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Lun X, Shi Y, Wang Y, Zhao N, Liu Q, Meng F, Song X, Wang J, Lu L. Transcriptome analysis of Kunming mice responses to the bite of Xenopsylla cheopis. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:250. [PMID: 38849919 PMCID: PMC11157846 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06331-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Flea bites could trigger a series of complex molecular responses in the host. However, our understanding of the responses at the molecular level is still relatively limited. This study quantifies the changes in gene expression in mice after flea bites by RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) from their spleens, revealing the potential biological effects of host response to flea bites. METHODS RNA-seq was used for transcriptome analysis to screen for differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the control mice group and the flea bite mice group. Gene ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed on DEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis on DEGs related to immune processes was performed. Finally, we randomly selected several genes from the screened DEGs to validate the results from the transcriptome data by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). RESULTS A total of 521 DEGs were identified, including 277 upregulated and 244 downregulated. There were 258 GO terms significantly enriched by upregulated DEGs and 419 GO terms significantly enriched by downregulated DEGs. Among the upregulated DEGs, 22 GO terms were associated with immune cells (e.g., B cells and T cells) and immune regulatory processes, while among the downregulated DEGs, 58 GO terms were associated with immune cells and immune regulatory processes. Through PPI analysis, we found that CD40 molecules with significantly downregulated expression levels after flea bites may play an important role in host immune regulation. Through KEGG pathway enrichment analysis, a total of 26 significantly enriched KEGG pathways were identified. The RT-qPCR analysis results indicated that the transcriptome sequencing results were reliable. CONCLUSIONS Through in-depth analysis of transcriptome changes in mice caused by flea bites, we revealed that flea bites could stimulate a series of biological and immunological responses in mice. These findings not only provided a deeper understanding of the impact of flea bites on the host but also provided a basis for further research on the interaction between ectoparasites and the host. We believe that digging deeper into the significance of these transcriptome changes will help reveal more about the adaptive response of the host to ectoparasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinchang Lun
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuan Shi
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
- School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Yiguan Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Ning Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiyong Liu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Fengxia Meng
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiuping Song
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Jun Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China
| | - Liang Lu
- National Key Laboratory of Intelligent Tracking and Forecasting for Infectious Diseases, National Institute for Communicable Disease Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, 102206, People's Republic of China.
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Wang L, Liu Y, Pang R, Guo Y, Ren Y, Wu Y, Cao Z. The Tick Saliva Peptide HIDfsin2 TLR4-Dependently Inhibits the Tick-Borne Severe Fever with Thrombocytopenia Syndrome Virus in Mouse Macrophages. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:449. [PMID: 38786177 PMCID: PMC11117380 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13050449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ticks transmit a variety of pathogens to their hosts by feeding on blood. The interactions and struggle between tick pathogens and hosts have evolved bilaterally. The components of tick saliva can directly or indirectly trigger host biological responses in a manner that promotes pathogen transmission; however, host cells continuously develop strategies to combat pathogen infection and transmission. Moreover, it is still unknown how host cells develop their defense strategies against tick-borne viruses during tick sucking. Here, we found that the tick saliva peptide HIDfsin2 enhanced the antiviral innate immunity of mouse macrophages by activating the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway, thereby restricting tick-borne severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) replication. HIDfsin2 was identified to interact with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a ligand of TLR4, and then depolymerize LPS micelles into smaller particles, effectively enhancing the activation of the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and type I interferon (IFN-I) signaling pathways, which are downstream of TLR4. Expectedly, TLR4 knockout completely eliminated the promotion effect of HIDfsin2 on NF-κB and type I interferon activation. Moreover, HIDfsin2 enhanced SFTSV replication in TLR4-knockout mouse macrophages, which is consistent with our recent report that HIDfsin2 hijacked p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) to promote the replication of tick-borne SFTSV in A549 and Huh7 cells (human cell lines) with low expression of TLR4. Together, these results provide new insights into the innate immune mechanism of host cells following tick bites. Our study also shows a rare molecular event relating to the mutual antagonism between tick-borne SFTSV and host cells mediated by the tick saliva peptide HIDfsin2 at the tick-host-virus interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luyao Wang
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518057, China
| | - Yishuo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
| | - Rui Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yiyuan Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yingying Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
| | - Yingliang Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
| | - Zhijian Cao
- National “111” Center for Cellular Regulation and Molecular Pharmaceutics, Key Laboratory of Fermentation Engineering (Ministry of Education), Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan 430068, China;
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (Y.L.); (R.P.); (Y.G.); (Y.R.); (Y.W.)
