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Kozelková T, Dyčka F, Lu S, Urbanová V, Frantová H, Sojka D, Šíma R, Horn M, Perner J, Kopáček P. Insight Into the Dynamics of the Ixodes ricinus Nymphal Midgut Proteome. Mol Cell Proteomics 2023; 22:100663. [PMID: 37832788 PMCID: PMC10665701 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcpro.2023.100663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are ectoparasites that feed on blood and have an impressive ability to consume and process enormous amounts of host blood, allowing extremely long periods of starvation between blood meals. The central role in the parasitic lifestyle of ticks is played by the midgut. This organ efficiently stores and digests ingested blood and serves as the primary interface for the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. In this study, we used a label-free quantitative approach to perform a novel dynamic proteomic analysis of the midgut of Ixodesricinus nymphs, covering their development from unfed to pre-molt stages. We identified 1534 I. ricinus-specific proteins with a relatively low proportion of host proteins. This proteome dataset, which was carefully examined by manual scrutiny, allowed precise annotation of proteins important for blood meal processing and their dynamic changes during nymphal ontogeny. We focused on midgut molecules related to lipid hydrolysis, storage, and transport, opening a yet unexplored avenue for studying lipid metabolism in ticks. Further dynamic profiling of the tick's multi-enzyme digestive network, protease inhibitors, enzymes involved in redox homeostasis and detoxification, antimicrobial peptides, and proteins responsible for midgut colonization by Borrelia spirochetes promises to uncover new targets for targeting tick nymphs, the most critical life stage for transmission the pathogens that cause tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tereza Kozelková
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Dyčka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Faculty of Sciences, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Stephen Lu
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Veronika Urbanová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Frantová
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Daniel Sojka
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Radek Šíma
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Bioptic Laboratory, Ltd, Plzen, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Horn
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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Raza A, Schulz BL, Nouwens A, Naseem MN, Kamran M, Mantilla Valdivieso EF, Kerr ED, Constantinoiu C, Jonsson NN, James P, Tabor AE. Application of quantitative proteomics to discover biomarkers for tick resistance in cattle. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1091066. [PMID: 36793724 PMCID: PMC9924087 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1091066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Breeding for tick resistance is a sustainable alternative to control cattle ticks due to widespread resistance to acaricidal drugs and the lack of a protective vaccine. The most accurate method used to characterise the phenotype for tick resistance in field studies is the standard tick count, but this is labour-intensive and can be hazardous to the operator. Efficient genetic selection requires reliable phenotyping or biomarker(s) for accurately identifying tick-resistant cattle. Although breed-specific genes associated with tick resistance have been identified, the mechanisms behind tick resistance have not yet been fully characterised. Methods This study applied quantitative proteomics to examine the differential abundance of serum and skin proteins using samples from naïve tick-resistant and -susceptible Brangus cattle at two-time points following tick exposure. The proteins were digested into peptides, followed by identification and quantification using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion mass spectrometry. Results Resistant naïve cattle had a suite of proteins associated with immune response, blood coagulation and wound healing that were significantly (adjusted P < 10- 5) more abundant compared with susceptible naïve cattle. These proteins included complement factors (C3, C4, C4a), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), beta-2-glycoprotein-1, keratins (KRT1 & KRT3) and fibrinogens (alpha & beta). The mass spectrometry findings were validated by identifying differences in the relative abundance of selected serum proteins with ELISA. The proteins showing a significantly different abundance in resistant cattle following early and prolonged tick exposures (compared to resistant naïve) were associated with immune response, blood coagulation, homeostasis, and wound healing. In contrast, susceptible cattle developed some of these responses only after prolonged tick exposure. Discussion Resistant cattle were able to transmigrate immune-response related proteins towards the tick bite sites, which may prevent tick feeding. Significantly differentially abundant proteins identified in this research in resistant naïve cattle may provide a rapid and efficient protective response to tick infestation. Physical barrier (skin integrity and wound healing) mechanisms and systemic immune responses were key contributors to resistance. Immune response-related proteins such as C4, C4a, AGP and CGN1 (naïve samples), CD14, GC and AGP (post-infestation) should be further investigated as potential biomarkers for tick resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Raza
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda Nouwens
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Muhammad Noman Naseem
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Muhammad Kamran
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Emily F Mantilla Valdivieso
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Edward D Kerr
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Constantin Constantinoiu
- College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Nicholas N Jonsson
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Peter James
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Ala E Tabor
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Hodosi R, Kazimirova M, Soltys K. What do we know about the microbiome of I. ricinus? Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:990889. [PMID: 36467722 PMCID: PMC9709289 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.990889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/07/2023] Open
Abstract
I. ricinus is an obligate hematophagous parasitic arthropod that is responsible for the transmission of a wide range of zoonotic pathogens including spirochetes of the genus Borrelia, Rickettsia spp., C. burnetii, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Francisella tularensis, which are part the tick´s microbiome. Most of the studies focus on "pathogens" and only very few elucidate the role of "non-pathogenic" symbiotic microorganisms in I. ricinus. While most of the members of the microbiome are leading an intracellular lifestyle, they are able to complement tick´s nutrition and stress response having a great impact on tick´s survival and transmission of pathogens. The composition of the tick´s microbiome is not consistent and can be tied to the environment, tick species, developmental stage, or specific organ or tissue. Ovarian tissue harbors a stable microbiome consisting mainly but not exclusively of endosymbiotic bacteria, while the microbiome of the digestive system is rather unstable, and together with salivary glands, is mostly comprised of pathogens. The most prevalent endosymbionts found in ticks are Rickettsia spp., Ricketsiella spp., Coxiella-like and Francisella-like endosymbionts, Spiroplasma spp. and Candidatus Midichloria spp. Since microorganisms can modify ticks' behavior, such as mobility, feeding or saliva production, which results in increased survival rates, we aimed to elucidate the potential, tight relationship, and interaction between bacteria of the I. ricinus microbiome. Here we show that endosymbionts including Coxiella-like spp., can provide I. ricinus with different types of vitamin B (B2, B6, B7, B9) essential for eukaryotic organisms. Furthermore, we hypothesize that survival of Wolbachia spp., or the bacterial pathogen A. phagocytophilum can be supported by the tick itself since coinfection with symbiotic Spiroplasma ixodetis provides I. ricinus with complete metabolic pathway of folate biosynthesis necessary for DNA synthesis and cell division. Manipulation of tick´s endosymbiotic microbiome could present a perspective way of I. ricinus control and regulation of spread of emerging bacterial pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Hodosi
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Maria Kazimirova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Katarina Soltys
- Department of Microbiology and Virology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
- Comenius University Science Park, Comenius University in Bratislava, Bratislava, Slovakia
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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] [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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Kawahori S, Seki C, Mizushima D, Tabbabi A, Yamamoto DS, Kato H. Ayaconin, a novel inhibitor of the plasma contact system from the sand fly Lutzomyia ayacuchensis, a vector of Andean-type cutaneous leishmaniasis. Acta Trop 2022; 234:106602. [PMID: 35817195 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Transcriptome analysis of the salivary gland cDNA library from a phlebotomine sand fly, Lutzomyia ayacuchensis, identified a transcript coding for the PpSP15/SL1 family protein as the second most abundant salivary component. In the present study, a recombinant protein of the PpSP15/SL1 family protein, designated ayaconin, was expressed in Escherichia coli, and its biological activity was characterized. The recombinant ayaconin purified from the soluble fraction of E. coli lysate efficiently inhibited the intrinsic but not extrinsic blood coagulation pathway. When the target of ayaconin was evaluated using fluorescent substrates of coagulation factors, ayaconin inhibited factor XIIa (FXIIa) activity more efficiently in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that FXII is the primary target of ayaconin. In addition, incubation of ayaconin with FXII prior to activation effectively inhibited FXIIa activity, whereas such inhibition was not observed when ayaconin was mixed after the production of FXIIa, indicating that ayaconin inhibits the activation process of FXII to produce FXIIa, but not the enzymatic activity of FXIIa. Moreover, ayaconin was shown to bind to FXII, suggesting that the binding of ayaconin to FXII is involved in the inhibitory mechanism against FXII activation. These results suggest that ayaconin plays an important role in the blood-sucking of Lu. ayacuchensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoru Kawahori
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Chisato Seki
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Daiki Mizushima
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Ahmed Tabbabi
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Daisuke S Yamamoto
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan
| | - Hirotomo Kato
- Division of Medical Zoology, Department of Infection and Immunity, Jichi Medical University, Shimotsuke City, Tochigi 329-0498, Japan.
