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Schütz SD, Brackmann M, Liechti N, Moser M, Wittwer M, Bruggmann R. Functional characterization of Francisella tularensis subspecies holarctica genotypes during tick cell and macrophage infections using a proteogenomic approach. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1355113. [PMID: 38500499 PMCID: PMC10944910 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1355113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Tularemia is a vector-borne disease caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Francisella tularensis. Known hosts and vectors in Europe are hare and ticks. F. tularensis is transmitted from ticks and animals, but also from the hydrotelluric environment and the consumption of contaminated water or food. A changing climate expands the range in which ticks can live and consequently might contribute to increasing case numbers of tularemia. Two subspecies of F. tularensis are human pathogenic. Francisella tularensis tularensis (Ftt) is endemic in North America, while Francisella tularensis holarctica (Fth) is the only subspecies causing tularemia in Europe. Ft is classified as a category A bioterrorism agent due to its low infectious dose, multiple modes of transmission, high infectivity and potential for airborne transmission and has become a global public health concern. In line with the European survey and previous phylogenetic studies, Switzerland shows the co-distribution of B.6 and B.12 strains with different geographical distribution and prevalence within the country. To establish itself in different host environments of ticks and mammals, F. tularensis presumably undergoes substantial changes on the transcriptomics and proteomic level. Here we investigate the transcriptomic and proteomic differences of five strains of Fth upon infection of rabbit macrophages and tick cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Doina Schütz
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit, University of Bern and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Bern, Switzerland
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
- Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicole Liechti
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Michel Moser
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Wittwer
- Spiez Laboratory, Federal Office for Civil Protection, Spiez, Switzerland
| | - Rémy Bruggmann
- Interfaculty Bioinformatics Unit, University of Bern and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Bern, Switzerland
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Adegoke A, Ribeiro JMC, Brown S, Smith RC, Karim S. Rickettsia parkeri hijacks tick hemocytes to manipulate cellular and humoral transcriptional responses. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1094326. [PMID: 36845157 PMCID: PMC9950277 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1094326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Blood-feeding arthropods rely on robust cellular and humoral immunity to control pathogen invasion and replication. Tick hemocytes produce factors that can facilitate or suppress microbial infection and pathogenesis. Despite the importance of hemocytes in regulating microbial infection, understanding of their basic biology and molecular mechanisms remains limited. Methods Here we combined histomorphology and functional analysis to identify five distinct phagocytic and non-phagocytic hemocyte populations circulating within the Gulf Coast tick Amblyomma maculatum. Results and discussion Depletion of phagocytic hemocytes using clodronate liposomes revealed their function in eliminating bacterial infection. We provide the first direct evidence that an intracellular tick-borne pathogen, Rickettsia parkeri, infects phagocytic hemocytes in Am. maculatum to modify tick cellular immune responses. A hemocyte-specific RNA-seq dataset generated from hemocytes isolated from uninfected and R. parkeri-infected partially blood-fed ticks generated ~40,000 differentially regulated transcripts, >11,000 of which were immune genes. Silencing two differentially regulated phagocytic immune marker genes (nimrod B2 and eater-two Drosophila homologs), significantly reduced hemocyte phagocytosis. Conclusion Together, these findings represent a significant step forward in understanding how hemocytes regulate microbial homeostasis and vector competence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulsalam Adegoke
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Jose M. C. Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Sidney Brown
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
| | - Ryan C. Smith
- Department of Plant Pathology, Entomology, and Microbiology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, United States
| | - Shahid Karim
- School of Biological, Environmental, and Earth Sciences, The University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, United States
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Fongsaran C, Jirakanwisal K, Tongluan N, Latour A, Healy S, Christofferson RC, Macaluso KR. The role of cofeeding arthropods in the transmission of Rickettsia felis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010576. [PMID: 35759517 PMCID: PMC9269922 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 07/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsia felis is an emerging etiological agent of rickettsioses worldwide. The cosmopolitan cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis) is the primary vector of R. felis, but R. felis has also been reported in other species of hematophagous arthropods including ticks and mosquitoes. Canines can serve as a bacteremic host to infect fleas under laboratory conditions, yet isolation of R. felis from the blood of a vertebrate host in nature has not been realized. Cofeeding transmission is an efficient mechanism for transmitting rickettsiae between infected and uninfected fleas; however, the mechanism of transmission among different orders and classes of arthropods is not known. The potential for R. felis transmission between infected fleas and tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and mosquito (Anopheles quadrimaculatus) hosts was examined via cofeeding bioassays. Donor cat fleas infected with R. felis transmitted the agent to naïve D. variabilis nymphs via cofeeding on a rat host. Subsequent transstadial transmission of R. felis from the engorged nymphs to the adult ticks was observed with reduced prevalence in adult ticks. Using an artificial host system, An. quadrimaculatus exposed to a