- Shenzhen Research Institute, Wuhan University, Shenzhen 518057, China
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3
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Berger M, Rosa da Mata S, Pizzolatti NM, Parizi LF, Konnai S, da Silva Vaz I, Seixas A, Tirloni L. An Ixodes persulcatus Inhibitor of Plasmin and Thrombin Hinders Keratinocyte Migration, Blood Coagulation, and Endothelial Permeability. J Invest Dermatol 2024; 144:1112-1123.e7. [PMID: 37996063 PMCID: PMC11034719 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2023.10.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
The skin is the first host tissue that the tick mouthparts, tick saliva, and a tick-borne pathogen contact during feeding. Tick salivary glands have evolved a complex and sophisticated pharmacological arsenal, consisting of bioactive molecules, to assist blood feeding and pathogen transmission. In this work, persulcatin, a multifunctional molecule that targets keratinocyte function and hemostasis, was identified from Ixodes persulcatus female ticks. The recombinant persulcatin was expressed and purified and is a 25-kDa acidic protein with 2 Kunitz-type domains. Persulcatin is a classical tight-binding competitive inhibitor of proteases, targeting plasmin (Ki: 28 nM) and thrombin (Ki: 115 nM). It blocks plasmin generation on keratinocytes and inhibits their migration and matrix protein degradation; downregulates matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9; and causes a delay in blood coagulation, endothelial cell activation, and thrombin-induced fibrinocoagulation. It interacts with exosite I of thrombin and reduces thrombin-induced endothelial cell permeability by inhibiting vascular endothelial-cadherin disruption. The multifaceted roles of persulcatin as an inhibitor and modulator within the plasminogen-plasmin system and thrombin not only unveil further insights into the intricate mechanisms governing wound healing but also provide a fresh perspective on the intricate interactions between ticks and their host organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Berger
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana, USA; Centro de Pesquisa Experimental, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Sheila Rosa da Mata
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | | | - Luís Fernando Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Satoru Konnai
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Adriana Seixas
- Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia-Entomologia Molecular, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, Montana, USA.
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Mooring MS. Programmed Grooming after 30 Years of Study: A Review of Evidence and Future Prospects. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1266. [PMID: 38731268 PMCID: PMC11083713 DOI: 10.3390/ani14091266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
In 1992, an evolutionary model for the endogenous regulation of parasite-defense grooming was first proposed for African antelope by Ben and Lynette Hart. Known as the programmed grooming model, it hypothesized that a central control mechanism periodically evokes grooming so as to remove ectoparasites before they blood feed. The programmed grooming model contrasts with a stimulus-driven mechanism, in which grooming is stimulated by direct peripheral irritation from ectoparasite bites. In the 30+ years since the seminal 1992 paper, 26 studies have provided robust support for the programmed grooming model in ungulate hosts and ticks. In addition, multiple studies from unaffiliated investigators have evaluated the predictions of the model in different host systems (including rodents and primates) and in a variety of other ectoparasites (fleas, lice, and keds). I conducted a tricennial review of these studies to assess the current evidence and arrived at the following three conclusions: (1) tests of the programmed grooming predictions should use a similar methodology to the well-established protocol, so that the results are comparable and can be properly assessed; (2) the predictions used to test the model should be tailored to the biology of the host taxa under investigation; and (3) the predictions should likewise be tailored to the biology of the ectoparasites involved, bearing in mind that grooming has varying degrees of effectiveness, depending on the parasite. Further research is warranted to enhance our understanding of the role of grooming in maintaining the health of wild animals in the face of parasite attacks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S. Mooring
- Department of Biology, Point Loma Nazarene University, San Diego, CA 92106, USA;
- Quetzal Education and Research Center, San Gerardo de Dota 11911, Costa Rica
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5