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Abbas MN, Chlastáková A, Jmel MA, Iliaki-Giannakoudaki E, Chmelař J, Kotsyfakis M. Serpins in Tick Physiology and Tick-Host Interaction. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:892770. [PMID: 35711658 PMCID: PMC9195624 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.892770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva has been extensively studied in the context of tick-host interactions because it is involved in host homeostasis modulation and microbial pathogen transmission to the host. Accumulated knowledge about the tick saliva composition at the molecular level has revealed that serine protease inhibitors play a key role in the tick-host interaction. Serpins are one highly expressed group of protease inhibitors in tick salivary glands, their expression can be induced during tick blood-feeding, and they have many biological functions at the tick-host interface. Indeed, tick serpins have an important role in inhibiting host hemostatic processes and in the modulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses of their vertebrate hosts. Tick serpins have also been studied as potential candidates for therapeutic use and vaccine development. In this review, we critically summarize the current state of knowledge about the biological role of tick serpins in shaping tick-host interactions with emphasis on the mechanisms by which they modulate host immunity. Their potential use in drug and vaccine development is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Nadeem Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - 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
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | | | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař, ; Michail Kotsyfakis,
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař, ; Michail Kotsyfakis,
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Ali A, Zeb I, Alouffi A, Zahid H, Almutairi MM, Ayed Alshammari F, Alrouji M, Termignoni C, Vaz IDS, Tanaka T. Host Immune Responses to Salivary Components - A Critical Facet of Tick-Host Interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:809052. [PMID: 35372098 PMCID: PMC8966233 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.809052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick sialome is comprised of a rich cocktail of bioactive molecules that function as a tool to disarm host immunity, assist blood-feeding, and play a vibrant role in pathogen transmission. The adaptation of the tick's blood-feeding behavior has lead to the evolution of bioactive molecules in its saliva to assist them to overwhelm hosts' defense mechanisms. During a blood meal, a tick secretes different salivary molecules including vasodilators, platelet aggregation inhibitors, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory proteins, and inhibitors of complement activation; the salivary repertoire changes to meet various needs such as tick attachment, feeding, and modulation or impairment of the local dynamic and vigorous host responses. For instance, the tick's salivary immunomodulatory and cement proteins facilitate the tick's attachment to the host to enhance prolonged blood-feeding and to modulate the host's innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent advances implemented in the field of "omics" have substantially assisted our understanding of host immune modulation and immune inhibition against the molecular dynamics of tick salivary molecules in a crosstalk between the tick-host interface. A deep understanding of the tick salivary molecules, their substantial roles in multifactorial immunological cascades, variations in secretion, and host immune responses against these molecules is necessary to control these parasites. In this article, we reviewed updated knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying host responses to diverse elements in tick saliva throughout tick invasion, as well as host defense strategies. In conclusion, understanding the mechanisms involved in the complex interactions between the tick salivary components and host responses is essential to decipher the host defense mechanisms against the tick evasion strategies at tick-host interface which is promising in the development of effective anti-tick vaccines and drug therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Ismail Zeb
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hafsa Zahid
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahdah Ayed Alshammari
- College of Sciences and Literature Microbiology, Nothern Border University, Rafha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alrouji
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Hromníková D, Furka D, Furka S, Santana JAD, Ravingerová T, Klöcklerová V, Žitňan D. Prevention of tick-borne diseases: challenge to recent medicine. Biologia (Bratisl) 2022; 77:1533-1554. [PMID: 35283489 PMCID: PMC8905283 DOI: 10.1007/s11756-021-00966-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Abstract Ticks represent important vectors and reservoirs of pathogens, causing a number of diseases in humans and animals, and significant damage to livestock every year. Modern research into protection against ticks and tick-borne diseases focuses mainly on the feeding stage, i.e. the period when ticks take their blood meal from their hosts during which pathogens are transmitted. Physiological functions in ticks, such as food intake, saliva production, reproduction, development, and others are under control of neuropeptides and peptide hormones which may be involved in pathogen transmission that cause Lyme borreliosis or tick-borne encephalitis. According to current knowledge, ticks are not reservoirs or vectors for the spread of COVID-19 disease. The search for new vaccination methods to protect against ticks and their transmissible pathogens is a challenge for current science in view of global changes, including the increasing migration of the human population. Highlights • Tick-borne diseases have an increasing incidence due to climate change and increased human migration • To date, there is no evidence of transmission of coronavirus COVID-19 by tick as a vector • To date, there are only a few modern, effective, and actively- used vaccines against ticks or tick-borne diseases • Neuropeptides and their receptors expressed in ticks may be potentially used for vaccine design
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominika Hromníková
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84506 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Daniel Furka
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 84104 Bratislava, SK Slovakia
- Department of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Heart Research, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK 84005 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Samuel Furka
- Faculty of Natural Sciences, Department of Physical and Theoretical Chemistry, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina, Ilkovičova 6, 84104 Bratislava, SK Slovakia
- Department of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Heart Research, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK 84005 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Julio Ariel Dueñas Santana
- Chemical Engineering Department, University of Matanzas, Km 3 Carretera a Varadero, 44740 Matanzas, CU Cuba
| | - Táňa Ravingerová
- Department of Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Heart Research, Dúbravská cesta 9, SK 84005 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Vanda Klöcklerová
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84506 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Dušan Žitňan
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Institute of Zoology, Dúbravská cesta 9, 84506 Bratislava, Slovakia
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Denisov SS, Dijkgraaf I. Immunomodulatory Proteins in Tick Saliva From a Structural Perspective. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:769574. [PMID: 34722347 PMCID: PMC8548845 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.769574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2021] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
To feed successfully, ticks must bypass or suppress the host’s defense mechanisms, particularly the immune system. To accomplish this, ticks secrete specialized immunomodulatory proteins into their saliva, just like many other blood-sucking parasites. However, the strategy of ticks is rather unique compared to their counterparts. Ticks’ tendency for gene duplication has led to a diverse arsenal of dozens of closely related proteins from several classes to modulate the immune system’s response. Among these are chemokine-binding proteins, complement pathways inhibitors, ion channels modulators, and numerous poorly characterized proteins whose functions are yet to be uncovered. Studying tick immunomodulatory proteins would not only help to elucidate tick-host relationships but would also provide a rich pool of potential candidates for the development of immunomodulatory intervention drugs and potentially new vaccines. In the present review, we will attempt to summarize novel findings on the salivary immunomodulatory proteins of ticks, focusing on biomolecular targets, structure-activity relationships, and the perspective of their development into therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stepan S Denisov
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Ingrid Dijkgraaf
- Department of Biochemistry, Cardiovascular Research Institute Maastricht (CARIM), University of Maastricht, Maastricht, Netherlands
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Kascakova B, Kotal J, Martins LA, Berankova Z, Langhansova H, Calvo E, Crossley JA, Havlickova P, Dycka F, Prudnikova T, Kuty M, Kotsyfakis M, Chmelar J, Kuta Smatanova I. Structural and biochemical characterization of the novel serpin Iripin-5 from Ixodes ricinus. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2021; 77:1183-1196. [PMID: 34473088 PMCID: PMC8573701 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798321007920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Iripin-5 is the main Ixodes ricinus salivary serpin, which acts as a modulator of host defence mechanisms by impairing neutrophil migration, suppressing nitric oxide production by macrophages and altering complement functions. Iripin-5 influences host immunity and shows high expression in the salivary glands. Here, the crystal structure of Iripin-5 in the most thermodynamically stable state of serpins is described. In the reactive-centre loop, the main substrate-recognition site of Iripin-5 is likely to be represented by Arg342, which implies the targeting of trypsin-like proteases. Furthermore, a computational structural analysis of selected Iripin-5-protease complexes together with interface analysis revealed the most probable residues of Iripin-5 involved in complex formation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Kascakova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kotal
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Larissa Almeida Martins
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Berankova
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Langhansova
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Eric Calvo
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Joel A. Crossley
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petra Havlickova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Filip Dycka
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Tatyana Prudnikova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Kuty
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jindrich Chmelar
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ivana Kuta Smatanova
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
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11
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Kotál J, Polderdijk SGI, Langhansová H, Ederová M, Martins LA, Beránková Z, Chlastáková A, Hajdušek O, Kotsyfakis M, Huntington JA, Chmelař J. Ixodes ricinus Salivary Serpin Iripin-8 Inhibits the Intrinsic Pathway of Coagulation and Complement. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22179480. [PMID: 34502392 PMCID: PMC8431025 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22179480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva is a rich source of antihemostatic, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory molecules that actively help the tick to finish its blood meal. Moreover, these molecules facilitate the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. Here we present the functional and structural characterization of Iripin-8, a salivary serpin from the tick Ixodes ricinus, a European vector of tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. Iripin-8 displayed blood-meal-induced mRNA expression that peaked in nymphs and the salivary glands of adult females. Iripin-8 inhibited multiple proteases involved in blood coagulation and blocked the intrinsic and common pathways of the coagulation cascade in vitro. Moreover, Iripin-8 inhibited erythrocyte lysis by complement, and Iripin-8 knockdown by RNA interference in tick nymphs delayed the feeding time. Finally, we resolved the crystal structure of Iripin-8 at 1.89 Å resolution to reveal an unusually long and rigid reactive center loop that is conserved in several tick species. The P1 Arg residue is held in place distant from the serpin body by a conserved poly-Pro element on the P′ side. Several PEG molecules bind to Iripin-8, including one in a deep cavity, perhaps indicating the presence of a small-molecule binding site. This is the first crystal structure of a tick serpin in the native state, and Iripin-8 is a tick serpin with a conserved reactive center loop that possesses antihemostatic activity that may mediate interference with host innate immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Kotál
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center CAS, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Stéphanie G. I. Polderdijk
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; (S.G.I.P.); (J.A.H.)
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Monika Ederová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Larissa A. Martins
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center CAS, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Zuzana Beránková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Adéla Chlastáková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
| | - Ondřej Hajdušek
- Laboratory of Vector Immunology, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center CAS, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center CAS, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - James A. Huntington
- Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK; (S.G.I.P.); (J.A.H.)
| | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760c, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (J.K.); (H.L.); (M.E.); (Z.B.); (A.C.); (M.K.)
- Correspondence:
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12
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Reck J, Webster A, Dall'Agnol B, Pienaar R, de Castro MH, Featherston J, Mans BJ. Transcriptomic Analysis of Salivary Glands of Ornithodoros brasiliensis Aragão, 1923, the Agent of a Neotropical Tick-Toxicosis Syndrome in Humans. Front Physiol 2021; 12:725635. [PMID: 34421661 PMCID: PMC8378177 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.725635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick salivary glands produce and secrete a variety of compounds that modulate host responses and ensure a successful blood meal. Despite great progress made in the identification of ticks salivary compounds in recent years, there is still a paucity of information concerning salivary molecules of Neotropical argasid ticks. Among this group of ticks, considering the number of human cases of parasitism, including severe syndromes and hospitalization, Ornithodoros brasiliensis can be considered one of the major Neotropical argasid species with impact in public health. Here, we describe the transcriptome analysis of O. brasiliensis salivary glands (ObSG). The transcriptome yielded ~14,957 putative contigs. A total of 368 contigs were attributed to secreted proteins (SP), which represent approximately 2.5% of transcripts but ~53% expression coverage transcripts per million. Lipocalins are the major protein family among the most expressed SP, accounting for ~16% of the secretory transcripts and 51% of secretory protein abundance. The most expressed transcript is an ortholog of TSGP4 (tick salivary gland protein 4), a lipocalin first identified in Ornithodoros kalahariensis that functions as a leukotriene C4 scavenger. A total of 55 lipocalin transcripts were identified in ObSG. Other transcripts potentially involved in tick-host interaction included as: basic/acid tail secretory proteins (second most abundant expressed group), serine protease inhibitors (including Kunitz inhibitors), 5' nucleotidases (tick apyrases), phospholipase A2, 7 disulfide bond domain, cystatins, and tick antimicrobial peptides. Another abundant group of proteins in ObSG is metalloproteases. Analysis of these major protein groups suggests that several duplication events after speciation were responsible for the abundance of redundant compounds in tick salivary glands. A full mitochondrial genome could be assembled from the transcriptome data and confirmed the close genetic identity of the tick strain sampled in the current study, to a tick strain previously implicated in tick toxicoses. This study provides novel information on the molecular composition of ObSG, a Brazilian endemic tick associated with several human cases of parasitism. These results could be helpful in the understanding of clinical findings observed in bitten patients, and also, could provide more information on the evolution of Neotropical argasids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose Reck
- Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, Brazil
| | - Anelise Webster
- Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, Brazil
| | - Bruno Dall'Agnol
- Instituto de Pesquisas Veterinárias Desidério Finamor (IPVDF), Eldorado do Sul, Brazil
| | - Ronel Pienaar
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Minique H de Castro
- Agricultural Research Council, Biotechnology Platform, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Ben J Mans
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council, Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Vector and Vector-borne Disease Research Programme, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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13
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Kitsou C, Fikrig E, Pal U. Tick host immunity: vector immunomodulation and acquired tick resistance. Trends Immunol 2021; 42:554-574. [PMID: 34074602 PMCID: PMC10089699 DOI: 10.1016/j.it.2021.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Ticks have an unparalleled ability to parasitize diverse land vertebrates. Their natural persistence and vector competence are supported by the evolution of sophisticated hematophagy and remarkable host immune-evasion activities. We analyze the immunomodulatory roles of tick saliva which facilitates their acquisition of a blood meal from natural hosts and allows pathogen transmission. We also discuss the contrasting immunological events of tick-host associations in non-reservoir or incidental hosts, in which the development of acquired tick resistance can deter tick attachment. A critical appraisal of the intricate immunobiology of tick-host associations can plant new seeds of innovative research and contribute to the development of novel preventive strategies against ticks and tick-transmitted infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chrysoula Kitsou
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA; Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD, USA.
