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Zhang SB, Gao ZH, Wang YK, Lv WX, Dong KX, Guo FD, Wang RY, Yang XL. The evaluation of cystatin protein vaccines based on the stress response of ticks triggered by low-temperature and toxin stress in Haemaphysalis doenitzi. PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE 2024; 80:3957-3966. [PMID: 38521986 DOI: 10.1002/ps.8099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ticks, which are obligate blood-feeding parasites, transmit a wide range of pathogens during their hematophagic process. Certain enzymes and macromolecules play a crucial role in inhibition of several tick physiological processes, including digestion and reproduction. In the present study, genes encoding type 2 cystatin were cloned and characterized from Haemaphysalis doenitzi, and the potential role of cystatin in tick control was further assessed. RESULTS Two cystatin genes, HDcyst-1 and HDcyst-2, were successfully cloned from the tick H. doenitzi. Their open reading frames are 390 and 426 base pairs, and the number of coding amino acids are 129 and 141, respectively. In the midgut, salivary glands, Malpighian tubules and ovaries of ticks, the relative expression of HDcyst-1 was higher in the midgut and Malpighian tubules, and HDcyst-2 was higher in the salivary glands of H. doenitzi, respectively. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) injection and low-temperature stress elevated cystatin expression in ticks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that both rHDcyst-1 and rHDcyst-2 protein vaccines increased antibody levels in immunized rabbits. A vaccination trial in rabbits infected with H. doenitzi showed that both recombinant cystatin proteins significantly reduced tick engorgement weights and egg mass weight, in particular, rHDcyst-1 significantly prolonged tick engorgement time by 1 day and reduced egg hatching rates by 16.9%. In total, rHDcyst-1 and rHDcyst-2 protein vaccinations provided 64.1% and 51.8% protection to adult female ticks, respectively. CONCLUSION This is the first report on the immunological characterization of the cystatin protein and sequencing of the cystatin gene in H. doenitzi. Cystatin proteins are promising antigens that have the potential to be used as vaccines for infestation of H. doenitzi control. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song-Bo Zhang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Zhi-Hua Gao
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Yi-Kui Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Wen-Xia Lv
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ke-Xin Dong
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Fei-Di Guo
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Run-Ying Wang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Xiao-Long Yang
- Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hebei Collaborative Innovation Center for Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
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Su S, Cui MY, Gui Z, Guo QQ, Ren H, Ma SF, Mu L, Yu JF, Fu SY, Qi DD. First detection of Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae in Hyalomma marginatum ticks. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296757. [PMID: 38306367 PMCID: PMC10836667 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 02/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of zoonotic diseases and play a major role in the circulation and transmission of many rickettsial species. The aim of this study was to investigate the carriage of Candidatus Rickettsia tarasevichiae (CRT) in a total of 1168 ticks collected in Inner Mongolia to elucidate the potential public health risk of this pathogen, provide a basis for infectious disease prevention, control and prediction and contribute diagnostic ideas for clinical diseases that present with fever in populations exposed to ticks. A total of four tick species, Haemaphysalis concinna (n = 21), Dermacentor nuttalli (n = 122), Hyalomma marginatum (n = 148), and Ixodes persulcatus (n = 877), were collected at nine sampling sites in Inner Mongolia, China, and identified by morphological and molecular biological methods. Reverse transcription PCR targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA (rrs), gltA, groEL, ompB and Sca4 genes was used to detect CRT DNA. Sequencing was used for pathogen species confirmation. The molecular epidemiological analysis showed that three species of ticks were infected with CRT, and the overall positive rate was as high as 42%. The positive rate of I. persulcatus collected in Hinggan League city was up to 96%, and that of I. persulcatus collected in Hulun Buir city was 50%. The pool positive rates of D. nuttalli and H. marginatum collected in Bayan Nur city and H. concinna collected in Hulun Buir city were 0%, 28% and 40%, respectively. This study revealed the high prevalence of CRT infection in ticks from Inner Mongolia and the first confirmation of CRT detected in H. marginatum in China. The wide host range and high infection rate in Inner Mongolia may dramatically increase the exposure of CRT to humans and other vertebrates. The role of H. marginatum in the transmission of rickettsiosis and its potential risk to public health should be further considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Su
- Graduate School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Meng-Yu Cui
- Graduate School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Zheng Gui
- First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Qi-Qi Guo
- Graduate School, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Hong Ren
- First Clinical College, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Shi-Fa Ma
- Laboratory of Basic and Clinical Psychiatry, The Third People’s Hospital of Hulunbuir City, Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Lan Mu
- School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Jing-Feng Yu
- School of Basic Medicine, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Shao-Yin Fu
- Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural & Animal Husbandry Science, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, China
| | - Dong-Dong Qi
- Laboratory of Basic and Clinical Psychiatry, The Third People’s Hospital of Hulunbuir City, Hulunbuir, Inner Mongolia, China