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Wang Y, Hils M, Fischer A, Wölbing F, Biedermann T, Schnieke A, Fischer K. Gene-edited pigs: a translational model for human food allergy against alpha-Gal and anaphylaxis. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1358178. [PMID: 38469303 PMCID: PMC10925645 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1358178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of food allergy is rising and is estimated to approach 10%. Red meat allergy is the first known food allergy elicited by immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies recognizing a carbohydrate. Due to the loss of function of the alpha-1,3-galactosyltransferase (GGTA1) gene in humans, the disaccharide galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) cannot be synthesized and therefore became immunogenic. IgE sensitization is elicited through the skin by repetitive tick bites transmitting α-Gal. The underlying mechanisms regarding innate and adaptive immune cell activation, including the B-cell isotype switch to IgE, are poorly understood, requiring further research and physiologically relevant animal models. Here, we describe a new animal model of red meat allergy using percutaneous α-Gal sensitization of gene-edited GGTA1-deficient pigs. Total and α-Gal-specific IgG, IgG1, IgG2, IgG4, and IgE levels were tracked. Further key factors associated with allergic skin inflammation, type 2 immunity, and allergy development were measured in PBMCs and skin samples. Significant increases in α-Gal-specific IgG1 and IgE levels indicated successful sensitization to the allergen α-Gal. Intracutaneous sensitizations with α-Gal recruited lymphocytes to the skin, including elevated numbers of T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Finally, α-Gal-sensitized pigs not only recognized α-Gal as non-self-antigen following α-Gal exposure through the skin but also developed anaphylaxis upon antigen challenge. Based on the similarities between the porcine and human skin, this new large animal model for α-Gal allergy should help to unveil the consecutive steps of cutaneous sensitization and aid the development of prophylactic and treatment interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Miriam Hils
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrea Fischer
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Florian Wölbing
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Tilo Biedermann
- Department of Dermatology and Allergy Biederstein, School of Medicine, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Angelika Schnieke
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Konrad Fischer
- Chair of Livestock Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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6
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Wu H, Jmel MA, Chai J, Tian M, Xu X, Hui Y, Nandakumar KS, Kotsyfakis M. Tick cysteine protease inhibitors suppress immune responses in mannan-induced psoriasis-like inflammation. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1344878. [PMID: 38444844 PMCID: PMC10912570 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1344878] [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: 11/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Protease inhibitors regulate various biological processes and prevent host tissue/organ damage. Specific inhibition/regulation of proteases is clinically valuable for treating several diseases. Psoriasis affects the skin in the limbs and scalp of the body, and the contribution of cysteine and serine proteases to the development of skin inflammation is well documented. Cysteine protease inhibitors from ticks have high specificity, selectivity, and affinity to their target proteases and are efficient immunomodulators. However, their potential therapeutic effect on psoriasis pathogenesis remains to be determined. Therefore, we tested four tick cystatins (Sialostatin L, Sialostatin L2, Iristatin, and Mialostatin) in the recently developed, innate immunity-dependent mannan-induced psoriasis model. We explored the effects of protease inhibitors on clinical symptoms and histological features. In addition, the number and percentage of immune cells (dendritic cells, neutrophils, macrophages, and γδT cells) by flow cytometry, immunofluorescence/immunohistochemistry and, the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-a, IL-6, IL-22, IL-23, and IL-17 family) by qPCR were analyzed using skin, spleen, and lymph node samples. Tick protease inhibitors have significantly decreased psoriasis symptoms and disease manifestations but had differential effects on inflammatory responses and immune cell populations, suggesting different modes of action of these inhibitors on psoriasis-like inflammation. Thus, our study demonstrates, for the first time, the usefulness of tick-derived protease inhibitors for treating skin inflammation in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huimei Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, The Eighth Affiliated City Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, The Eighth People’s Hospital of Guangzhou, Guangzhou, China
- Karolinska Institute United Medical Inflammation Center, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jinwei Chai
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Maolin Tian
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Xueqing Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Zhujiang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuan Hui
- Department of Endocrinology, Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Kutty Selva Nandakumar
- Karolinska Institute United Medical Inflammation Center, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
- Department of Environmental and Biosciences, School of Business, Innovation and Sustainability, Halmstad University, Halmstad, Sweden
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Crete, Greece
