Cholinergic axons regulate type I acini in salivary glands of Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis ticks

Regulatory factors controlling tick salivary glands (SGs) are direct upstream neural signaling pathways arising from the tick's central nervous system. Here we investigated the cholinergic signaling pathway in the SG of two hard tick species. We reconstructed the organization of the cholinergic gene locus, and then used in situ hybridization to localize mRNA encoding choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT) in specific neural cells in the Ixodes synganglion. Immunohistochemical staining revealed that cholinergic axonal projections exclusively reached type I acini in the SG of both Ixodes species. In type I acini, the rich network of cholinergic axons terminate within the basolateral infoldings of the lamellate cells. We also characterized two types (A and B) of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs), which were expressed in Ixodes SG. We pharmacologically assessed mAChR-A to monitor intracellular calcium mobilization upon receptor activation. In vivo injection of vesamicol-a VAChT blocker-at the cholinergic synapse, suppressed forced water uptake by desiccated ticks, while injection of atropine, an mAChR-A antagonist, did not show any effect on water volume uptake. This study has uncovered a novel neurotransmitter signaling pathway in Ixodes SG, and suggests its role in water uptake by type I acini in desiccated ticks.

Water absorption through salivary gland type I acini in the blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis

Tick salivary glands play critical roles in maintaining water balance for survival, as they eliminate excess water and ions during blood feeding on hosts. In the long duration of fasting in the off-host period, ticks secrete hygroscopic saliva into the mouth cavity to uptake atmospheric water vapor. Type I acini of tick salivary glands are speculated to be involved in secretion of hygroscopic saliva based on ultrastructure studies. However, we recently proposed that type I acini play a role in resorption of water/ions from the primary saliva produced by other salivary acini (i.e., types II and III) during the tick blood feeding phase. In this study, we tested the function of type I acini in unfed female Ixodes scapularis. The route of ingested water was tracked after forced feeding of water with fluorescent dye rhodamine123. We found that type-I acini of the salivary glands, but not type II and III, are responsible for water uptake. In addition, the ingestion of water through the midgut was also observed. Injection or feeding of ouabain, a Na/K-ATPase inhibitor, suppressed water absorption in type I acini. When I. scapularis was offered a droplet of water, ticks rarely imbibed water directly (5%), while some approached the water droplet to use the high humidity formed in the vicinity of the droplet (23%). We conclude that during both on- and off-host stages, type I acini in salivary glands of female Ixodes scapularis absorb water and ions.

Multiple functions of Na/K-ATPase in dopamine-induced salivation of the Blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis

Control of salivary secretion in ticks involves autocrine dopamine activating two dopamine receptors: D1 and Invertebrate-specific D1-like dopamine receptors. In this study, we investigated Na/K-ATPase as an important component of the secretory process. Immunoreactivity for Na/K-ATPase revealed basal infolding of lamellate cells in type-I, abluminal interstitial (epithelial) cells in type-II, and labyrinth-like infolding structures opening towards the lumen in type-III acini. Ouabain (10 μmol l(-1)), a specific inhibitor of Na/K-ATPase, abolished dopamine-induced salivary secretion by suppressing fluid transport in type III acini. At 1 μmol l(-1), ouabain, the secreted saliva was hyperosmotic. This suggests that ouabain also inhibits an ion resorptive function of Na/K-ATPase in the type I acini. Dopamine/ouabain were not involved in activation of protein secretion, while dopamine-induced saliva contained constitutively basal level of protein. We hypothesize that the dopamine-dependent primary saliva formation, mediated by Na/K-ATPase in type III and type II acini, is followed by a dopamine-independent resorptive function of Na/K-ATPase in type I acini located in the proximal end of the salivary duct.

