babesia species is the main difference between their life cycle and that of other piroplasmida. With more than 100 species described so far, Babesia are the second most commonly found blood parasite of mammals after trypanosomes. The prevalence of Babesia spp. infection is increasing worldwide and is currently classified as an emerging zoonosis. Babesia microti and Babesia divergens are the most frequent etiological agents associated with human babesiosis in North America and Europe, respectively. Although the Babesia-tick system has been extensively researched, the currently available prophylactic and control methods are not efficient, and chemotherapeutic treatment is limited. Studying the molecular changes induced by the presence of Babesia in the vector will not only elucidate the strategies used by the protozoa to overcome mechanical and immune barriers, but will also contribute toward the discovery of important tick molecules that have a role in vector capacity. This review provides an overview of the identified molecules involved in Babesia-tick interactions, with an emphasis on the fundamentally important ones for pathogen acquisition and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Antunes
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Catarina Rosa
- Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Couto
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Joana Ferrolho
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Domingos
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
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