R. felis-infected blood meal acquired rickettsiae and maintained infection over 12 days post-exposure (dpe). Similar to ticks, mosquitoes were able to acquire R. felis while cofeeding with infected cat fleas on rats infection persisting in the mosquito for up to 3 dpe. The results indicate R. felis-infected cat fleas can transmit rickettsiae to both ticks and mosquitoes via cofeeding on a vertebrate host, thus providing a potential avenue for the diversity of R. felis-infected arthropods in nature. Primarily associated with the common cat flea, Rickettsia felis is an intracellular bacterial pathogen that can be transmitted from the flea to vertebrate hosts. This flea-borne infection has now been identified worldwide as a human pathogen. In addition to fleas, other blood feeding arthropods including ticks and mosquitoes are being recognized as possible vectors of R. felis. Although the mammalian infectious source for arthropods is still unknown, cofeeding transmission of Rickettsia is known to occur between vectors of the same species. However, potential for flea transmission of R. felis to other orders and classes of arthropods is unknown. Here, we examined the potential for fleas to transmit R. felis to American dog ticks and mosquitoes during feeding events on rat hosts. Our data suggested that ticks and mosquitoes can be infected when simultaneously feeding on a host with R. felis-infected cat fleas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chanida Fongsaran
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Krit Jirakanwisal
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Natthida Tongluan
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
| | - Allison Latour
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Sean Healy
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Rebecca C. Christofferson
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kevin R. Macaluso
- Vector-Borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Salata C, Moutailler S, Attoui H, Zweygarth E, Decker L, Bell-Sakyi L. How relevant are in vitro culture models for study of tick-pathogen interactions? Pathog Glob Health 2021; 115:437-455. [PMID: 34190676 PMCID: PMC8635668 DOI: 10.1080/20477724.2021.1944539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Although tick-borne infectious diseases threaten human and animal health worldwide, with constantly increasing incidence, little knowledge is available regarding vector-pathogen interactions and pathogen transmission. In vivo laboratory study of these subjects using live, intact ticks is expensive, labor-intensive, and challenging from the points of view of biosafety and ethics. Several in vitro models have been developed, including over 70 continuous cell lines derived from multiple tick species and a variety of tick organ culture systems, facilitating many research activities. However, some limitations have to be considered in the translation of the results from the in vitro environment to the in vivo situation of live, intact ticks, and vertebrate hosts. In this review, we describe the available in vitro models and selected results from their application to the study of tick-borne viruses, bacteria, and protozoa, where possible comparing these results to studies in live, intact ticks. Finally, we highlight the strengths and weaknesses of in vitro tick culture models and their essential role in tick-borne pathogen research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristiano Salata
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Sara Moutailler
- Laboratoire De Santé Animale, Anses, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, UMR BIPAR, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Houssam Attoui
- Department of Animal Health, UMR1161 Virologie, INRAE, Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d’Alfort, ANSES, Université Paris-Est, Maisons-Alfort, France
| | - Erich Zweygarth
- The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lygia Decker
- Department of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- Department of Infection Biology and Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
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Grabowski JM, Kissinger R. Ixodid Tick Dissection and Tick Ex Vivo Organ Cultures for Tick-Borne Virus Research. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 59:e118. [PMID: 33030816 DOI: 10.1002/cpmc.118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne viruses cause thousands of cases of disease worldwide every year. Specific countermeasures to many tick-borne viruses are not commercially available. Very little is known regarding tick-virus interactions and increasing this knowledge can lead to potential targets for countermeasure development. Virus infection of ex vivo organ cultures from ticks can provide an approach to identify susceptible cell types of tissue to infection. Additionally, these organ cultures can be used for functional genomic studies to pinpoint tick-specific genes involved in the virus lifecycle. Provided here are step-by-step procedures to set up basic tick organ cultures in combination with virus infection and/or functional genomic studies. These procedures can be adapted for future use to characterize other tick-borne pathogen infections as well as tick-specific biological processes. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC. Basic Protocol 1: Loading 96-well plates with gelfoam substrate Basic Protocol 2: Step-by-step aseptic dissection of unfed female/male Ixodes scapularis ticks for multiple organs Basic Protocol 3: Step-by-step aseptic dissection of fed female Ixodes scapularis ticks to remove salivary glands Basic Protocol 4: Metabolic viability analyses of tick organ cultures Basic Protocol 5: Virus infection of tick organ cultures Basic Protocol 6: Functional RNA interference analyses using tick organ cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Grabowski
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana
| | - Ryan Kissinger
- Visual Medical Arts, Research and Technologies Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, Montana