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14
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Chlastáková A, Kotál J, Beránková Z, Kaščáková B, Martins LA, Langhansová H, Prudnikova T, Ederová M, Kutá Smatanová I, Kotsyfakis M, Chmelař J. Iripin-3, a New Salivary Protein Isolated From Ixodes ricinus Ticks, Displays Immunomodulatory and Anti-Hemostatic Properties In Vitro. Front Immunol 2021; 12:626200. [PMID: 33732248 PMCID: PMC7957079 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.626200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva is a rich source of pharmacologically and immunologically active molecules. These salivary components are indispensable for successful blood feeding on vertebrate hosts and are believed to facilitate the transmission of tick-borne pathogens. Here we present the functional and structural characterization of Iripin-3, a protein expressed in the salivary glands of the tick Ixodes ricinus, a European vector of tick-borne encephalitis and Lyme disease. Belonging to the serpin superfamily of protease inhibitors, Iripin-3 strongly inhibited the proteolytic activity of serine proteases kallikrein and matriptase. In an in vitro setup, Iripin-3 was capable of modulating the adaptive immune response as evidenced by reduced survival of mouse splenocytes, impaired proliferation of CD4+ T lymphocytes, suppression of the T helper type 1 immune response, and induction of regulatory T cell differentiation. Apart from altering acquired immunity, Iripin-3 also inhibited the extrinsic blood coagulation pathway and reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 by lipopolysaccharide-stimulated bone marrow-derived macrophages. In addition to its functional characterization, we present the crystal structure of cleaved Iripin-3 at 1.95 Å resolution. Iripin-3 proved to be a pluripotent salivary serpin with immunomodulatory and anti-hemostatic properties that could facilitate tick feeding via the suppression of host anti-tick defenses. Physiological relevance of Iripin-3 activities observed in vitro needs to be supported by appropriate in vivo experiments.
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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
| | - Jan Kotál
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Beránková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 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
| | - Larissa Almeida Martins
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Tatyana Prudnikova
- Laboratory of Structural Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Monika Ederová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 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
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
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15
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Liu L, Tang H, Feng LL, Cheng TY. Hemalin from Haemaphysalis flava ticks: cloning, expression and antithrombogenicity. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2021; 35:42-50. [PMID: 32748973 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Revised: 06/24/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Hemalin, initially described in Haemaphysalis longicornis, is a protein with anticoagulant activity. We retrieved a gene fragment functionally annotated as hemalin from H. flava salivary gland transcriptomic library, but its full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) and antithrombogenicity have not been investigated in the species. Here we cloned the full length of hemalin (Hf-hemalin) by 3'-end rapid-amplification of cDNA ends, and the open reading frame (ORF) of Hf-hemalin was expressed in Escherichia coli. The recombinant protein (rHf-Hemalin) was tested for antithrombogenicity. The full-length of Hf-hemalin was 607 bp with an ORF of423 bp. Protein encoded by Hf-hemalin was predicted to contain 2 Kunitz domains and a signal peptide. The expression of Hf-hemalin in salivary glands, midguts and ovaries was higher in the semi-engorged than the fully engorged. Prokaryotic expression yielded a product of 40 kDa containing a glutathione S-transferase (GST) tag. Incubation of rHf-Hemalin with rat plasma significantly extended prothrombin time and activated partial thromboplastin time compared with normal saline and GST controls. Our data demonstrated that Hemalin from H. flava shared a similar primary structure with that from H. longicornis, and was also anticoagulant. Further investigations are needed to test its feasibility to be an antigen candidate for the development of vaccines against ticks.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Liu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - H Tang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - L-L Feng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
| | - T-Y Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Collaborative Innovation Center for Safety Production of Livestock and Poultry, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, China
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16
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Changing the Recipe: Pathogen Directed Changes in Tick Saliva Components. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph18041806. [PMID: 33673273 PMCID: PMC7918122 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18041806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2021] [Accepted: 02/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Ticks are obligate hematophagous parasites and are important vectors of a wide variety of pathogens. These pathogens include spirochetes in the genus Borrelia that cause Lyme disease, rickettsial pathogens, and tick-borne encephalitis virus, among others. Due to their prolonged feeding period of up to two weeks, hard ticks must counteract vertebrate host defense reactions in order to survive and reproduce. To overcome host defense mechanisms, ticks have evolved a large number of pharmacologically active molecules that are secreted in their saliva, which inhibits or modulates host immune defenses and wound healing responses upon injection into the bite site. These bioactive molecules in tick saliva can create a privileged environment in the host’s skin that tick-borne pathogens take advantage of. In fact, evidence is accumulating that tick-transmitted pathogens manipulate tick saliva composition to enhance their own survival, transmission, and evasion of host defenses. We review what is known about specific and functionally characterized tick saliva molecules in the context of tick infection with the genus Borrelia, the intracellular pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum, and tick-borne encephalitis virus. Additionally, we review studies analyzing sialome-level responses to pathogen challenge.
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17
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Jmel MA, Aounallah H, Bensaoud C, Mekki I, Chmelař J, Faria F, M’ghirbi Y, Kotsyfakis M. Insights into the Role of Tick Salivary Protease Inhibitors during Ectoparasite-Host Crosstalk. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:E892. [PMID: 33477394 PMCID: PMC7831016 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020892] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Protease inhibitors (PIs) are ubiquitous regulatory proteins present in all kingdoms. They play crucial tasks in controlling biological processes directed by proteases which, if not tightly regulated, can damage the host organism. PIs can be classified according to their targeted proteases or their mechanism of action. The functions of many PIs have now been characterized and are showing clinical relevance for the treatment of human diseases such as arthritis, hepatitis, cancer, AIDS, and cardiovascular diseases, amongst others. Other PIs have potential use in agriculture as insecticides, anti-fungal, and antibacterial agents. PIs from tick salivary glands are special due to their pharmacological properties and their high specificity, selectivity, and affinity to their target proteases at the tick-host interface. In this review, we discuss the structure and function of PIs in general and those PI superfamilies abundant in tick salivary glands to illustrate their possible practical applications. In doing so, we describe tick salivary PIs that are showing promise as drug candidates, highlighting the most promising ones tested in vivo and which are now progressing to preclinical and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (M.A.J.); (C.B.); (I.M.)
| | - Hajer Aounallah
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, LR19IPTX, Service d’Entomologie Médicale, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (H.A.); (Y.M.)
- Innovation and Development Laboratory, Innovation and Development Center, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil;
| | - Chaima Bensaoud
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (M.A.J.); (C.B.); (I.M.)
| | - Imen Mekki
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (M.A.J.); (C.B.); (I.M.)
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic;
| | - Fernanda Faria
- Innovation and Development Laboratory, Innovation and Development Center, Instituto Butantan, São Paulo 05503-900, Brazil;
| | - Youmna M’ghirbi
- Institut Pasteur de Tunis, Université de Tunis El Manar, LR19IPTX, Service d’Entomologie Médicale, Tunis 1002, Tunisia; (H.A.); (Y.M.)
| | - Michalis Kotsyfakis
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Biology Centre CAS, Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic; (M.A.J.); (C.B.); (I.M.)
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18
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De novo assembled salivary gland transcriptome and expression pattern analyses for Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi Neuman, 1897 male and female ticks. Sci Rep 2021; 11:1642. [PMID: 33452281 PMCID: PMC7810686 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-80454-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks secrete proteins in their saliva that change over the course of feeding to modulate the host inflammation, immune responses, haemostasis or may cause paralysis. RNA next generation sequencing technologies can reveal the complex dynamics of tick salivary glands as generated from various tick life stages and/or males and females. The current study represents 15,115 Illumina sequenced contigs of the salivary gland transcriptome from male and female Rhipicephalus evertsi evertsi ticks of early, mid and late feeding stages from 1320 separate assemblies using three short read assemblers. The housekeeping functional class contributed to the majority of the composition of the transcriptome (80%) but with lower expression (51%), while the secretory protein functional class represented only 14% of the transcriptome but 46% of the total coverage. Six percent had an unknown status contributing 3% of the overall expression in the salivary glands. Platelet aggregation inhibitors, blood clotting inhibitors and immune-modulators orthologous to the ancestral tick lineages were confirmed in the transcriptome and their differential expression during feeding in both genders observed. This transcriptome contributes data of importance to salivary gland biology and blood feeding physiology of non-model organisms.
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Narasimhan S, Kurokawa C, DeBlasio M, Matias J, Sajid A, Pal U, Lynn G, Fikrig E. Acquired tick resistance: The trail is hot. Parasite Immunol 2020; 43:e12808. [PMID: 33187012 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Acquired tick resistance is a phenomenon wherein the host elicits an immune response against tick salivary components upon repeated tick infestations. The immune responses, potentially directed against critical salivary components, thwart tick feeding, and the animal becomes resistant to subsequent tick infestations. The development of tick resistance is frequently observed when ticks feed on non-natural hosts, but not on natural hosts. The molecular mechanisms that lead to the development of tick resistance are not fully understood, and both host and tick factors are invoked in this phenomenon. Advances in molecular tools to address the host and the tick are beginning to reveal new insights into this phenomenon and to uncover a deeper understanding of the fundamental biology of tick-host interactions. This review will focus on the expanding understanding of acquired tick resistance and highlight the impact of this understanding on anti-tick vaccine development efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Cheyne Kurokawa
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Melody DeBlasio
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Geoffrey Lynn
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
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Kim TK, Tirloni L, Berger M, Diedrich JK, Yates JR, Termignoni C, da Silva Vaz I, Mulenga A. Amblyomma americanum serpin 41 (AAS41) inhibits inflammation by targeting chymase and chymotrypsin. Int J Biol Macromol 2020; 156:1007-1021. [PMID: 32320803 PMCID: PMC11005088 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2020.04.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Revised: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/12/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Ticks inject serine protease inhibitors (serpins) into their feeding sites to evade serine protease-mediated host defenses against tick-feeding. This study describes two highly identitical (97%) but functionally different Amblyomma americanum tick saliva serpins (AAS41 and 46) that are secreted at the inception of tick-feeding. We show that AAS41, which encodes a leucine at the P1 site inhibits inflammation system proteases: chymase (SI = 3.23, Ka = 5.6 ± 3.7X103M-1 s-1) and α-chymotrypsin (SI = 3.18, Ka = 1.6 ± 4.1X104M-1 s-1), while AAS46, which encodes threonine has no inhibitory activity. Similary, rAAS41 inhibits rMCP-1 purified from rat peritonuem derived mast cells. Consistently, rAAS41 inhibits chymase-mediated inflammation induced by compound 48/80 in rat paw edema and vascular permeability models. Native AAS41/46 proteins are among tick saliva immunogens that provoke anti-tick immunity in repeatedly infested animals as revealed by specific reactivity with tick immune sera. Of significance, native AAS41/46 play critical tick-feeding functions in that RNAi-mediated silencing caused ticks to ingest significantly less blood. Importantly, monospecific antibodies to rAAS41 blocked inhibitory functions of rAAS41, suggesting potential for design of vaccine antigens that provokes immunity to neutralize functions of this protein at the tick-feeding site. We discuss our findings with reference to tick-feeding physiology and discovery of effective tick vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA; Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Markus Berger
- Centro de Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jolene K Diedrich
- Foundation Peptide Biology Lab, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA.