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da Silva Vaz Junior I, Lu S, Pinto AFM, Diedrich JK, Yates JR, Mulenga A, Termignoni C, Ribeiro JM, Tirloni L. Changes in saliva protein profile throughout Rhipicephalus microplus blood feeding. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:36. [PMID: 38281054 PMCID: PMC10821567 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06136-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/29/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND When feeding on a vertebrate host, ticks secrete saliva, which is a complex mixture of proteins, lipids, and other molecules. Tick saliva assists the vector in modulating host hemostasis, immunity, and tissue repair mechanisms. While helping the vector to feed, its saliva modifies the site where pathogens are inoculated and often facilitates the infection process. The objective of this study is to uncover the variation in protein composition of Rhipicephalus microplus saliva during blood feeding. METHODS Ticks were fed on calves, and adult females were collected, weighed, and divided in nine weight groups, representing the slow and rapid feeding phases of blood feeding. Tick saliva was collected, and mass spectrometry analyses were used to identify differentially secreted proteins. Bioinformatic tools were employed to predict the structural and functional features of the salivary proteins. Reciprocal best hit analyses were used to identify conserved families of salivary proteins secreted by other tick species. RESULTS Changes in the protein secretion profiles of R. microplus adult female saliva during the blood feeding were observed, characterizing the phenomenon known as "sialome switching." This observation validates the idea that the switch in protein expression may serve as a mechanism for evading host responses against tick feeding. Cattle tick saliva is predominantly rich in heme-binding proteins, secreted conserved proteins, lipocalins, and protease inhibitors, many of which are conserved and present in the saliva of other tick species. Additionally, another remarkable observation was the identification of host-derived proteins as a component of tick saliva. CONCLUSIONS Overall, this study brings new insights to understanding the dynamics of the proteomic profile of tick saliva, which is an important component of tick feeding biology. The results presented here, along with the disclosed sequences, contribute to our understanding of tick feeding biology and might aid in the identification of new targets for the development of novel anti-tick methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior
- 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
| | - Stephen Lu
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Antônio F M Pinto
- Clayton Foundation Peptide Biology Lab, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jolene K Diedrich
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Mass Spectrometry Core, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - John R Yates
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - José Marcos Ribeiro
- Vector Biology Section, Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, USA.
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8
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Sipari S, Kiljunen M, Nylund M, Kallio ER. Identifying breeding hosts of Ixodes ricinus ticks using stable isotope analysis of their larvae - Proof of concept. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102252. [PMID: 37741086 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/08/2023] [Indexed: 09/25/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are important vectors of zoonotic pathogens. Ticks are parasites that are dependent on their hosts for blood meal to develop and reproduce. The abundance of ticks is dependent on the availability of suitable breeding hosts, often medium- and large-sized mammals. So far there has been a shortage of direct methods identifying the breeding hosts for the female ticks. In this study, we introduce a stable isotope analysis (SIA) method that enables us to identify the trophic group of the breeding host, i.e. the host on which the tick mother fed, by sampling larval ticks from the field. We established a reference database on the stable isotope (SI) values (δ13C and δ15N) of the blood of potential tick host species, and of larvae from Ixodes ricinus females, which have fed on known hosts. By comparing the SI values from field collected larval ticks to our reference data, we can determine their most likely host species group. Our results show that the isotopic signatures of I. ricinus tick larvae reflect the diet of the breeding host of the mother tick. SIA proved reliable in categorizing the breeding hosts of I. ricinus into two distinguishable trophic groups; herbivores and carni-omnivores. To our knowledge, this is the first time that stable isotope analyses have been applied to detect transovarial (i.e. over-generational) traces of a blood meal in ticks. The method provides an efficient, novel tool for directly identifying tick breeding hosts by sampling field collected larvae. Ixodes ricinus is the most important vector of TBPs (tick-borne pathogens) in Europe, and to predict and mitigate against the future risks that TBPs pose, it is crucial to have detailed knowledge on the hosts that support tick reproduction in nature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saana Sipari
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Republic of Finland.