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Danchenko M, Laukaitis HJ, Macaluso KR. Dynamic gene expression in salivary glands of the cat flea during Rickettsia felis infection. Pathog Dis 2021; 79:6189691. [PMID: 33770162 PMCID: PMC8062234 DOI: 10.1093/femspd/ftab020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, is an arthropod vector capable of transmitting several human pathogens including Rickettsia species. Earlier studies identified Rickettsia felis in the salivary glands of the cat flea and transmission of rickettsiae during arthropod feeding. The saliva of hematophagous insects contains multiple biomolecules with anticlotting, vasodilatory and immunomodulatory activities. Notably, the exact role of salivary factors in the molecular interaction between flea-borne rickettsiae and their insect host is still largely unknown. To determine if R. felis modulates gene expression in the cat flea salivary glands, cat fleas were infected with R. felis and transcription patterns of selected salivary gland-derived factors, including antimicrobial peptides and flea-specific antigens, were assessed. Salivary glands were microdissected from infected and control cat fleas at different time points after exposure and total RNA was extracted and subjected to reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCR for gene expression analysis. During the experimental 10-day feeding period, a dynamic change in gene expression of immunity-related transcripts and salivary antigens between the two experimental groups was detected. The data indicated that defensin-2 (Cf-726), glycine-rich antimicrobial peptide (Cf-83), salivary antigens (Cf-169 and Cf-65) and deorphanized peptide (Cf-75) are flea-derived factors responsive to rickettsial infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika Danchenko
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 610 Clinic Drive, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Hanna J Laukaitis
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 610 Clinic Drive, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
| | - Kevin R Macaluso
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Alabama College of Medicine, 610 Clinic Drive, Mobile, AL 36688, USA
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7
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The redox metabolic pathways function to limit Anaplasma phagocytophilum infection and multiplication while preserving fitness in tick vector cells. Sci Rep 2019; 9:13236. [PMID: 31520000 PMCID: PMC6744499 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-49766-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 08/30/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Aerobic organisms evolved conserved mechanisms controlling the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to maintain redox homeostasis signaling and modulate signal transduction, gene expression and cellular functional responses under physiological conditions. The production of ROS by mitochondria is essential in the oxidative stress associated with different pathologies and in response to pathogen infection. Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an intracellular pathogen transmitted by Ixodes scapularis ticks and causing human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Bacteria multiply in vertebrate neutrophils and infect first tick midgut cells and subsequently hemocytes and salivary glands from where transmission occurs. Previous results demonstrated that A. phagocytophilum does not induce the production of ROS as part of its survival strategy in human neutrophils. However, little is known about the role of ROS during pathogen infection in ticks. In this study, the role of tick oxidative stress during A. phagocytophilum infection was characterized through the function of different pathways involved in ROS production. The results showed that tick cells increase mitochondrial ROS production to limit A. phagocytophilum infection, while pathogen inhibits alternative ROS production pathways and apoptosis to preserve cell fitness and facilitate infection. The inhibition of NADPH oxidase-mediated ROS production by pathogen infection appears to occur in both neutrophils and tick cells, thus supporting that A. phagocytophilum uses common mechanisms for infection of ticks and vertebrate hosts. However, differences in ROS response to A. phagocytophilum infection between human and tick cells may reflect host-specific cell tropism that evolved during pathogen life cycle.
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Rego ROM, Trentelman JJA, Anguita J, Nijhof AM, Sprong H, Klempa B, Hajdusek O, Tomás-Cortázar J, Azagi T, Strnad M, Knorr S, Sima R, Jalovecka M, Fumačová Havlíková S, Ličková M, Sláviková M, Kopacek P, Grubhoffer L, Hovius JW. Counterattacking the tick bite: towards a rational design of anti-tick vaccines targeting pathogen transmission. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:229. [PMID: 31088506 PMCID: PMC6518728 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3468-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Hematophagous arthropods are responsible for the transmission of a variety of pathogens that cause disease in humans and animals. Ticks of the Ixodes ricinus complex are vectors for some of the most frequently occurring human tick-borne diseases, particularly Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). The search for vaccines against these diseases is ongoing. Efforts during the last few decades have primarily focused on understanding the biology of the transmitted viruses, bacteria and protozoans, with the goal of identifying targets for intervention. Successful vaccines have been developed against TBEV and Lyme borreliosis, although the latter is no longer available for humans. More recently, the focus of intervention has shifted back to where it was initially being studied which is the vector. State of the art technologies are being used for the identification of potential vaccine candidates for anti-tick vaccines that could be used either in humans or animals. The study of the interrelationship between ticks and the pathogens they transmit, including mechanisms of acquisition, persistence and transmission have come to the fore, as this knowledge may lead to the identification of critical elements of the pathogens' life-cycle that could be targeted by vaccines. Here, we review the status of our current knowledge on the triangular relationships between ticks, the pathogens they carry and the mammalian hosts, as well as methods that are being used to identify anti-tick vaccine candidates that can prevent the transmission of tick-borne pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan O. M. Rego
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jos J. A. Trentelman
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Juan Anguita
- CIC bioGUNE, 48160 Derio, Spain
- Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48012 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Ard M. Nijhof
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hein Sprong