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21
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Zhou W, Tahir F, Wang JCY, Woodson M, Sherman MB, Karim S, Neelakanta G, Sultana H. Discovery of Exosomes From Tick Saliva and Salivary Glands Reveals Therapeutic Roles for CXCL12 and IL-8 in Wound Healing at the Tick-Human Skin Interface. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:554. [PMID: 32766239 PMCID: PMC7378379 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks secrete various anti-coagulatory, anti-vasoconstrictory, anti-inflammatory, and anti-platelet aggregation factors in their saliva at the bite site during feeding to evade host immunological surveillance and responses. For the first time, we report successful isolation of exosomes (small membrane-bound extracellular signaling vesicles) from saliva and salivary glands of partially fed or unfed ixodid ticks. Our data showed a novel role of these in vivo exosomes in the inhibition of wound healing via downregulation of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and upregulation of interleukin-8 (IL-8). Cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) analysis revealed that tick saliva and salivary glands are composed of heterogeneous populations of in vivo exosomes with sizes ranging from 30 to 200 nm. Enriched amounts of tick CD63 ortholog protein and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) were evident in these exosomes. Treatment of human skin keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) with exosomes derived from tick saliva/salivary glands or ISE6 cells dramatically delayed cell migration, wound healing, and repair process. Wound healing is a highly dynamic process with several individualized processes including secretion of cytokines. Cytokine array profiling followed by immunoblotting and quantitative-PCR analysis revealed that HaCaT cells treated with exosomes derived from tick saliva/salivary glands or ISE6 cells showed enhanced IL-8 levels and reduced CXCL12 loads. Inhibition of IL-8 or CXCL12 further delayed exosome-mediated cell migration, wound healing, and repair process, suggesting a skin barrier protection role for these chemokines at the tick bite site. In contrast, exogenous treatment of CXCL12 protein completely restored this delay and enhanced the repair process. Taken together, our study provides novel insights on how tick salivary exosomes secreted in saliva can delay wound healing at the bite site to facilitate successful blood feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenshuo Zhou
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Faizan Tahir
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Joseph Che-Yen Wang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States.,Electron Microscopy Center, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, United States
| | - Michael Woodson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Michael B Sherman
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States.,Sealy Center for Structural Biology and Molecular Biophysics, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Galveston, TX, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- Center for Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Girish Neelakanta
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States
| | - Hameeda Sultana
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Center for Molecular Medicine, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, United States.,Division of Infectious Diseases and International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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22
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Braden LM, Monaghan SJ, Fast MD. Salmon immunological defence and interplay with the modulatory capabilities of its ectoparasite Lepeophtheirus salmonis. Parasite Immunol 2020; 42:e12731. [PMID: 32403169 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2019] [Revised: 03/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis (Lsal) is an ectoparasitic copepod that exerts immunomodulatory and physiological effects on its host Atlantic salmon. Over 30 years of research on louse biology, control, host responses and the host-parasite relationship has provided a plethora of information on the intricacies of host resistance and parasite adaptation. Atlantic salmon exhibit temporal and spatial impairment of the immune system and wound healing ability during infection. This immunosuppression may render Atlantic salmon less tolerant to stress and other confounders associated with current management strategies. Contrasting susceptibility of salmonid hosts exists, and early pro-inflammatory Th1 type responses are associated with resistance. Rapid cellular responses to larvae appear to tip the balance of the host-parasite relationship in favour of the host, preventing severe immune-physiological impacts of the more invasive adults. Immunological, transcriptomic, genomic and proteomic evidence suggests pathological impacts occur in susceptible hosts through modulation of host immunity and physiology via pharmacologically active molecules. Co-evolutionary and farming selection pressures may have incurred preference of Atlantic salmon as a host for Lsal reflected in their interactome. Here, we review host-parasite interactions at the primary attachment/feeding site, and the complex life stage-dependent molecular mechanisms employed to subvert host physiology and immune responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura M Braden
- AquaBounty Canada, Bay Fortune, PEI, Canada.,Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College-UPEI, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
| | - Sean J Monaghan
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling, UK
| | - Mark D Fast
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, Atlantic Veterinary College-UPEI, Charlottetown, PEI, Canada
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23
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Xu Z, Yan Y, Cao J, Zhou Y, Zhang H, Xu Q, Zhou J. A family of serine protease inhibitors (serpins) and its expression profiles in the ovaries of Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2020; 84:104346. [PMID: 32360539 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2020.104346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2020] [Revised: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Serpins are evolutionarily conserved serine protease inhibitors found in many organisms. In arthropods, serpins are involved in feeding, development, oviposition, anti-coagulation and innate immune responses. We characterized of 11 serpins in the tick Rhipicephalus haemaphysaloides. These serpins have orthologous genes in other ticks, as indicated by phylogenetic analysis. Analysis of the reactive center loop and hinge regions of the protein sequences indicated that RHS7 encodes proteins that may lack proteinase inhibitor activity. All R. haemaphysaloides serpins had high amino acid sequence identities to Rhipicephalus microplus serpins. Tissue and temporal transcriptional profiling of eight R. haemaphysaloides serpins located in the ovaries demonstrated that they are transcribed during feeding and oviposition. These suggested their participation in the regulation of tick physiology. Immune serum from rabbits repeatedly infested with larvae, nymphs and adults of R. haemaphysaloides can recognize multiple recombinant serpins, respectively. After gene silencing, the blood feeding to repletion time was significantly longer and the 24 h attachment rate was significantly lower in the RHS3 and RHS7 knock down groups. The RHS9 and RHS11 silenced ticks had significant reduction in repletion time and egg-laying rate. Egg hatchability was significantly decreased in RHS4, RHS5 and RHS9 silenced ticks. All groups had significant reductions in engorged body weight. This study increases information on the serpins of R. haemaphysaloides and suggests that some RHSs are potential targets for development of tick vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhengmao Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Yijie Yan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China; College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
| | - Jie Cao
- 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.
| | - Houshuang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China.
| | - Qianming Xu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, 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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24
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AmbuAli A, Monaghan SJ, McLean K, Inglis NF, Bekaert M, Wehner S, Bron JE. Identification of proteins from the secretory/excretory products (SEPs) of the branchiuran ectoparasite Argulus foliaceus (Linnaeus, 1758) reveals unique secreted proteins amongst haematophagous ecdysozoa. Parasit Vectors 2020; 13:88. [PMID: 32070416 PMCID: PMC7029603 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-020-3964-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND It is hypothesised that being a blood-feeding ectoparasite, Argulus foliaceus (Linnaeus, 1758), uses similar mechanisms for digestion and host immune evasion to those used by other haematophagous ecdysozoa, including caligid copepods (e.g. sea louse). We recently described and characterised glands associated with the feeding appendages of A. foliaceus using histological techniques. The work described in the present study is the first undertaken with the objective of identifying and partially characterising the components secreted from these glands using a proteomic approach. METHODS Argulus foliaceus parasites were sampled from the skin of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), from Loch Fad on the Isle of Bute, Scotland, UK. The proteins from A. foliaceus secretory/excretory products (SEPs) were collected from the supernatant of artificial freshwater conditioned with active adult parasites (n = 5-9 per ml; n = 560 total). Proteins within the SEPs were identified and characterised using LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD016226. RESULTS Data mining of a protein database translated from an A. foliaceus dataset using ProteinScape allowed identification of 27 predicted protein sequences from the A. foliaceus SEPs, each protein matching the criteria of 2 peptides with at least 4 contiguous amino acids. Nine proteins had no matching sequence through OmicsBox (Blast2GO) analysis searches suggesting that Argulus spp. may additionally have unique proteins present in their SEPs. SignalP 5.0 software, identified 13 proteins with a signal sequence suggestive of signal peptides and supportive of secreted proteins being identified. Notably, the functional characteristics of identified A. foliaceus proteins/domains have also been described from the salivary glands and saliva of other blood-feeding arthropods such as ticks. Identified proteins included: transporters, peroxidases, metalloproteases, proteases and serine protease inhibitors which are known to play roles in parasite immune evasion/induction (e.g. astacin), immunomodulation (e.g. serpin) and digestion (e.g. trypsin). CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, the present study represents the first proteomic analysis undertaken for SEPs from any branchiuran fish louse. Here we reveal possible functional roles of A. foliaceus SEPs in digestion and immunomodulation, with a number of protein families shared with other haematophagous ectoparasites. A number of apparently unique secreted proteins were identified compared to other haematophagous ecdysozoa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aisha AmbuAli
- Institute of Aquaculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA UK
- Department of Marine Science and Fisheries, College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, PO Box 34, 123 Al-Khoud, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Sean J. Monaghan
- Institute of Aquaculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA UK
| | - Kevin McLean
- Moredun Proteomics Facility, Moredun Research Institute, Pentland Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ UK
| | - Neil F. Inglis
- Moredun Proteomics Facility, Moredun Research Institute, Pentland Science Park, Bush Loan, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PZ UK
| | - Michaël Bekaert
- Institute of Aquaculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA UK
| | - Stefanie Wehner
- Institute of Aquaculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA UK
- Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstr. 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany
| | - James E. Bron
- Institute of Aquaculture, School of Natural Sciences, University of Stirling, Stirling, FK9 4LA UK
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25
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Feng LL, Cheng TY. A survey of proteins in midgut contents of the tick, Haemaphysalis flava, by proteome and transcriptome analysis. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2020; 80:269-287. [PMID: 31898761 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-019-00457-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Tick blood meals are stored and digested in their midguts. Blood digestion is complex, and many proteins are involved. Study of the tick-derived proteins in the midgut content may aid in the discovery of active molecules that would be useful for anti-tick vaccines. We analyzed the midgut content proteomes of partially engorged female Haemaphysalis flava, fully engorged female H. flava, and hedgehog serum using liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry and label-free quantitation. In this study, high-confidence protein profiling of tick midgut content was determined. Based on the search against our in-house transcriptome database, the 28 high-confidence proteins were identified. Of these, 17 were identified as tick-derived, and the rest were of unspecified origin (proteins that could not be differentiated as host-derived or tick-derived proteins). The function of these midgut content proteins identified here may involve nutrient transportation, anti-coagulation, erythrocyte lysis, detoxification, lipid metabolism, and immunization. The presence of hemoglobin suggested that the red blood cells were lysed in the gut lumen. The midgut contents contain a large amount of fibrinogen and it has the ability to clot immediately. The midgut contained mostly host-derived proteins, and these host proteins provide rich nutrients for tick development and reproduction. However, some intracellular proteins were also identified, suggesting the possibility of shedding of the midgut epithelium and ingestion of saliva during feeding. This finding advances our understanding of the digestive mechanism and will be useful in the screening of vaccine antigens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Li Feng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China
| | - Tian-Yin Cheng
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Protein Engineering in Animal Vaccines, Hunan Agricultural University, Changsha, 410128, Hunan Province, People's Republic of China.