| | - Mikko Kiljunen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Republic of Finland
| | - Minna Nylund
- Animal Health and Diagnostic Unit, Finnish Food Safety Authority, Republic of Finland
| | - Eva R Kallio
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Republic of Finland
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9
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Lyu B, Li J, Niemeyer B, Anderson D, Beerntsen B, Song Q. Identification, structural modeling, gene expression analysis and RNAi effect of putative phospholipase A 2 in the lone star tick Amblyomma americanum. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102256. [PMID: 37734164 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023]
Abstract
Amblyomma americanum, also known as the lone star tick, is a small arachnid that feeds on blood and can spread disease to humans and other animals. Despite the overlapped ecological niche, geographic distribution, and host selection, there is no proof that A. americanum transmits the pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi that causes Lyme disease. Studies have shown that phospholipase A2 (PLA2) may act as a tool to eliminate B. burgdorferi, but particular PLA2 genes in A. americanum have not been identified and functionally characterized. Using the de novo sequencing method, we identified 42 putative A. americanum PLA2 (pAaPLA2) homologs in the present study, of which three pAaPLA2 had calcium binding sites and canonical histidine catalytic sites. Then, we determined phylogenetic relationships, sequence alignments, and conserved protein motifs of these pAaPLA2s. Protein structural analysis demonstrated that pAaPLA2s primarily consisted of α-helices, β-sheets, and random coils. These genes were predicted to be engaged in the phospholipid metabolic process, arachidonic acid secretion, and PLA2 activity by functional annotation analysis. A transcriptional factor (Bgb) was discovered that interacted with pAaPLA2 proteins that may have unrecognized roles in regulating neuronal development. Based on the RNA-seq data, we surveyed expression profiles of key pAaPLA2-related genes to reveal putative modulatory networks of these genes. RNAi knockdown of pAaPLA2_1, a dominant isoform in A. americanum, led to decreased bacterial inhibition ability, suggesting pAaPLA2 may play an important role in mediating immune responses. Collectively, this study provides essential evidence of the identification, gene structure, phylogeny, and expression analysis of pAaPLA2 genes in A. americanum, and offers a deeper understanding of the putative borreliacidal roles in the lone star tick.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Lyu
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Jingjing Li
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Brigid Niemeyer
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA
| | - Deborah Anderson
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Brenda Beerntsen
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Qisheng Song
- Division of Plant Science and Technology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA.
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Beránková Z, Khanna R, Spěváková M, Langhansová H, Kopecký J, Lieskovská J. Cellular stress is triggered by tick-borne encephalitis virus and limits the virus replication in PMJ2-R mouse macrophage cell line. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2024; 15:102269. [PMID: 37813002 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Viral infection may represent a stress condition to the host cell. Cells react to it by triggering the defence programme to restore homeostasis and these events may in turn impact the viral replication. The knowledge about tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infection-associated stress is limited. Here we investigated the interplay between TBEV infection and stress pathways in PMJ2-R mouse macrophage cell line, as macrophages are the target cells in early phases of TBEV infection. First, to determine how stress influences TBEV replication, the effect of stress inducers H2O2 and tunicamycin (TM) was tested. Viral multiplication was decreased in the presence of both stress inducers suggesting that the stress and cellular stress responses restrict the virus replication. Second, we investigated the induction of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress upon TBEV infection. The level of oxidative stress was interrogated by measuring the reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS were intermittently increased in infected cells at 12 hpi and at 72 hpi. As mitochondrial dysfunction may result in increased ROS level, we evaluated the mitochondrial homeostasis by measuring the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and found that TBEV infection induced the hyperpolarization of MMP. Moreover, a transient increase of gene expression of stress-induced antioxidative enzymes, like p62, Gclm and Hmox1, was detected. Next, we evaluated the ER stress upon TBEV infection by analysing unfolded protein responses (UPR). We found that infection induced gene expression of two general sensors BiP and CHOP and activated the IRE1 pathway of UPR. Finally, since the natural transmission route of TBEV from its tick vector to the host is mediated via tick saliva, the impact of tick saliva from Ixodes ricinus on stress pathways in TBEV-infected cells was tested. We observed only marginal potentiation of UPR pathway. In conclusion, we found that TBEV infection of PMJ2-R cells elicits the changes in redox balance and triggers cellular stress defences, including antioxidant responses and the IRE1 pathway of UPR. Importantly, our results revealed the negative effect of stress-evoked events on TBEV replication and only marginal impact of tick saliva on stress cellular pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzana Beránková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ritesh Khanna
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Markéta Spěváková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Langhansová
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kopecký
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jaroslava Lieskovská
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská 1760, CZ-37005 České Budějovice, Czech Republic.