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Boris Klempa
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Ondrej Hajdusek
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | | | - Tal Azagi
- Centre for Zoonoses and Environmental Microbiology, Centre for Infectious Disease Control, National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Martin Strnad
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sarah Knorr
- Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Radek Sima
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Marie Jalovecka
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Sabína Fumačová Havlíková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Martina Ličková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Monika Sláviková
- Institute of Virology, Biomedical Research Center of the Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - Petr Kopacek
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Libor Grubhoffer
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 31, 37005 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Joppe W. Hovius
- Amsterdam UMC, Location AMC, Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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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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10
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Role of Sca2 and RickA in the Dissemination of Rickettsia parkeri in Amblyomma maculatum. Infect Immun 2018; 86:IAI.00123-18. [PMID: 29581194 PMCID: PMC5964526 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00123-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium Rickettsia parkeri is an emerging tick-borne human pathogen. Recently, R. parkeri Sca2 and RickA have been implicated in adherence and actin-based motility in vertebrate host cell infection models; however, the rickettsia-derived factors essential to tick infection are unknown. Using R. parkeri mutants lacking functional Sca2 or RickA to compare actin polymerization, replication, and cell-to-cell spread in vitro, similar phenotypes in tick and mammalian cells were observed. Specifically, actin polymerization in cultured tick cells is controlled by the two separate proteins in a time-dependent manner. To assess the role of Sca2 and RickA in dissemination in the tick host, Rickettsia-free Amblyomma maculatum, the natural vector of R. parkeri, was exposed to wild-type, R. parkeri rickA::tn, or R. parkeri sca2::tn bacteria, and individual tick tissues, including salivary glands, midguts, ovaries, and hemolymph, were analyzed at 12 h and after continued bloodmeal acquisition for 3 or 7 days postexposure. Initially, ticks exposed to wild-type R. parkeri had the highest rickettsial load across all organs; however, rickettsial loads decreased and wild-type rickettsiae were cleared from the ovaries at 7 days postexposure. In contrast, ticks exposed to R. parkeririckA::tn or R. parkerisca2::tn had comparatively lower rickettsial loads, but bacteria persisted in all organs for 7 days. These data suggest that while RickA and Sca2 function in actin polymerization in tick cells, the absence of these proteins did not change dissemination patterns within the tick vector.
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Grabowski JM, Offerdahl DK, Bloom ME. The Use of Ex Vivo Organ Cultures in Tick-Borne Virus Research. ACS Infect Dis 2018; 4:247-256. [PMID: 29473735 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Each year there are more than 15 000 cases of human disease caused by infections with tick-borne viruses (TBVs). These illnesses occur worldwide and can range from very mild illness to severe encephalitis and hemorrhagic fever. Although TBVs are currently identified as neglected vector-borne pathogens and receive less attention than mosquito-borne viruses, TBVs are expanding into new regions, and infection rates are increasing. Furthermore, effective vaccines, diagnostic tools, and other countermeasures are limited. The application of contemporary technologies to TBV infections presents an excellent opportunity to develop improved, effective countermeasures. Experimental tick and mammal models of infection can be used to characterize determinants of infection, transmission, and virulence and to test candidate countermeasures. The use of ex vivo tick cultures in TBV research provides a unique way to look at infection in specific tick organs. Mammal ex vivo organ slice and, more recently, organoid cultures are additional models that can be used to elucidate direct tissue-specific responses to infection. These ex vivo model systems are convenient for testing methods involving transcript knockdown and small molecules under tightly controlled conditions. They can also be combined with in vitro and in vivo studies to tease out possible host factors and potential vaccine or therapeutic candidates. In this brief perspective, we describe how ex vivo cultures can be combined with modern technologies to advance research on TBV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M. Grabowski
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
| | - Danielle K. Offerdahl
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
| | - Marshall E. Bloom
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID/NIH, 903 South Fourth Street, Hamilton, Montana 59840, United States
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12
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Grabowski JM, Tsetsarkin KA, Long D, Scott DP, Rosenke R, Schwan TG, Mlera L, Offerdahl DK, Pletnev AG, Bloom ME. Flavivirus Infection of Ixodes scapularis (Black-Legged Tick) Ex Vivo Organotypic Cultures and Applications for Disease Control. mBio 2017; 8:e01255-17. [PMID: 28830948 PMCID: PMC5565970 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01255-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis ticks transmit many infectious agents that cause disease, including tick-borne flaviviruses (TBFVs). TBFV infections cause thousands of human encephalitis cases worldwide annually. In the United States, human TBFV infections with Powassan virus (POWV) are increasing and have a fatality rate of 10 to 30%. Additionally, Langat virus (LGTV) is a TBFV of low neurovirulence and is used as a model TBFV. TBFV replication and dissemination within I. scapularis organs are poorly characterized, and a deeper understanding of virus biology in this vector may inform effective countermeasures to reduce TBFV transmission. Here, we describe short-term, I. scapularis organ culture models of TBFV infection. Ex vivo organs were metabolically active for 9 