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Cao Y, Liu P, Song Q, Wang J. Case report: A case of sepsis caused by rickettsial infection-induced hemophagocytic syndrome. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1209174. [PMID: 37608831 PMCID: PMC10440429 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1209174] [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: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare histiocytic disorder characterized by reactive hyperplasia of the mononuclear phagocytic system, which is primarily caused by dysfunction of cytotoxic killer cells and natural killer cells, leading to antigen clearance barriers and the overactivation of the mononuclear phagocytic system due to continuous antigen stimulation. HLH encompasses a group of clinical syndromes marked by the overproduction of inflammatory cytokines. A 68-year-old Chinese man presented with persistent fever, chills, nausea, and vomiting; the patient had no history of any underlying conditions. Laboratory investigations revealed decreased levels of red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, along with reduced natural killer cell activity, increased CD25, hyperferritinemia, and the detection of Rickettsia DNA in his blood, meeting the diagnostic criteria of the Histiocyte Society HLH-2004 guidelines. The patient was treated with antibiotics, improving anemia, glucocorticoid therapy, and continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), temporarily improving his condition. However, the patient died after 2 years from chronic renal failure caused by septic shock.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Jing Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, The Central Hospital of Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Enshi, China
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Chiu HC, Sun X, Bao Y, Fu W, Lin K, Chen T, Zheng C, Li S, Chen W, Huang C. Molecular identification of Colpodella sp. of South China tiger Panthera tigris amoyensis (Hilzheimer) in the Meihua Mountains, Fujian, China. Folia Parasitol (Praha) 2022; 69. [DOI: 10.14411/fp.2022.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Zhu C, Ai L, Qi Y, Liu Y, Li H, Ye F, Wang Q, Luo Y, Tan W, Shi C. Molecular detection of spotted fever group rickettsiae in hedgehogs (Erinaceus amurensis) and hedgehog-attached ticks in Xuyi County, Southeast China. EXPERIMENTAL & APPLIED ACAROLOGY 2022; 88:97-111. [PMID: 36097185 PMCID: PMC9663401 DOI: 10.1007/s10493-022-00721-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases like Rickettsia, Anaplasma and Ehrlichia are widespread infectious zoonoses that threaten the health of both humans and animals worldwide. Ticks and their hosts, such as hedgehogs, can play a crucial role in transmitting tick-borne diseases and the cycle of Rickettsia. To investigate the presence and identity of Rickettsia in hedgehogs and hedgehog-attached ticks in Xuyi County, Southeast China, 114 ticks were collected from 45 hedgehogs captured totally. Via morphological and molecular methods, all these ticks were identified as two species: Haemaphysalis flava (110/114, 96.5%) and Haemaphysalis longicornis (4/114, 3.5%). Rickettsia spp. were genotypically characterized by PCR targeting rrs, gltA, ompA, ompB, and sca4 gene fragments. The prevalence of spotted fever group rickettsiae (SFGR) infection found in hedgehogs and ticks was 17.8% (8/45) and 78.1% (89/114), respectively. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that those Rickettsia spp. belong to two species: Rickettsia heilongjiangensis (R. heilongjiangensis XY-1) and a potential new species, Candidatus Rickettsia xuyiensis XY-2. The present study gave the first evidence of R. heilongjiangensis and Candidatus R. xuyiensis in ticks and hedgehogs of Southeast China. Our findings suggest that hedgehogs might be involved in the natural transmission cycle of Rickettsia species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changqiang Zhu
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Lele Ai
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Yong Qi
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Yunsheng Liu
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China
| | - Hong Li
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Fuqiang Ye
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Qiuwei Wang
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Yizhe Luo
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China
| | - Weilong Tan
- Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control of Eastern Theater, Nanjing, 210002, China.
| | - Chunmeng Shi
- Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Army Medical University, Chongqing, 400038, China.
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Jia W, Chen S, Chi S, He Y, Ren L, Wang X. Recent Progress on Tick-Borne Animal Diseases of Veterinary and Public Health Significance in China. Viruses 2022; 14:v14020355. [PMID: 35215952 PMCID: PMC8875255 DOI: 10.3390/v14020355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/03/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks and tick-borne diseases pose a growing threat to human and animal health, which has brought great losses to livestock production. With the continuous expansion of human activities and the development of natural resources, there are more and more opportunities for humans to contract ticks and tick-borne pathogens. Therefore, research on ticks and tick-borne diseases is of great significance. This paper reviews recent progress on tick-borne bacterial diseases, viral diseases, and parasitic diseases in China, which provides a theoretical foundation for the research of tick-borne diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weijuan Jia
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China; (W.J.); (S.C.); (Y.H.)
| | - Si Chen
- College of Animal Sciences, Key Lab for Zoonoses Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
| | - Shanshan Chi
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China; (W.J.); (S.C.); (Y.H.)
| | - Yunjiang He
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China; (W.J.); (S.C.); (Y.H.)
| | - Linzhu Ren
- College of Animal Sciences, Key Lab for Zoonoses Research, Ministry of Education, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China;
- Correspondence: (L.R.); (X.W.); Tel.: +86-15924529577 (X.W.)
| | - Xueli Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Inner Mongolia Minzu University, Tongliao 028000, China; (W.J.); (S.C.); (Y.H.)