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11
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Li Z, McComic S, Chen R, Kim WTH, Gaithuma AK, Mooney B, Macaluso KR, Mulenga A, Swale DR. ATP-sensitive inward rectifier potassium channels regulate secretion of pro-feeding salivary proteins in the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 253:126545. [PMID: 37652342 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the physiological and molecular regulation of tick feeding is necessary for developing intervention strategies to curb disease transmission by ticks. Pharmacological activation of ATP-gated inward rectifier potassium (KATP) channels reduced fluid secretion from isolated salivary gland and blood feeding in the lone star tick, Amblyomma americanum, yet the temporal expression pattern of KATP channel proteins remained unknown. KATP channels were highly expressed in type II and III acini in off-host stage and early feeding phase ticks, yet expression was reduced in later stages of feeding. We next assessed KATP channel regulation of the secreted proteome of tick saliva. LC-MS/MS analysis identified 40 differentially secreted tick saliva proteins after exposure to KATP activators or inhibitors. Secretion of previously validated tick saliva proteins that promote tick feeding, AV422, AAS27, and AAS41 were significantly reduced by upwards of 8 log units in ticks exposed to KATP channel activators when compared to untreated ticks. Importantly, activation of KATP channels inhibited tick feeding and vice versa for KATP channel inhibitors. Data indicate KATP channels regulate tick feeding biology by controlling secretion of pro-feeding proteins that are essential during early feeding phases, which provides insights into physiological and molecular regulation of tick feeding behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhilin Li
- Department of Entomology, Louisiana State University AgCenter, Baton Rouge, LA, United States of America; Emerging Pathogens Institute, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Sarah McComic
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Rui Chen
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - William Tae Heung Kim
- Department of Veterinary pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Alex Kiarie Gaithuma
- Department of Veterinary pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Brian Mooney
- Department of Biochemistry, Charles W Gehrlke Proteomics Center, University of Missouri, MO, USA
| | - Kevin R Macaluso
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, College of Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL, USA
| | - Albert Mulenga
- Department of Veterinary pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Daniel R Swale
- Emerging Pathogens Institute, Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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12
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Carnero-Morán Á, Oleaga A, Cano-Argüelles AL, Pérez-Sánchez R. Function-guided selection of salivary antigens from Ornithodoros erraticus argasid ticks and assessment of their protective efficacy in rabbits. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102218. [PMID: 37364364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Revised: 06/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/13/2023] [Indexed: 06/28/2023]
Abstract
The identification of new protective antigens for the development of tick vaccines may be approached by selecting antigen candidates that have key biological functions. Bioactive proteins playing key functions for tick feeding and pathogen transmission are secreted into the host via tick saliva. Adult argasid ticks must resynthesise and replace these proteins after each feeding to be able to repeat new trophogonic cycles. Therefore, these proteins are considered interesting antigen targets for tick vaccine development. In this study, the salivary gland transcriptome and saliva proteome of Ornithodoros erraticus females were inspected to select and test new vaccine candidate antigens. For this, we focused on transcripts overexpressed after feeding that encoded secretory proteins predicted to be immunogenic and annotated with functions related to blood ingestion and modulation of the host defensive response. Completeness of the transcript sequence, as well as a high expression level and a high fold-change after feeding were also scored resulting in the selection of four candidates, an acid tail salivary protein (OeATSP), a multiple coagulation factor deficiency protein 2 homolog (OeMCFD2), a Cu/Zn-superoxide dismutase (OeSOD) and a sulfotransferase (OeSULT), which were later produced as recombinant proteins. Vaccination of rabbits with each individual recombinant antigen induced strong humoral responses that reduced blood feeding and female reproduction, providing, respectively, 46.8%, 45.7%, 54.3% and 31.9% protection against O. erraticus infestations and 0.7%, 3.9%, 3.1% and 8.7% cross-protection against infestations by the African tick, Ornithodoros moubata. The joint protective efficacy of these antigens was tested in a second vaccine trial reaching 58.3% protection against O. erraticus and 18.6% cross-protection against O. moubata. These results (i) provide four new protective salivary antigens from argasid ticks that might be included in multi-antigenic vaccines designed for the control of multiple tick species; (ii) reveal four functional protein families never tested before as a source of protective antigens in ticks; and (iii) show that multi-antigenic vaccines increase vaccine efficacy compared with individual antigens. Finally, our data add value to the salivary glands as a protective antigen source in argasids for the control of tick infestations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ángel Carnero-Morán
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Ana Oleaga
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Ana Laura Cano-Argüelles
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain
| | - Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitología Animal, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Salamanca (IRNASA, CSIC), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, Salamanca 37008, Spain.