to 10 days and were permissive to LGTV and POWV replication. Imaging and videography demonstrated replication and spread of green fluorescent protein-expressing LGTV in the organs. Immunohistochemical staining confirmed LGTV envelope and POWV protein synthesis within the infected organs. LGTV- and POWV-infected organs produced infectious LGTV and POWV; thus, the ex vivo cultures were suitable for study of virus replication in individual organs. LGTV- and POWV-infected midgut and salivary glands were subjected to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) transfection with dsRNA to the LGTV 3' untranslated region (UTR), which reduced infectious LGTV and POWV replication, providing a proof-of-concept use of RNA interference in I. scapularis organ cultures to study the effects on TBFV replication. The results contribute important information on TBFV localization within ex vivo I. scapularis organs and provide a significant translational tool for evaluating recombinant, live vaccine candidates and potential tick transcripts and proteins for possible therapeutic use and vaccine development to reduce TBFV transmission.IMPORTANCE Tick-borne flavivirus (TBFV) infections cause neurological and/or hemorrhagic disease in humans worldwide. There are currently no licensed therapeutics or vaccines against Powassan virus (POWV), the only TBFV known to circulate in North America. Evaluating tick vector targets for antitick vaccines directed at reducing TBFV infection within the arthropod vector is a critical step in identifying efficient approaches to controlling TBFV transmission. This study characterized infection of female Ixodes scapularis tick organ cultures of midgut, salivary glands, and synganglion with the low-neurovirulence Langat virus (LGTV) and the more pathogenic POWV. Cell types of specific organs were susceptible to TBFV infection, and a difference in LGTV and POWV replication was noted in TBFV-infected organs. This tick organ culture model of TBFV infection will be useful for various applications, such as screening of tick endogenous dsRNA corresponding to potential control targets within midgut and salivary glands to confirm restriction of TBFV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey M Grabowski
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Konstantin A Tsetsarkin
- Neurotropic Flaviviruses Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Dan Long
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Dana P Scott
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Rebecca Rosenke
- Rocky Mountain Veterinary Branch, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Tom G Schwan
- Laboratory of Zoonotic Pathogens, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Luwanika Mlera
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Danielle K Offerdahl
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
| | - Alexander G Pletnev
- Neurotropic Flaviviruses Section, Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, NIAID, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Marshall E Bloom
- Biology of Vector-Borne Viruses Section, Laboratory of Virology, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, NIAID, NIH, Hamilton, Montana, USA
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13
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Cabezas-Cruz A, Espinosa PJ, Obregón DA, Alberdi P, de la Fuente J. Ixodes scapularis Tick Cells Control Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection by Increasing the Synthesis of Phosphoenolpyruvate from Tyrosine. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:375. [PMID: 28861402 PMCID: PMC5562928 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The obligate intracellular pathogen, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, is the causative agent of life-threatening diseases in humans and animals. A. phagocytophilum is an emerging tick-borne pathogen in the United States, Europe, Africa and Asia, with increasing numbers of infected people and animals every year. It is increasingly recognized that intracellular pathogens modify host cell metabolic pathways to increase infection and transmission in both vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. Recent reports have shown that amino acids are central to the host–pathogen metabolic interaction. In this study, a genome-wide search for components of amino acid metabolic pathways was performed in Ixodes scapularis, the main tick vector of A. phagocytophilum in the United States, for which the genome was recently published. The enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation pathways of the twenty amino acids were identified. Then, the available transcriptomics and proteomics data was used to characterize the mRNA and protein levels of I. scapularis amino acid metabolic pathway components in response to A. phagocytophilum infection of tick tissues and ISE6 tick cells. Our analysis was focused on the interplay between carbohydrate and amino acid metabolism during A. phagocytophilum infection in ISE6 cells. The results showed that tick cells increase the synthesis of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) from tyrosine to control A. phagocytophilum infection. Metabolic pathway analysis suggested that this is achieved by (i) increasing the transcript and protein levels of mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK-M), (ii) shunting tyrosine into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle to increase fumarate and oxaloacetate which will be converted into PEP by PEPCK-M, and (iii) blocking all the pathways that use PEP downstream gluconeogenesis (i.e., de novo serine synthesis pathway (SSP), glyceroneogenesis and gluconeogenesis). While sequestering host PEP may be critical for this bacterium because it cannot actively carry out glycolysis to produce PEP, excess of this metabolite may be toxic for A. phagocytophilum. The present work provides a more comprehensive view of the major amino acid metabolic pathways involved in the response to pathogen infection in ticks, and provides the basis for further studies to develop novel strategies for the control of granulocytic anaplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- Biologie Moléculaire et Immunologie Parasitaires (BIPAR), Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR), Institut National Recherche Agronomique, Agence Nationale Sécurité Sanitaire Alimentaire Nationale (ANSES), Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire d'Alfort, Université Paris-EstMaisons-Alfort, France.,Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, University of South BohemiaČeské Budějovice, Czechia.,Institute of Parasitology, Biology Center, Czech Academy of SciencesČeské Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Pedro J Espinosa