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26
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Amblyomma americanum serpin 27 (AAS27) is a tick salivary anti-inflammatory protein secreted into the host during feeding. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007660. [PMID: 31449524 PMCID: PMC6730956 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007660] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Revised: 09/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/24/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks successfully feed and transmit pathogens by injecting pharmacological compounds in saliva to thwart host defenses. We have previously used LC-MS/MS to identify proteins that are present in saliva of unfed Amblyomma americanum ticks that were exposed to different hosts. Here we show that A. americanum serine protease inhibitor (serpin) 27 (AAS27) is an immunogenic saliva protein that is injected into the host within the first day of tick feeding and is an anti-inflammatory protein that might act by blocking plasmin and trypsin functions. Although AAS27 is injected into the host throughout tick feeding, qRT-PCR and western blotting analyses indicate that the respective transcript and protein are present in high amounts within the first 24 h of tick feeding. Biochemical screening of Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant (r) AAS27 against mammalian proteases related to host defense shows it is an inhibitor of trypsin and plasmin, with stoichiometry of inhibition indices of 3.5 and 3.8, respectively. Consistent with typical inhibitory serpins, rAAS27 formed heat- and SDS-stable irreversible complexes with both proteases. We further demonstrate that rAAS27 inhibits trypsin with ka of 6.46 ± 1.24 x 104 M-1 s-1, comparable to serpins of other tick species. We show that native AAS27 is part of the repertoire of proteins responsible for the inhibitory activity against trypsin in crude tick saliva. AAS27 is likely utilized by the tick to evade the hosts inflammation defense since rAAS27 blocks both formalin and compound 48/80-induced inflammation in rats. Tick immune sera of rabbits that had acquired resistance against tick feeding following repeated infestations with A. americanum or Ixodes scapularis ticks reacts with rAAS27. Of significant interest, antibody to rAAS27 blocks this serpin inhibitory functions. Taken together, we conclude that AAS27 is an anti-inflammatory protein secreted into the host during feeding and may represent a potential candidate for development of an anti-tick vaccine.
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27
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Štibrániová I, Bartíková P, Holíková V, Kazimírová M. Deciphering Biological Processes at the Tick-Host Interface Opens New Strategies for Treatment of Human Diseases. Front Physiol 2019; 10:830. [PMID: 31333488 PMCID: PMC6617849 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are obligatory blood-feeding ectoparasites, causing blood loss and skin damage in their hosts. In addition, ticks also transmit a number of various pathogenic microorganisms that cause serious diseases in humans and animals. Ticks evolved a wide array of salivary bioactive compounds that, upon injection into the host skin, inhibit or modulate host reactions such as hemostasis, inflammation and wound healing. Modulation of the tick attachment site in the host skin involves mainly molecules which affect physiological processes orchestrated by cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. Suppressing host defense reactions is crucial for tick survival and reproduction. Furthermore, pharmacologically active compounds in tick saliva have a promising therapeutic potential for treatment of some human diseases connected with disorders in hemostasis and immune system. These disorders are often associated to alterations in signaling pathways and dysregulation or overexpression of specific cytokines which, in turn, affect mechanisms of angiogenesis, cell motility and cytoskeletal regulation. Moreover, tick salivary molecules were found to exert cytotoxic and cytolytic effects on various tumor cells and have anti-angiogenic properties. Elucidation of the mode of action of tick bioactive molecules on the regulation of cell processes in their mammalian hosts could provide new tools for understanding the complex changes leading to immune disorders and cancer. Tick bioactive molecules may also be exploited as new pharmacological inhibitors of the signaling pathways of cytokines and thus help alleviate patient discomfort and increase patient survival. We review the current knowledge about tick salivary peptides and proteins that have been identified and functionally characterized in in vitro and/or in vivo models and their therapeutic perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iveta Štibrániová
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Pavlína Bartíková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Viera Holíková
- Biomedical Research Center, Institute of Virology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Mária Kazimírová
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
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28
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Mans BJ. Chemical Equilibrium at the Tick-Host Feeding Interface:A Critical Examination of Biological Relevance in Hematophagous Behavior. Front Physiol 2019; 10:530. [PMID: 31118903 PMCID: PMC6504839 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2019.00530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks secrete hundreds to thousands of proteins into the feeding site, that presumably all play important functions in the modulation of host defense mechanisms. The current review considers the assumption that tick proteins have functional relevance during feeding. The feeding site may be described as a closed system and could be treated as an ideal equilibrium system, thereby allowing modeling of tick-host interactions in an equilibrium state. In this equilibrium state, the concentration of host and tick proteins and their affinities will determine functional relevance at the tick-host interface. Using this approach, many characterized tick proteins may have functional relevant concentrations and affinities at the feeding site. Conversely, the feeding site is not an ideal closed system, but is dynamic and changing, leading to possible overestimation of tick protein concentration at the feeding site and consequently an overestimation of functional relevance. Ticks have evolved different possible strategies to deal with this dynamic environment and overcome the barrier that equilibrium kinetics poses to tick feeding. Even so, cognisance of the limitations that equilibrium binding place on deductions of functional relevance should serve as an important incentive to determine both the concentration and affinity of tick proteins proposed to be functional at the feeding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J. Mans
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
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29
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Dissociating effect of salivary gland extract from Ixodes ricinus on human fibroblasts: Potential impact on Borrelia transmission. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 10:433-441. [PMID: 30595500 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 12/19/2018] [Accepted: 12/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Understanding the mechanism of pathogen transmission is essential for the development of strategies to reduce arthropod-borne diseases. The pharmaco- and immunomodulatory properties of insect and acarine saliva play an essential role in the efficiency of pathogen transmission. The skin as the site where arthropod saliva and pathogens are inoculated - represents the key interface in vector-borne diseases. We identified tick molecules potentially involved in pathogen transmission, using micro-HPLC and mass spectrometry, followed by in vitro assays on human skin cells. Histone H4 isolated from Ixodes ricinus salivary gland extract was identified as a molecule with a dissociating effect on human primary fibroblasts. This histone might be involved in the formation of the feeding pool formed around the tick mouthparts and responsible of tissue necrosis in the vertebrate host. Thanks to its selective antimicrobial activity, it may also sterilize the feeding pool and facilitate transmission of pathogens such as Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato.
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30
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Roudnický P, Vorel J, Ilgová J, Benovics M, Norek A, Jedličková L, Mikeš L, Potěšil D, Zdráhal Z, Dvořák J, Gelnar M, Kašný M. Identification and partial characterization of a novel serpin from Eudiplozoon nipponicum (Monogenea, Polyopisthocotylea). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2018; 25:61. [PMID: 30516130 PMCID: PMC6280883 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2018062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Background: Serpins are a superfamily of serine peptidase inhibitors that participate in the regulation of many physiological and cell peptidase-mediated processes in all organisms (e.g. in blood clotting, complement activation, fibrinolysis, inflammation, and programmed cell death). It was postulated that in the blood-feeding members of the monogenean family Diplozoidae, serpins could play an important role in the prevention of thrombus formation, activation of complement, inflammation in the host, and/or in the endogenous regulation of protein degradation. Results: In silico analysis showed that the DNA and primary protein structures of serpin from Eudiplozoon nipponicum (EnSerp1) are similar to other members of the serpin superfamily. The inhibitory potential of EnSerp1 on four physiologically-relevant serine peptidases (trypsin, factor Xa, kallikrein, and plasmin) was demonstrated and its presence in the worm’s excretory-secretory products (ESPs) was confirmed. Conclusion: EnSerp1 influences the activity of peptidases that play a role in blood coagulation, fibrinolysis, and complement activation. This inhibitory potential, together with the serpin’s presence in ESPs, suggests that it is likely involved in host-parasite interactions and could be one of the molecules involved in the control of feeding and prevention of inflammatory responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pavel Roudnický
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Vorel
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Ilgová
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Michal Benovics
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Adam Norek
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 62100 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Jedličková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Mikeš
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - David Potěšil
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zbyněk Zdráhal
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic - National Centre for Biomolecular Research, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Dvořák
- School of Biological Sciences, Medical Biology Centre, Queen's University Belfast, 97 Lisburn Road, Belfast BT9 7BL, United Kingdom - Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences in Prague, Kamýcká 129, 16521 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Gelnar
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Kašný
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 753/5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic - Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague 2, Czech Republic
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Parizi LF, Ali A, Tirloni L, Oldiges DP, Sabadin GA, Coutinho ML, Seixas A, Logullo C, Termignoni C, DA Silva Vaz I. Peptidase inhibitors in tick physiology. MEDICAL AND VETERINARY ENTOMOLOGY 2018; 32:129-144. [PMID: 29111611 DOI: 10.1111/mve.12276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2016] [Revised: 06/23/2017] [Accepted: 10/07/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Peptidase inhibitors regulate a wide range of physiological processes involved in the interaction between hematophagous parasites and their hosts, including tissue remodeling, the immune response and blood coagulation. In tick physiology, peptidase inhibitors have a crucial role in adaptation to improve parasitism mechanisms, facilitating blood feeding by interfering with defense-related host peptidases. Recently, a larger number of studies on this topic led to the description of several new tick inhibitors displaying interesting novel features, for example a role in pathogen transmission to the host. A comprehensive review discussing these emerging concepts can therefore shed light on peptidase inhibitor functions, their relevance to tick physiology and their potential applications. Here, we summarize and examine the general characteristics, functional diversity and action of tick peptidase inhibitors with known physiological roles in the tick-host-pathogen interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- L F Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - A Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, Pakistan
- Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
| | - L Tirloni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - D P Oldiges
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - G A Sabadin
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - M L Coutinho