A Multifunctional Frontloading Approach for Repeated Recycling of a Pressure-Controlled AFM Micropipette

Fluid force microscopy combines the positional accuracy and force sensitivity of an atomic force microscope (AFM) with nanofluidics via a microchanneled cantilever. However, adequate loading and cleaning procedures for such AFM micropipettes are required for various application situations. Here, a new frontloading procedure is described for an AFM micropipette functioning as a force- and pressure-controlled microscale liquid dispenser. This frontloading procedure seems especially attractive when using target substances featuring high costs or low available amounts. Here, the AFM micropipette could be filled from the tip side with liquid from a previously applied droplet with a volume of only a few μL using a short low-pressure pulse. The liquid-loaded AFM micropipettes could be then applied for experiments in air or liquid environments. AFM micropipette frontloading was evaluated with the well-known organic fluorescent dye rhodamine 6G and the AlexaFluor647-labeled antibody goat anti-rat IgG as an example of a larger biological compound. After micropipette usage, specific cleaning procedures were tested. Furthermore, a storage method is described, at which the AFM micropipettes could be stored for a few hours up to several days without drying out or clogging of the microchannel. In summary, the rapid, versatile and cost-efficient frontloading and cleaning procedure for the repeated usage of a single AFM micropipette is beneficial for various application situations from specific surface modifications through to local manipulation of living cells, and provides a simplified and faster handling for already known experiments with fluid force microscopy.

PGE2 MEDIATES OENOCYTOID CELL LYSIS VIA A SODIUM-POTASSIUM-CHLORIDE COTRANSPORTER

Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2 ) mediates immune responses of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, including oenocytoid cell lysis (a class of lepidopteran hemocytes: OCL) via its specific membrane receptor to release inactive prophenoloxidase (PPO) into hemolymph. PPO is activated into phenoloxidase in the plasma to play crucial roles in the immune responses of S. exigua. The mechanism of OCL has not been elucidated, however we posed the hypothesis that a rapid accumulation of sodium ions within the oenocytoids allows a massive influx of water by the ion gradient, which leads to the cell lysis. It remains unclear which sodium channel is responsible for the OCL in response to PGE2 . This study identified a specific sodium channel called sodium-potassium-chloride cotransporter 1 (Se-NKCC1) expressed in hemocytes of S. exigua and analyzed its function in the OCL in response to PGE2 . Se-NKCC1 encodes a basic membrane protein (pI value = 8.445) of 1,066 amino acid residues, which contains 12 putative transmembrane domains. Se-NKCC1 was expressed in all developmental stages and tissues. qPCR showed that bacterial challenge significantly induced its expression. A specific inhibitor of NKCC, bumetanide, prevented the OCL in a dose-dependent manner. When RNA interference (RNAi) using double-stranded RNA specific to Se-NKCC1 suppressed its expression, the OCL and PPO activation were significantly inhibited in response to PGE2 . The RNAi treatment also reduced nodule formation to bacterial challenge. These results suggest that Se-NKCC1 is associated with OCL by facilitating inward transport of ions in response to PGE2 .

Asante Calcium Green and Asante Calcium Red--novel calcium indicators for two-photon fluorescence lifetime imaging

For a comprehensive understanding of cellular processes and potential dysfunctions therein, an analysis of the ubiquitous intracellular second messenger calcium is of particular interest. This study examined the suitability of the novel Ca²⁺-sensitive fluorescent dyes Asante Calcium Red (ACR) and Asante Calcium Green (ACG) for two-photon (2P)-excited time-resolved fluorescence measurements. Both dyes displayed sufficient 2P fluorescence excitation in a range of 720–900 nm. In vitro, ACR and ACG exhibited a biexponential fluorescence decay behavior and the two decay time components in the ns-range could be attributed to the Ca²⁺-free and Ca²⁺-bound dye species. The amplitude-weighted average fluorescence decay time changed in a Ca²⁺-dependent way, unraveling in vitro dissociation constants K_D of 114 nM and 15 nM for ACR and ACG, respectively. In the presence of bovine serum albumin, the absorption and steady-state fluorescence behavior of ACR was altered and its biexponential fluorescence decay showed about 5-times longer decay time components indicating dye-protein interactions. Since no ester derivative of ACG was commercially available, only ACR was evaluated for 2P-excited fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (2P-FLIM) in living cells of American cockroach salivary glands. In living cells, ACR also exhibited a biexponential fluorescence decay with clearly resolvable short (0.56 ns) and long (2.44 ns) decay time components attributable to the Ca²⁺-free and Ca²⁺-bound ACR species. From the amplitude-weighted average fluorescence decay times, an in situ K_D of 180 nM was determined. Thus, quantitative [Ca²⁺]_i recordings were realized, unraveling a reversible dopamine-induced [Ca²⁺]_i elevation from 21 nM to 590 nM in salivary duct cells. It was concluded that ACR is a promising new Ca²⁺ indicator dye for 2P-FLIM recordings applicable in diverse biological systems.