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM)Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Dasiel A Obregón
- Cell and Molecular Biology Laboratory, University of Sao PauloSao Paulo, Brazil
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM)Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio, Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC (CSIC-UCLM-JCCM)Ciudad Real, Spain.,Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State UniversityStillwater, OK, United States
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14
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Liu L, Li L, Liu J, Yu Z, Yang X, Liu J. Population dynamics of multiple symbionts in the hard tick, Dermacentor silvarum Olenev (Acari: Ixodidae). Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2015; 7:188-192. [PMID: 26565930 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2015.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2014] [Revised: 10/05/2015] [Accepted: 10/05/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Previously, we reported that Coxiella-like, Rickettsia-like and Arsenophonus-like symbionts could simultaneously coexist in Dermacentor silvarum. In this study, we examined their burdens and population dynamics in a single host during the host life cycle using quantitative PCR. Our results showed that multiple symbionts exhibited different abundances and varying trends in the tick host. Coxiella-like and Rickettsia-like symbionts were found at high densities in large quantities that fluctuated with time. This may coincide with oogenesis and mating of the host. Our findings provide insight into symbiont-tick interactions that lay the foundation for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Limeng Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nanerhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Lingxia Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nanerhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Jiannan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nanerhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Zhijun Yu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nanerhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China
| | - Xiaohong Yang
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Hebei Medical University, No. 361 Zhongshan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050017, PR China
| | - Jingze Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, No. 20 Nanerhuan Eastern Road, Shijiazhuang, Hebei 050024, PR China.
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15
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Villar M, Ayllón N, Alberdi P, Moreno A, Moreno M, Tobes R, Mateos-Hernández L, Weisheit S, Bell-Sakyi L, de la Fuente J. Integrated Metabolomics, Transcriptomics and Proteomics Identifies Metabolic Pathways Affected by Anaplasma phagocytophilum Infection in Tick Cells. Mol Cell Proteomics 2015; 14:3154-72. [PMID: 26424601 DOI: 10.1074/mcp.m115.051938] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2015] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging zoonotic pathogen that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. These intracellular bacteria establish infection by affecting cell function in both the vertebrate host and the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Previous studies have characterized the tick transcriptome and proteome in response to A. phagocytophilum infection. However, in the postgenomic era, the integration of omics datasets through a systems biology approach allows network-based analyses to describe the complexity and functionality of biological systems such as host-pathogen interactions and the discovery of new targets for prevention and control of infectious diseases. This study reports the first systems biology integration of metabolomics, transcriptomics, and proteomics data to characterize essential metabolic pathways involved in the tick response to A. phagocytophilum infection. The ISE6 tick cells used in this study constitute a model for hemocytes involved in pathogen infection and immune response. The results showed that infection affected protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum and glucose metabolic pathways in tick cells. These results supported tick-Anaplasma co-evolution by providing new evidence of how tick cells limit pathogen infection, while the pathogen benefits from the tick cell response to establish infection. Additionally, ticks benefit from A. phagocytophilum infection by increasing survival while pathogens guarantee transmission. The results suggested that A. phagocytophilum induces protein misfolding to limit the tick cell response and facilitate infection but requires protein degradation to prevent ER stress and cell apoptosis to survive in infected cells. Additionally, A. phagocytophilum may benefit from the tick cell's ability to limit bacterial infection through PEPCK inhibition leading to decreased glucose metabolism, which also results in the inhibition of cell apoptosis that increases infection of tick cells. These results support the use of this experimental approach to systematically identify cell pathways and molecular mechanisms involved in tick-pathogen interactions. Data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD002181.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarita Villar
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain;
| | - Nieves Ayllón
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Andrés Moreno
- §Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - María Moreno
- §Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias y Tecnologías Químicas, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Raquel Tobes
- ¶Oh No Sequences! Research Group, Era7 Bioinformatics, Plaza Campo Verde n° 3 Ático, 18001 Granada, Spain
| | - Lourdes Mateos-Hernández
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Sabine Weisheit
- ‖The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; **The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - Lesley Bell-Sakyi
- ‖The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, UK; **The Pirbright Institute, Ash Road, Pirbright, Woking, GU24 0NF, UK
| | - José de la Fuente
- From the ‡SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC-CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain; ‡‡Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078.