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - A Seixas
- Departamento de Farmacociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - C Logullo
- Laboratório de Química e Função de Proteínas e Peptídeos-CBB and Unidade de Experimentação Animal, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - C Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - I DA Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Bakshi M, Kim TK, Mulenga A. Disruption of blood meal-responsive serpins prevents Ixodes scapularis from feeding to repletion. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2018; 9:506-518. [PMID: 29396196 PMCID: PMC5857477 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2018.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2017] [Revised: 01/04/2018] [Accepted: 01/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are thought to mediate the tick's evasion of the host's serine protease-mediated defense pathways such as inflammation and blood clotting. This study describes characterization and target validation of 11 blood meal-responsive serpins that are associated with nymph and adult Ixodes scapularis tick feeding as revealed by quantitative (q)RT-PCR and RNAi silencing analyses. Given the high number of targets, we used combinatorial (co) RNAi silencing to disrupt candidate serpins in two groups (G): seven highly identical and four non-identical serpins based on amino acid identities, here after called GI and GII respectively. We show that injection of both GI and GII co-dsRNA into unfed nymph and adult I. scapularis ticks triggered suppression of cognate serpin mRNA. We show that disruption of GII, but not GI serpins significantly reduced feeding efficiency of both nymph and adult I. scapularis ticks. Knockdown of GII serpin transcripts caused significant respective mortalities of ≤40 and 71% of nymphal and adult ticks that occurred within 24-48 h of attachment. This is significant, as the observed lethality preceded the tick feeding period when transmission of tick borne pathogens is predominant. We suspect that some of the GII serpins (S9, S17, S19 and S32) play roles in the tick detachment process in that upon detachment, mouthparts of GII co-dsRNA injected were covered with a whitish gel-like tissue that could be the tick cement cone. Normally, ticks do not retain tissue on their mouthparts upon detachment. Furthermore, disruption of GII serpins reduced tick blood meal sizes and the adult tick's ability to convert the blood meal to eggs. We discuss our data with reference to tick feeding physiology and conclude that some of the GII serpins are potential targets for anti-tick vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariam Bakshi
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 422 Raymond Stotzer, TAMU 4467, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 422 Raymond Stotzer, TAMU 4467, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 422 Raymond Stotzer, TAMU 4467, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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Santiago PB, de Araújo CN, Charneau S, Bastos IMD, Assumpção TCF, Queiroz RML, Praça YR, Cordeiro TDM, Garcia CHS, da Silva IG, Raiol T, Motta FN, de Araújo Oliveira JV, de Sousa MV, Ribeiro JMC, de Santana JM. Exploring the molecular complexity of Triatoma dimidiata sialome. J Proteomics 2017; 174:47-60. [PMID: 29288089 DOI: 10.1016/j.jprot.2017.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2017] [Revised: 12/20/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Triatoma dimidiata, a Chagas disease vector widely distributed along Central America, has great capability for domestic adaptation as the majority of specimens caught inside human dwellings or in peridomestic areas fed human blood. Exploring the salivary compounds that overcome host haemostatic and immune responses is of great scientific interest. Here, we provide a deeper insight into its salivary gland molecules. We used high-throughput RNA sequencing to examine in depth the T. dimidiata salivary gland transcriptome. From >51 million reads assembled, 92.21% are related to putative secreted proteins. Lipocalin is the most abundant gene family, confirming it is an expanded family in Triatoma genus salivary repertoire. Other putatively secreted members include phosphatases, odorant binding protein, hemolysin, proteases, protease inhibitors, antigen-5 and antimicrobial peptides. This work expands the previous set of functionally annotated sequences from T. dimidiata salivary glands available in NCBI from 388 to 3815. Additionally, we complemented the salivary analysis through proteomics (available data via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD008510), disclosing the set complexity of 119 secreted proteins and validating the transcriptomic results. Our large-scale approach enriches the pharmacologically active molecules database and improves our knowledge about the complexity of salivary compounds from haematophagous vectors and their biological interactions. SIGNIFICANCE Several haematophagous triatomine species can transmit Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. Due to the reemergence of this disease, new drugs for its prevention and treatment are considered priorities. For this reason, the knowledge of vector saliva emerges as relevant biological finding, contributing to the design of different strategies for vector control and disease transmission. Here we report the transcriptomic and proteomic compositions of the salivary glands (sialome) of the reduviid bug Triatoma dimidiata, a relevant Chagas disease vector in Central America. Our results are robust and disclosed unprecedented insights into the notable diversity of its salivary glands content, revealing relevant anti-haemostatic salivary gene families. Our work expands almost ten times the previous set of functionally annotated sequences from T. dimidiata salivary glands available in NCBI. Moreover, using an integrated transcriptomic and proteomic approach, we showed a correlation pattern of transcription and translation processes for the main gene families found, an important contribution to the research of triatomine sialomes. Furthermore, data generated here reinforces the secreted proteins encountered can greatly contribute for haematophagic habit, Trypanosoma cruzi transmission and development of therapeutic agent studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Beatriz Santiago
- Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Faculty of Ceilândia, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil.
| | - Sébastien Charneau
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Teresa Cristina F Assumpção
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rockville, United States
| | | | - Yanna Reis Praça
- Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Tainá Raiol
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - José Marcos C Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rockville, United States
| | - Jaime Martins de Santana
- Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil; Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
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Šimo L, Kazimirova M, Richardson J, Bonnet SI. The Essential Role of Tick Salivary Glands and Saliva in Tick Feeding and Pathogen Transmission. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:281. [PMID: 28690983 PMCID: PMC5479950 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
As long-term pool feeders, ticks have developed myriad strategies to remain discreetly but solidly attached to their hosts for the duration of their blood meal. The critical biological material that dampens host defenses and facilitates the flow of blood-thus assuring adequate feeding-is tick saliva. Saliva exhibits cytolytic, vasodilator, anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, and immunosuppressive activity. This essential fluid is secreted by the salivary glands, which also mediate several other biological functions, including secretion of cement and hygroscopic components, as well as the watery component of blood as regards hard ticks. When salivary glands are invaded by tick-borne pathogens, pathogens may be transmitted via saliva, which is injected alternately with blood uptake during the tick bite. Both salivary glands and saliva thus play a key role in transmission of pathogenic microorganisms to vertebrate hosts. During their long co-evolution with ticks and vertebrate hosts, microorganisms have indeed developed various strategies to exploit tick salivary molecules to ensure both acquisition by ticks and transmission, local infection and systemic dissemination within the vertebrate host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ladislav Šimo
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-EstMaisons-Alfort, France
| | - Maria Kazimirova
- Institute of Zoology, Slovak Academy of SciencesBratislava, Slovakia
| | - Jennifer Richardson
- UMR Virologie, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-EstMaisons-Alfort, France
| | - Sarah I. Bonnet
- UMR BIPAR, INRA, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-EstMaisons-Alfort, France
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35
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Aird SD, da Silva NJ, Qiu L, Villar-Briones A, Saddi VA, Pires de Campos Telles M, Grau ML, Mikheyev AS. Coralsnake Venomics: Analyses of Venom Gland Transcriptomes and Proteomes of Six Brazilian Taxa. Toxins (Basel) 2017; 9:E187. [PMID: 28594382 PMCID: PMC5488037 DOI: 10.3390/toxins9060187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/02/2017] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Venom gland transcriptomes and proteomes of six Micrurus taxa (M. corallinus, M. lemniscatus carvalhoi, M. lemniscatus lemniscatus, M. paraensis, M. spixii spixii, and M. surinamensis) were investigated, providing the most comprehensive, quantitative data on Micrurus venom composition to date, and more than tripling the number of Micrurus venom protein sequences previously available. The six venomes differ dramatically. All are dominated by 2-6 toxin classes that account for 91-99% of the toxin transcripts. The M. s. spixii venome is compositionally the simplest. In it, three-finger toxins (3FTxs) and phospholipases A₂ (PLA₂s) comprise >99% of the toxin transcripts, which include only four additional toxin families at levels ≥0.1%. Micrurus l. lemniscatus venom is the most complex, with at least 17 toxin families. However, in each venome, multiple structural subclasses of 3FTXs and PLA₂s are present. These almost certainly differ in pharmacology as well. All venoms also contain phospholipase B and vascular endothelial growth factors. Minor components (0.1-2.0%) are found in all venoms except that of M. s. spixii. Other toxin families are present in all six venoms at trace levels (<0.005%). Minor and trace venom components differ in each venom. Numerous novel toxin chemistries include 3FTxs with previously unknown 8- and 10-cysteine arrangements, resulting in new 3D structures and target specificities. 9-cysteine toxins raise the possibility of covalent, homodimeric 3FTxs or heterodimeric toxins with unknown pharmacologies. Probable muscarinic sequences may be reptile-specific homologs that promote hypotension via vascular mAChRs. The first complete sequences are presented for 3FTxs putatively responsible for liberating glutamate from rat brain synaptosomes. Micrurus C-type lectin-like proteins may have 6-9 cysteine residues and may be monomers, or homo- or heterodimers of unknown pharmacology. Novel KSPIs, 3× longer than any seen previously, appear to have arisen in three species by gene duplication and fusion. Four species have transcripts homologous to the nociceptive toxin, (MitTx) α-subunit, but all six species had homologs to the β-subunit. The first non-neurotoxic, non-catalytic elapid phospholipase A₂s are reported. All are probably myonecrotic. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that the six taxa diverged 15-35 million years ago and that they split from their last common ancestor with Old World elapines nearly 55 million years ago. Given their early diversification, many cryptic micrurine taxa are anticipated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven D Aird
- Division of Faculty Affairs, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0495, Japan.
- Ecology and Evolution Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Nelson Jorge da Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás 74605-140, Brazil.
| | - Lijun Qiu
- Ecology and Evolution Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Alejandro Villar-Briones
- Research Support Division, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Vera Aparecida Saddi
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás 74605-140, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Oncogenética e Radiobiologia da Associação de Combate ao Câncer em Goiás, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Rua 239 no. 52-Setor Universitário, Goiânia, Goiás 74065-070, Brazil.
| | - Mariana Pires de Campos Telles
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Ambientais e Saúde, Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás 74605-140, Brazil.
- Laboratório de Genética & Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás 74690-900, Brazil.
| | - Miguel L Grau
- Ecology and Evolution Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0495, Japan.
| | - Alexander S Mikheyev
- Ecology and Evolution Unit, Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology Graduate University, 1919-1 Tancha, Onna-son, Kunigami-gun, Okinawa-ken 904-0495, Japan.