Transcriptome of the female synganglion of the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) with comparison between Illumina and 454 systems

Illumina and 454 pyrosequencing were used to characterize genes from the synganglion of female Ixodes scapularis. GO term searching success for biological processes was similar for samples sequenced by both methods. However, for molecular processes, it was more successful for the Illumina samples than for 454 samples. Functional assignments of transcripts predicting neuropeptides, neuropeptide receptors, neurotransmitter receptors and other genes of interest was done, supported by strong e-values (<-6), and high consensus sequence alignments. Transcripts predicting 15 putative neuropeptide prepropeptides ((allatostatin, allatotropin, bursicon α, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), CRF-binding protein, eclosion hormone, FMRFamide, glycoprotein A, insulin-like peptide, ion transport peptide, myoinhibitory peptide, inotocin ( =  neurophysin-oxytocin), Neuropeptide F, sulfakinin and SIFamide)) and transcripts predicting receptors for 14 neuropeptides (allatostatin, calcitonin, cardioacceleratory peptide, corazonin, CRF, eclosion hormone, gonadotropin-releasing hormone/AKH-like, insulin-like peptide, neuropeptide F, proctolin, pyrokinin, SIFamide, sulfakinin and tachykinin) are reported. Similar to Dermacentor variabilis, we found transcripts matching pro-protein convertase, essential for converting neuropeptide hormones to their mature form. Additionally, transcripts predicting 6 neurotransmitter/neuromodulator receptors (acetylcholine, GABA, dopamine, glutamate, octopamine and serotonin) and 3 neurotransmitter transporters (GABA transporter, noradrenalin-norepinephrine transporter and Na+-neurotransmitter/symporter) are described. Further, we found transcripts predicting genes for pheromone odorant receptor, gustatory receptor, novel GPCR messages, ecdysone nuclear receptor, JH esterase binding protein, steroidogenic activating protein, chitin synthase, chitinase, and other genes of interest. Also found were transcripts predicting genes for spermatogenesis-associated protein, major sperm protein, spermidine oxidase and spermidine synthase, genes not normally expressed in the female CNS of other invertebrates. The diversity of messages predicting important genes identified in this study offers a valuable resource useful for understanding how the tick synganglion regulates important physiological functions.

Two-photon microscopy and fluorescence lifetime imaging reveal stimulus-induced intracellular Na+ and Cl− changes in cockroach salivary acinar cells

The intracellular ion homeostasis in cockroach salivary acinar cells during salivation is not satisfactorily understood. This is mainly due to technical problems regarding strong tissue autofluorescence and ineffective ion concentration quantification. For minimizing these problems, we describe the successful application of two-photon (2P) microscopy partly in combination with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) to record intracellular Na+ and Cl− concentrations ([Na+]i, [Cl−]i) in cockroach salivary acinar cells. Quantitative 2P-FLIM Cl− measurements with the dye N-(ethoxycarbonylmethyl)-6-methoxy-quinolinium bromide indicate that the resting [Cl−]i is 1.6 times above the Cl− electrochemical equilibrium but is not influenced by pharmacological inhibition of the Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC) and anion exchanger using bumetanide and 4,4′-diisothiocyanatodihydrostilbene-2,2′-disulfonic acid disodium salt. In contrast, rapid Cl− reuptake after extracellular Cl− removal is almost totally NKCC mediated both in the absence and presence of dopamine. However, in physiological saline [Cl−]i does not change during dopamine stimulation although dopamine stimulates fluid secretion in these glands. On the other hand, dopamine causes a decrease in the sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate tetra-ammonium salt (SBFI) fluorescence and an increase in the Sodium Green fluorescence after 2P excitation. This opposite behavior of both dyes suggests a dopamine-induced [Na+]i rise in the acinar cells, which is supported by the determined 2P-action cross sections of SBFI. The [Na+]i rise is Cl− dependent and inhibited by bumetanide. The Ca2+-ionophore ionomycin also causes a bumetanide-sensitive [Na+]i rise. We propose that a Ca2+-mediated NKCC activity in acinar peripheral cells attributable to dopamine stimulation serves for basolateral Na+ uptake during saliva secretion and that the concomitantly transported Cl− is recycled back to the bath.