- Correspondence: (L.R.); (X.W.); Tel.: +86-15924529577 (X.W.)
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Fang LZ, Lei SC, Yan ZJ, Xiao X, Liu JW, Gong XQ, Yu H, Yu XJ. Detection of Multiple Intracellular Bacterial Pathogens in Haemaphysalis flava Ticks Collected from Hedgehogs in Central China. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10020115. [PMID: 33498714 PMCID: PMC7911675 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10020115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Tickborne intracellular bacterial pathogens including Anaplasma, Coxiella burnetti, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia cause emerging infectious diseases worldwide. PCR was used to amplify the genes of these pathogens in Haemaphysalis flava ticks collected from hedgehogs in Central China. Among 125 samples including 20 egg batches, 24 engorged females, and 81 molted male and female adult ticks, the DNA sequences and phylogenetic analysis showed that the minimum infection rate of the ticks was 4% (5/125) for A. bovis, 3.2% (4/125) for C. burnetti, 9.6%, (12/125) for E. ewingii, and 5.6% for Rickettsia including R.japonica (3.2%, 4/125) and R. raoultii (2.4%, 3/125), respectively. The prevalence of these pathogens was significantly higher in dead engorged females (83.3%, 20/24) than in eggs (5%, 1/20) and molted ticks (8.6%, 7/81). Our study indicated that H. flava ticks could be infected with multiple species of tickborne pathogens including Anaplasma, C. burnetti, Ehrlichia, and Rickettsia in Central China, and the prevalence of these pathogens was reduced during transovarial and transstadial transmission in ticks, suggesting that ticks may not be real reservoirs but only vectors for these tickborne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li-Zhu Fang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
| | - Si-Cong Lei
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510000, China
| | | | - Xiao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
- Lab Animal Research Center, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Jian-Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
| | - Xiao-Qing Gong
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
| | - Hao Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
| | - Xue-Jie Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, School of Health Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China; (L.-Z.F.); (S.-C.L.); (X.X.); (J.-W.L.); (X.-Q.G.); (H.Y.)
- Correspondence:
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Tai H, Su H, Takamoto N, Fujita H, Takano A, Oishi S, Abe F, Ando S, Ohashi N. Growth Characteristics of Rickettsia Species LON Strains Closely Related to Rickettsia japonica Isolated from Haemaphysalis longicornis Ticks in Mouse Derived L929 and Human-Derived THP-1 Host Cell Lines. Jpn J Infect Dis 2020; 74:102-109. [PMID: 32863353 DOI: 10.7883/yoken.jjid.2020.444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Non-pathogenic Rickettsia species LON strains closely related to an agent of Japanese spotted fever (JSF), R. japonica, were isolated in Japan from Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks in 2001. However, the biological properties of LONs in mammalian host cells are poorly understood. In this study, microscopic analysis showed that LONs in a mouse-derived L929 host cell line were rod shaped with sizes of 0.3-0.5 × 0.5-2.0 μm. Molecular analysis revealed the existence of a LON-specific disrupted open reading frame in R. japonica-related group-specific DNA regions. Growth kinetics of LON-2 and LON-13 strains analyzed by a quantitative real-time PCR showed 100-fold or more increment of LONs cultured in L929 host cells at 30°C and slightly less increment at 33°C, and 25-fold increment in human-derived THP-1 host cells at 35°C on day 7 (168 h) post infection. The generation times of the two LON strains cultured in L929 and THP-1 were estimated to be 9.4-12.9 h and 9.6-10.9 h, respectively. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the biological characteristics of Rickettsia sp. LON strains in mammalian cells, which may provide significant information for the experimental approaches for other rickettsiae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hitoshi Tai
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hongru Su
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Naoya Takamoto
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan
| | - Hiromi Fujita
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan.,Mahara Institute of Medical Acarology, Japan
| | - Ai Takano
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Yamaguchi University, Japan
| | - Saori Oishi
- Department of Microbiology, Shizuoka Institute of Environment and Hygiene, Japan
| | - Fuyuki Abe
- Department of Microbiology, Shizuoka Institute of Environment and Hygiene, Japan
| | - Shuji Ando
- Department of Virology I, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Japan
| | - Norio Ohashi
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, Graduate School of Integrated Pharmaceutical and Nutritional Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Japan
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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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