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36
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Chmelař J, Kotál J, Langhansová H, Kotsyfakis M. Protease Inhibitors in Tick Saliva: The Role of Serpins and Cystatins in Tick-host-Pathogen Interaction. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:216. [PMID: 28611951 PMCID: PMC5447049 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The publication of the first tick sialome (salivary gland transcriptome) heralded a new era of research of tick protease inhibitors, which represent important constituents of the proteins secreted via tick saliva into the host. Three major groups of protease inhibitors are secreted into saliva: Kunitz inhibitors, serpins, and cystatins. Kunitz inhibitors are anti-hemostatic agents and tens of proteins with one or more Kunitz domains are known to block host coagulation and/or platelet aggregation. Serpins and cystatins are also anti-hemostatic effectors, but intriguingly, from the translational perspective, also act as pluripotent modulators of the host immune system. Here we focus especially on this latter aspect of protease inhibition by ticks and describe the current knowledge and data on secreted salivary serpins and cystatins and their role in tick-host-pathogen interaction triad. We also discuss the potential therapeutic use of tick protease inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jindřich Chmelař
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceČeské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Kotál
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceČeské Budějovice, Czechia.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of SciencesČeské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České BudějoviceČeské Budějovice, Czechia.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of SciencesČeské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of SciencesČeské Budějovice, Czechia
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37
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Blisnick AA, Foulon T, Bonnet SI. Serine Protease Inhibitors in Ticks: An Overview of Their Role in Tick Biology and Tick-Borne Pathogen Transmission. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:199. [PMID: 28589099 PMCID: PMC5438962 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2017] [Accepted: 05/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
New tick and tick-borne pathogen control approaches that are both environmentally sustainable and which provide broad protection are urgently needed. Their development, however, will rely on a greater understanding of tick biology, tick-pathogen, and tick-host interactions. The recent advances in new generation technologies to study genomes, transcriptomes, and proteomes has resulted in a plethora of tick biomacromolecular studies. Among these, many enzyme inhibitors have been described, notably serine protease inhibitors (SPIs), whose importance in various tick biological processes is only just beginning to be fully appreciated. Among the multiple active substances secreted during tick feeding, SPIs have been shown to be directly involved in regulation of inflammation, blood clotting, wound healing, vasoconstriction and the modulation of host defense mechanisms. In light of these activities, several SPIs were examined and were experimentally confirmed to facilitate tick pathogen transmission. In addition, to prevent coagulation of the ingested blood meal within the tick alimentary canal, SPIs are also involved in blood digestion and nutrient extraction from the meal. The presence of SPIs in tick hemocytes and their involvement in tick innate immune defenses have also been demonstrated, as well as their implication in hemolymph coagulation and egg development. Considering the involvement of SPIs in multiple crucial aspects of tick-host-pathogen interactions, as well as in various aspects of the tick parasitic lifestyle, these molecules represent highly suitable and attractive targets for the development of effective tick control strategies. Here we review the current knowledge regarding this class of inhibitors in tick biology and tick-borne pathogen transmission, and their potential as targets for future tick control trials.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry Foulon
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut de Biologie Paris-Seine, Biogenèse des Signaux Peptidiques, Sorbonne Universités, UPMC Univ. Paris 06Paris, France
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38
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Radulović ŽM, Mulenga A. Heparan sulfate/heparin glycosaminoglycan binding alters inhibitory profile and enhances anticoagulant function of conserved Amblyomma americanum tick saliva serpin 19. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2017; 80:1-10. [PMID: 27845251 PMCID: PMC5214524 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2016] [Revised: 10/25/2016] [Accepted: 11/11/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Some serine protease inhibitor (serpin) regulators of essential life pathways bind glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) to enhance inhibitory functions and achieve physiologically relevant rates. This study demonstrates that highly conserved Amblyomma americanum tick saliva serpin 19 (AAS19), a broad-spectrum inhibitor of hemostasis and inflammation system proteases and anticoagulant, can bind heparan sulfate/heparin (HS)GAGs and that this interaction alters its function. Substrate hydrolysis and unpaired t-test analyses revealed that HSGAG binding caused rAAS19 inhibitory activity to: (i) significantly increase against blood clotting factors (f) IIa (thrombin) and fIXa, (ii) significantly reduce against fXa and fXIIa and (iii) moderate to no effect against trypsin, kallikrein, papain, and plasmin. Stoichiometry of inhibition (SI) analyses show that HSGAG binding improved the rAAS19 inhibitory efficiency against thrombin 2.7-4.3 fold as revealed by SI change from 13.19 in absence of HSGAGs to 4.83-3.04 in their presence. Our data show that HSGAG binding dramatically enhanced rAAS19 anticoagulant function. In the recalcification time assay, rAAS19 pre-incubated with HSGAGs prior to the assay, delayed plasma clotting by an additional 176-457 s above HSGAGs or rAAS19 alone. Our data suggest that formation of the HSGAGs and rAAS19 complex is important for the observed enhanced anticoagulant effect. Delay of plasma clotting was higher when HSGAGs and rAAS19 were co-incubated to allow complex formation prior to blood clotting assay as opposed to no co-incubation. We have discussed our finding with reference to tick feeding physiology and utility of the rAAS19 in blood clotting disorder therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Željko M Radulović
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 422 Raymond Stotzer, TAMU 4467, College Station, TX 77843, USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, 422 Raymond Stotzer, TAMU 4467, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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39
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Serpins in arthropod biology. Semin Cell Dev Biol 2016; 62:105-119. [PMID: 27603121 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcdb.2016.09.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 08/31/2016] [Accepted: 09/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Serpins are the largest known family of serine proteinase inhibitors and perform a variety of physiological functions in arthropods. Herein, we review the field of serpins in arthropod biology, providing an overview of current knowledge and topics of interest. Serpins regulate insect innate immunity via inhibition of serine proteinase cascades that initiate immune responses such as melanization and antimicrobial peptide production. In addition, several serpins with anti-pathogen activity are expressed as acute-phase serpins in insects upon infection. Parasitoid wasps can downregulate host serpin expression to modulate the host immune system. In addition, examples of serpin activity in development and reproduction in Drosophila have also been discovered. Serpins also function in host-pathogen interactions beyond immunity as constituents of venom in parasitoid wasps and saliva of blood-feeding ticks and mosquitoes. These serpins have distinct effects on immunosuppression and anticoagulation and are of interest for vaccine development. Lastly, the known structures of arthropod serpins are discussed, which represent the serpin inhibitory mechanism and provide a detailed overview of the process.
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40
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Mans BJ, de Castro MH, Pienaar R, de Klerk D, Gaven P, Genu S, Latif AA. Ancestral reconstruction of tick lineages. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2016; 7:509-35. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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Santiago PB, Assumpção TCF, de Araújo CN, Bastos IMD, Neves D, da Silva IG, Charneau S, Queiroz RML, Raiol T, Oliveira JVDA, de Sousa MV, Calvo E, Ribeiro JMC, Santana JM. A Deep Insight into the Sialome of Rhodnius neglectus, a Vector of Chagas Disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004581. [PMID: 27129103 PMCID: PMC4851354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004581] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2015] [Accepted: 03/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Triatomines are hematophagous insects that act as vectors of Chagas disease. Rhodnius neglectus is one of these kissing bugs found, contributing to the transmission of this American trypanosomiasis. The saliva of hematophagous arthropods contains bioactive molecules responsible for counteracting host haemostatic, inflammatory, and immune responses. METHODS/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Next generation sequencing and mass spectrometry-based protein identification were performed to investigate the content of triatomine R. neglectus saliva. We deposited 4,230 coding DNA sequences (CDS) in GenBank. A set of 636 CDS of proteins of putative secretory nature was extracted from the assembled reads, 73 of them confirmed by proteomic analysis. The sialome of R. neglectus was characterized and serine protease transcripts detected. The presence of ubiquitous protein families was revealed, including lipocalins, serine protease inhibitors, and antigen-5. Metalloproteases, disintegrins, and odorant binding protein families were less abundant. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The data presented improve our understanding of hematophagous arthropod sialomes, and aid in understanding hematophagy and the complex interplay among vectors and their vertebrate hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Teresa C. F. Assumpção
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Ceilândia Faculty, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - David Neves
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Sébastien Charneau
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | | | - Tainá Raiol
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane - Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
| | | | | | - Eric Calvo
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - José M. C. Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Rockville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Jaime M. Santana
- Department of Cell Biology, The University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Tirloni L, Kim TK, Coutinho ML, Ali A, Seixas A, Termignoni C, Mulenga A, da Silva Vaz I. The putative role of Rhipicephalus microplus salivary serpins in the tick-host relationship. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2016; 71:12-28. [PMID: 26844868 PMCID: PMC4808628 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2015] [Revised: 01/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Inflammation and hemostasis are part of the host's first line of defense to tick feeding. These systems are in part serine protease mediated and are tightly controlled by their endogenous inhibitors, in the serpin superfamily (serine protease inhibitors). From this perspective ticks are thought to use serpins to evade host defenses during feeding. The cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus encodes at least 24 serpins, of which RmS-3, RmS-6, and RmS-17 were previously identified in saliva of this tick. In this study, we screened inhibitor functions of these three saliva serpins against a panel of 16 proteases across the mammalian defense pathway. Our data confirm that Pichia pastoris-expressed rRmS-3, rRmS-6, and rRmS-17 are likely inhibitors of pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant proteases. We show that rRmS-3 inhibited chymotrypsin and cathepsin G with stoichiometry of inhibition (SI) indices of 1.8 and 2.0, and pancreatic elastase with SI higher than 10. Likewise, rRmS-6 inhibited trypsin with SI of 2.6, chymotrypsin, factor Xa, factor XIa, and plasmin with SI higher than 10, while rRmS-17 inhibited trypsin, cathepsin G, chymotrypsin, plasmin, and factor XIa with SI of 1.6, 2.6, 2.7, 3.4, and 9.0, respectively. Additionally, we observed the formation of irreversible complexes between rRmS-3 and chymotrypsin, rRmS-6/rRmS-17 and trypsin, and rRmS-3/rRmS-17 and cathepsin G, which is consistent with typical mechanism of inhibitory serpins. In blood clotting assays, rRmS-17 delayed plasma clotting by 60 s in recalcification time assay, while rRmS-3 and rRmS-6 did not have any effect. Consistent with inhibitor function profiling data, 2.0 μM rRmS-3 and rRmS-17 inhibited cathepsin G-activated platelet aggregation in a dose-responsive manner by up to 96% and 95% respectively. Of significant interest, polyclonal antibodies blocked inhibitory functions of the three serpins. Also notable, antibodies to Amblyomma americanum, Ixodes scapularis, and Rhipicephalus sanguineus tick saliva proteins cross-reacted with the three R. microplus saliva serpins, suggesting the potential of these proteins as candidates for universal anti-tick vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Tirloni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Mariana Loner Coutinho
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Abid Ali
- Institute of Biotechnology Genetic Engineering, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
| | - Adriana Seixas
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Farmacociências, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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43
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Hasanuzzaman AFM, Robledo D, Gómez-Tato A, Alvarez-Dios JA, Harrison PW, Cao A, Fernández-Boo S, Villalba A, Pardo BG, Martínez P. De novo transcriptome assembly of Perkinsus olseni trophozoite stimulated in vitro with Manila clam (Ruditapes philippinarum) plasma. J Invertebr Pathol 2016; 135:22-33. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2016.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2015] [Revised: 01/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/24/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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44
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Chmelař J, Kotál J, Kopecký J, Pedra JHF, Kotsyfakis M. All For One and One For All on the Tick-Host Battlefield. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:368-377. [PMID: 26830726 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.01.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2015] [Revised: 12/18/2015] [Accepted: 01/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
The saliva of ixodid ticks contains a mixture of bioactive molecules that target a wide spectrum of host defense mechanisms to allow ticks to feed on the vertebrate host for several days. Tick salivary proteins cluster in multigenic protein families, and individual family members display redundancy and pluripotency in their action to ameliorate or evade host immune responses. It is now clear that members of different protein families can target the same cellular or molecular pathway of the host physiological response to tick feeding. We present and discuss our hypothesis that redundancy and pluripotency evolved in tick salivary immunomodulators to evade immune recognition by the host while retaining the immunomodulatory potential of their saliva.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jindřich Chmelař
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Budweis, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kotál
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Budweis, Czech Republic; Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kopecký
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Budweis, Czech Republic
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czech Republic.