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16
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Eremeeva ME, Dasch GA. Challenges posed by tick-borne rickettsiae: eco-epidemiology and public health implications. Front Public Health 2015; 3:55. [PMID: 25954738 PMCID: PMC4404743 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2015.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2014] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Rickettsiae are obligately intracellular bacteria that are transmitted to vertebrates by a variety of arthropod vectors, primarily by fleas and ticks. Once transmitted or experimentally inoculated into susceptible mammals, some rickettsiae may cause febrile illness of different morbidity and mortality, and which can manifest with different types of exhanthems in humans. However, most rickettsiae circulate in diverse sylvatic or peridomestic reservoirs without having obvious impacts on their vertebrate hosts or affecting humans. We have analyzed the key features of tick-borne maintenance of rickettsiae, which may provide a deeper basis for understanding those complex invertebrate interactions and strategies that have permitted survival and circulation of divergent rickettsiae in nature. Rickettsiae are found in association with a wide range of hard and soft ticks, which feed on very different species of large and small animals. Maintenance of rickettsiae in these vector systems is driven by both vertical and horizontal transmission strategies, but some species of Rickettsia are also known to cause detrimental effects on their arthropod vectors. Contrary to common belief, the role of vertebrate animal hosts in maintenance of rickettsiae is very incompletely understood. Some clearly play only the essential role of providing a blood meal to the tick while other hosts may supply crucial supplemental functions for effective agent transmission by the vectors. This review summarizes the importance of some recent findings with known and new vectors that afford an improved understanding of the eco-epidemiology of rickettsiae; the public health implications of that information for rickettsial diseases are also described. Special attention is paid to the co-circulation of different species and genotypes of rickettsiae within the same endemic areas and how these observations may influence, correctly or incorrectly, trends, and conclusions drawn from the surveillance of rickettsial diseases in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina E Eremeeva
- Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health, Georgia Southern University , Statesboro, GA , USA
| | - Gregory A Dasch
- Rickettsial Zoonoses Branch, Division of Vector-Borne Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , Atlanta, GA , USA
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17
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Ayllón N, Villar M, Galindo RC, Kocan KM, Šíma R, López JA, Vázquez J, Alberdi P, Cabezas-Cruz A, Kopáček P, de la Fuente J. Systems biology of tissue-specific response to Anaplasma phagocytophilum reveals differentiated apoptosis in the tick vector Ixodes scapularis. PLoS Genet 2015; 11:e1005120. [PMID: 25815810 PMCID: PMC4376793 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1005120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2014] [Accepted: 03/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging pathogen that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis. Infection with this zoonotic pathogen affects cell function in both vertebrate host and the tick vector, Ixodes scapularis. Global tissue-specific response and apoptosis signaling pathways were characterized in I. scapularis nymphs and adult female midguts and salivary glands infected with A. phagocytophilum using a systems biology approach combining transcriptomics and proteomics. Apoptosis was selected for pathway-focused analysis due to its role in bacterial infection of tick cells. The results showed tissue-specific differences in tick response to infection and revealed differentiated regulation of apoptosis pathways. The impact of bacterial infection was more pronounced in tick nymphs and midguts than in salivary glands, probably reflecting bacterial developmental cycle. All apoptosis pathways described in other organisms were identified in I. scapularis, except for the absence of the Perforin ortholog. Functional characterization using RNA interference showed that Porin knockdown significantly increases tick colonization by A. phagocytophilum. Infection with A. phagocytophilum produced complex tissue-specific alterations in transcript and protein levels. In tick nymphs, the results suggested a possible effect of bacterial infection on the inhibition of tick immune response. In tick midguts, the results suggested that A. phagocytophilum infection inhibited cell apoptosis to facilitate and establish infection through up-regulation of the JAK/STAT pathway. Bacterial infection inhibited the intrinsic apoptosis pathway in tick salivary glands by down-regulating Porin expression that resulted in the inhibition of Cytochrome c release as the anti-apoptotic mechanism to facilitate bacterial infection. However, tick salivary glands may promote apoptosis to limit bacterial infection through induction of the extrinsic apoptosis pathway. These dynamic changes in response to A. phagocytophilum in I. scapularis tissue-specific transcriptome and proteome demonstrated the complexity of the tick response to infection and will contribute to characterize gene regulation in ticks. The continuous human exploitation of environmental resources and the increase in human outdoor activities, which have allowed for the contact with arthropod vectors normally present in the field, has promoted the emergence and resurgence of vector-borne pathogens. Among these, Anaplasma phagocytophilum is an emerging bacterial pathogen transmitted to humans and other vertebrate hosts by ticks as they take a blood meal that causes human granulocytic anaplasmosis in the United States, Europe and Asia, with increasing numbers of affected people every year. Tick response to pathogen infection has been only partially characterized. In this study, global tissue-specific response and apoptosis signaling pathways were characterized in tick nymphs and adult female midguts and salivary glands infected with A. phagocytophilum using a systems biology approach combining transcriptomics and proteomics. The results demonstrated dramatic and complex tissue-specific response to A. phagocytophilum in the tick vector Ixodes scapularis, which reflected pathogen developmental cycle and the impact on tick apoptosis pathways. These dynamic changes in response to A. phagocytophilum in I. scapularis tissue-specific transcriptome and proteome demonstrated the complexity of the tick response to infection and contributes information on tick-pathogen interactions and for development of novel control strategies for pathogen infection and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nieves Ayllón