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Xu T, Lew-Tabor A, Rodriguez-Valle M. Effective inhibition of thrombin by Rhipicephalus microplus serpin-15 (RmS-15) obtained in the yeast Pichia pastoris. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 7:180-187. [PMID: 26530984 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2015] [Revised: 09/10/2015] [Accepted: 09/25/2015] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The cattle tick (Rhipicephalus microplus) affects cattle industries in tropical and subtropical countries because it is the vector of babesiosis and anaplasmosis which constitutes a threat to the health of cattle. During blooding feeding, ticks secrete saliva containing a complex of bioactive molecules into the injured site to evade host's defensive responses. Serine protease inhibitors (serpins) are important anti-haemostatic molecules present in tick saliva that are necessary for a successful blood feeding. Several serpin sequences have been reported in R. microplus but there is a gap of information about their functions during host-parasite interactions. In this study, the RmS-15 expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris was characterised using kinetic assays and in vitro analysis. The inhibitory enzymatic assays conducted showed that RmS-15 is a physiological inhibitor of thrombin with a stoichiometric inhibition (SI) of 1.5 and high inhibition affinity with ka=9.3±0.5×104M(-1)s(-1). RmS-15 delayed the clotting of plasma in a dose-dependent manner as determined in a recalcification time assay. Significant elevated ELISA titres were observed in tick resistant and susceptible cattle on day 28 after the tick infestation (p<0.001). This data suggests direct contact of RmS-15 with the immune system of the host at the tick-feeding site. The present study contributed to the understanding of the biological functions of R. microplus serpins during host-parasite interactions which contributes to the design of future innovative methods for tick control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Xu
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Qld, Australia
| | - Ala Lew-Tabor
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Qld, Australia; Murdoch University, Centre for Comparative Genomics, Perth, Western Australia 6150, Australia
| | - Manuel Rodriguez-Valle
- The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Qld, Australia.
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46
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Radulović ŽM, Porter LM, Kim TK, Bakshi M, Mulenga A. Amblyomma americanum tick saliva insulin-like growth factor binding protein-related protein 1 binds insulin but not insulin-like growth factors. INSECT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2015; 24:539-550. [PMID: 26108887 PMCID: PMC4560673 DOI: 10.1111/imb.12180] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Silencing Amblyomma americanum insulin-like growth factor binding protein-related protein 1 (AamIGFBP-rP1) mRNA prevented ticks from feeding to repletion. In this study, we used recombinant (r)AamIGFBP-rP1 in a series of assays to obtain further insight into the role(s) of this protein in tick feeding regulation. Our results suggest that AamIGFBP-1 is an antigenic protein that is apparently exclusively expressed in salivary glands. We found that both males and females secrete AamIGFBP-rP1 into the host during feeding and confirmed that female ticks secrete this protein from within 24-48 h after attachment. Our data suggest that native AamIGFBP-rP1 is a functional insulin binding protein in that both yeast- and insect cell-expressed rAamIGFBP-rP1 bound insulin, but not insulin-like growth factors. When subjected to anti-blood clotting and platelet aggregation assays, rAamIGFBP-rP1 did not have any effect. Unlike human IGFBP-rP1, which is controlled by trypsinization, rAamIGFBP-rP1 is resistant to digestion, suggesting that the tick protein may not be under mammalian host control at the tick feeding site. The majority of tick-borne pathogens are transmitted 48 h after the tick has attached. Thus, the demonstrated antigenicity and secretion into the host within 24-48 h of the tick starting to feed makes AamIGFBP-rP1 an attractive target for antitick vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ž M Radulović
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - L M Porter
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - T K Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - M Bakshi
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - A Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
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47
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Toyomane K, Konnai S, Niwa A, Githaka N, Isezaki M, Yamada S, Ito T, Takano A, Ando S, Kawabata H, Murata S, Ohashi K. Identification and the preliminary in vitro characterization of IRIS homologue from salivary glands of Ixodes persulcatus Schulze. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 7:119-125. [PMID: 26460162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2014] [Revised: 08/25/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus immunosuppressor (Iris) is a tick salivary gland protein derived from I. ricinus. In this study, Iris homolog was identified in the salivary glands of Ixodes persulcatus, which is the specific vector of the Lyme disease agent in Japan. The homolog was named Ipis-1. To investigate the function of Ipis-1, we prepared a recombinant Ipis-1 expressed in COS-7 cells as a rabbit IgG Fc-fused protein (Ipis-1-Ig). Cell proliferation assay and IFN-γ ELISA showed that Ipis-1-Ig inhibits the proliferation and IFN-γ production of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Notably, Ipis-1-Ig inhibited the cell proliferation and production of IFN-γ in bovine PBMCs even when CD14(+) cells were depleted, suggesting that Ipis could directly interact with T cells and inhibit their functions. In conclusion, Ipis could contribute to the establishment of environments suitable for tick blood feeding and pathogen transmission by suppressing the function of immune cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kochi Toyomane
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Satoru Konnai
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
| | - Ayano Niwa
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Naftaly Githaka
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Isezaki
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Shinji Yamada
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takuya Ito
- Hokkaido Institute of Public Health, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Ai Takano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi, Japan
| | - Shuji Ando
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hiroki Kawabata
- National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Toyama, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shiro Murata
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Kazuhiko Ohashi
- Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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48
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Tirloni L, Islam MS, Kim TK, Diedrich JK, Yates JR, Pinto AFM, Mulenga A, You MJ, Da Silva Vaz I. Saliva from nymph and adult females of Haemaphysalis longicornis: a proteomic study. Parasit Vectors 2015; 8:338. [PMID: 26104117 PMCID: PMC4484640 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-015-0918-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2015] [Accepted: 05/27/2015] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Haemaphysalis longicornis is a major vector of Theileria spp., Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia spp. and Coxiella burnetti in East Asian countries. All life stages of ixodid ticks have a destructive pool-feeding style in which they create a pool-feeding site by lacerating host tissue and secreting a variety of biologically active compounds that allows the tick to evade host responses, enabling the uptake of a blood meal. The identification and functional characterization of tick saliva proteins can be useful to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in tick development and to conceive new anti-tick control methods. METHODS H. longicornis tick saliva was collected from fully engorged nymphs and fully engorged adults induced by dopamine or pilocarpine, respectively. Saliva was digested with trypsin for LC-MS/MS sequencing and peptides were searched against tick and rabbit sequences. RESULTS A total of 275 proteins were identified, of which 135 were tick and 100 were rabbit proteins. Of the tick proteins, 30 proteins were identified exclusively in fully engorged nymph saliva, 74 in fully engorged adult females, and 31 were detected in both stages. The identified tick proteins include heme/iron metabolism-related proteins, oxidation/detoxification proteins, enzymes, proteinase inhibitors, tick-specific protein families, and cytoskeletal proteins. Proteins involved in signal transduction, transport and metabolism of carbohydrate, energy, nucleotide, amino acids and lipids were also detected. Of the rabbit proteins, 13 were present in nymph saliva, 48 in adult saliva, and 30 were present in both. The host proteins include immunoglobulins, complement system proteins, antimicrobial proteins, serum albumin, peroxiredoxin, serotransferrin, apolipoprotein, hemopexin, proteinase inhibitors, and hemoglobin/red blood cells-related products. CONCLUSIONS This study allows the identification of H. longicornis saliva proteins. In spontaneously detached tick saliva various proteins were identified, although results obtained with saliva of fully engorged ticks need to be carefully interpreted. However, it is interesting to note that proteins identified in this study were also described in other tick saliva proteomes using partially engorged tick saliva, including hemelipoprotein, proteases, protease inhibitors, proteins related to structural functions, transporter activity, metabolic processes, and others. In conclusion, these data can provide a deeper understanding to the biology of H. longicornis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Tirloni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Mohammad Saiful Islam
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, Bangladesh.
| | - Tae Kwon Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Jolene K Diedrich
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
| | - Antônio F M Pinto
- Department of Chemical Physiology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA.
- Centro de Pesquisas em Biologia Molecular e Funcional, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Tuberculose (INCT-TB), Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
| | - Myung-Jo You
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Republic of Korea.
| | - Itabajara Da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Conserved Amblyomma americanum tick Serpin19, an inhibitor of blood clotting factors Xa and XIa, trypsin and plasmin, has anti-haemostatic functions. Int J Parasitol 2015; 45:613-27. [PMID: 25957161 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2015.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/21/2015] [Accepted: 03/23/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Tick saliva serine protease inhibitors (serpins) facilitate tick blood meal feeding through inhibition of protease mediators of host defense pathways. We previously identified a highly conserved Amblyomma americanum serpin 19 that is characterised by its reactive center loop being 100% conserved in ixodid ticks. In this study, biochemical characterisation reveals that the ubiquitously transcribed A. americanum serpin 19 is an anti-coagulant protein, inhibiting the activity of five of the eight serine protease blood clotting factors. Pichia pastoris-expressed recombinant (r) A. americanum serpin 19 inhibits the enzyme activity of trypsin, plasmin and blood clotting factors (f) Xa and XIa, with stoichiometry of inhibition estimated at 5.1, 9.4, 23.8 and 28, respectively. Similar to typical inhibitory serpins, recombinant A. americanum serpin 19 forms irreversible complexes with trypsin, fXa and fXIa. At a higher molar excess of recombinant A. americanum serpin 19, fXIIa is inhibited by 82.5%, and thrombin (fIIa), fIXa, chymotrypsin and tryptase are inhibited moderately by 14-29%. In anti-hemostatic functional assays, recombinant A. americanum serpin 19 inhibits thrombin but not ADP and cathepsin G activated platelet aggregation, delays clotting in recalcification and thrombin time assays by up to 250s, and up to 40s in the activated partial thromboplastin time assay. Given A. americanum serpin 19 high cross-tick species conservation, and specific reactivity of recombinant A. americanum serpin 19 with antibodies to A. americanum tick saliva proteins, we conclude that recombinant A. americanum serpin 19 is a potential candidate for development of a universal tick vaccine.
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50
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Lewis LA, Radulović ŽM, Kim TK, Porter LM, Mulenga A. Identification of 24h Ixodes scapularis immunogenic tick saliva proteins. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 6:424-34. [PMID: 25825233 PMCID: PMC4415496 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2014] [Revised: 02/19/2015] [Accepted: 03/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis is arguably the most medically important tick species in the United States. This tick transmits 5 of the 14 human tick-borne disease (TBD) agents in the USA: Borrelia burgdorferi, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, B. miyamotoi, Babesia microti, and Powassan virus disease. Except for the Powassan virus disease, I. scapularis-vectored TBD agents require more than 24h post attachment to be transmitted. This study describes identification of 24h immunogenic I. scapularis tick saliva proteins, which could provide opportunities to develop strategies to stop tick feeding before transmission of the majority of pathogens. A 24h fed female I. scapularis phage display cDNA expression library was biopanned using rabbit antibodies to 24h fed I. scapularis female tick saliva proteins, subjected to next generation sequencing, de novo assembly, and bioinformatic analyses. A total of 182 contigs were assembled, of which ∼19% (35/182) are novel and did not show identity to any known proteins in GenBank. The remaining ∼81% (147/182) of contigs were provisionally identified based on matches in GenBank including ∼18% (27/147) that matched protein sequences previously annotated as hypothetical and putative tick saliva proteins. Others include proteases and protease inhibitors (∼3%, 5/147), transporters and/or ligand binding proteins (∼6%, 9/147), immunogenic tick saliva housekeeping enzyme-like (17%, 25/147), ribosomal protein-like (∼31%, 46/147), and those classified as miscellaneous (∼24%, 35/147). Notable among the miscellaneous class include antimicrobial peptides (microplusin and ricinusin), myosin-like proteins that have been previously found in tick saliva, and heat shock tick saliva protein. Data in this study provides the foundation for in-depth analysis of I. scapularis feeding during the first 24h, before the majority of TBD agents can be transmitted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lauren A Lewis
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Željko M Radulović
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Tae K Kim
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Lindsay M Porter
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, United States.
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