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Margarita Villar
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Ruth C. Galindo
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Katherine M. Kocan
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Radek Šíma
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, The Czech Republic
| | - Juan A. López
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Jesús Vázquez
- Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares (CNIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar Alberdi
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Alejandro Cabezas-Cruz
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille (CIIL), Université Lille Nord de France, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - Petr Kopáček
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, České Budějovice, The Czech Republic
| | - José de la Fuente
- SaBio. Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos IREC, CSIC-UCLM-JCCM, Ciudad Real, Spain
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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18
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Identification of host proteins involved in rickettsial invasion of tick cells. Infect Immun 2014; 83:1048-55. [PMID: 25547795 DOI: 10.1128/iai.02888-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species are obligate intracellular bacteria capable of infecting both vertebrate and invertebrate host cells, an essential process for subsequent bacterial survival in distinct hosts. The host cell signaling molecules involved in the uptake of Rickettsia into mammalian and Drosophila cells have been identified; however, invasion into tick cells is understudied. Considering the movement of SFG Rickettsia between vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, the hypothesis is that conserved mechanisms are utilized for host cell invasion. The current study employed biochemical inhibition assays to determine the tick proteins involved in Rickettsia montanensis infection of tick-derived cells from a natural host, Dermacentor variabilis. The results revealed several tick proteins important for rickettsial invasion, including actin filaments, actin-related protein 2/3 complex, phosphatidylinositol-3'-kinase, protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs), Src family PTK, focal adhesion kinase, Rho GTPase Rac1, and neural Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein. Delineating the molecular mechanisms of rickettsial infection is critical to a thorough understanding of rickettsial transmission in tick populations and the ecology of tick-borne rickettsial diseases.
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19
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Petchampai N, Sunyakumthorn P, Guillotte ML, Verhoeve VI, Banajee KH, Kearney MT, Macaluso KR. Novel identification of Dermacentor variabilis Arp2/3 complex and its role in rickettsial infection of the arthropod vector. PLoS One 2014; 9:e93768. [PMID: 24733187 PMCID: PMC3986078 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0093768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2014] [Accepted: 03/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Tick-borne spotted fever group (SFG) Rickettsia species must be able to infect both vertebrate and arthropod host cells. The host actin-related protein 2/3 (Arp2/3) complex is important in the invasion process and actin-based motility for several intracellular bacteria, including SFG Rickettsia in Drosophila and mammalian cells. To investigate the role of the tick Arp2/3 complex in tick-Rickettsia interactions, open reading frames of all subunits of the protein including Arp2, Arp3, ARPC1, ARPC2, ARPC3, ARPC4, and ARPC5 were identified from Dermacentor variabilis. Amino acid sequence analysis showed variation (ranging from 25–88%) in percent identity compared to the corresponding subunits of the complex from Drosophila melanogaster, Mus musculus, Homo sapiens, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Potential ATP binding sites were identified in D. variabilis (Dv) Arp2 and Arp3 subunits as well as five putative WD (Trp-Asp) motifs which were observed in DvARPC1. Transcriptional profiles of all subunits of the DvArp2/3 complex revealed greater mRNA expression in both Rickettsia-infected and -uninfected ovary compared to midgut and salivary glands. In response to R. montanensis infection of the tick ovary, the mRNA level of only DvARPC4 was significantly upregulated compared to uninfected tissues. Arp2/3 complex inhibition bioassays resulted in a decrease in the ability of R. montanensis to invade tick tissues with a significant difference in the tick ovary, indicating a role for the Arp2/3 complex in rickettsial invasion of tick cells. Characterization of tick-derived molecules associated with rickettsial infection is imperative in order to better comprehend the ecology of tick-borne rickettsial diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natthida Petchampai
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Piyanate Sunyakumthorn
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Mark L. Guillotte
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Victoria I. Verhoeve
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kaikhushroo H. Banajee
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Michael T. Kearney
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
| | - Kevin R. Macaluso
- Vector-borne Disease Laboratories, Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States of America
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