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13
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Guizzo MG, Mans B, Pienaar R, Ribeiro JMC. A comparison of Illumina and PacBio methods to build tick salivary gland transcriptomes confirms large expression of lipocalins and other salivary protein families that are not represented in available tick genomes. Ticks Tick Borne Dis 2023; 14:102209. [PMID: 37327738 PMCID: PMC10527494 DOI: 10.1016/j.ttbdis.2023.102209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 05/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Tick saliva helps blood feeding by its antihemostatic and immunomodulatory activities. Tick salivary gland transcriptomes (sialotranscriptomes) revealed thousands of transcripts coding for putative secreted polypeptides. Hundreds of these transcripts code for groups of similar proteins, constituting protein families, such as the lipocalins and metalloproteases. However, while many of these transcriptome-derived protein sequences matches sequences predicted by tick genome assemblies, the majority are not represented in these proteomes. The diversity of these transcriptome-derived transcripts could derive from artifacts generated during assembly of short Illumina reads or derive from polymorphisms of the genes coding for these proteins. To investigate this discrepancy, we collected salivary glands from blood-feeding ticks and, from the same homogenate, made and sequenced libraries following Illumina and PacBio protocols, with the assumption that the longer PacBio reads would reveal the sequences generated by the assembly of Illumina reads. Using both Rhipicephalus zambeziensis and Ixodes scapularis ticks, we have obtained more lipocalin transcripts from the Illumina library than the PacBio library. To verify whether these unique Illumina transcripts were real, we selected 9 uniquely Illumina-derived lipocalin transcripts from I. scapularis and attempted to obtain PCR products. These were obtained and their sequences confirmed the presence of these transcripts in the I. scapularis salivary homogenate. We further compared the predicted salivary lipocalins and metalloproteases from I. scapularis sialotranscriptomes with those found in the predicted proteomes of 3 publicly available genomes of I. scapularis. Results indicate that the discrepancy between the genome and transcriptome sequences for these salivary protein families is due to a high degree of polymorphism within these genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melina Garcia Guizzo
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - Ben Mans
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Onderstepoort, South Africa; The Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa; Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Ronel Pienaar
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Onderstepoort, South Africa
| | - Jose M C Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
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14
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Martins LA, Buša M, Chlastáková A, Kotál J, Beránková Z, Stergiou N, Jmel MA, Schmitt E, Chmelař J, Mareš M, Kotsyfakis M. Protease-bound structure of Ricistatin provides insights into the mechanism of action of tick salivary cystatins in the vertebrate host. Cell Mol Life Sci 2023; 80:339. [PMID: 37898573 PMCID: PMC11071917 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-04993-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/30/2023]
Abstract
Tick saliva injected into the vertebrate host contains bioactive anti-proteolytic proteins from the cystatin family; however, the molecular basis of their unusual biochemical and physiological properties, distinct from those of host homologs, is unknown. Here, we present Ricistatin, a novel secreted cystatin identified in the salivary gland transcriptome of Ixodes ricinus ticks. Recombinant Ricistatin inhibited host-derived cysteine cathepsins and preferentially targeted endopeptidases, while having only limited impact on proteolysis driven by exopeptidases. Determination of the crystal structure of Ricistatin in complex with a cysteine cathepsin together with characterization of structural determinants in the Ricistatin binding site explained its restricted specificity. Furthermore, Ricistatin was potently immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory, reducing levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α and nitric oxide in macrophages; IL-2 and IL-9 levels in Th9 cells; and OVA antigen-induced CD4+ T cell proliferation and neutrophil migration. This work highlights the immunotherapeutic potential of Ricistatin and, for the first time, provides structural insights into the unique narrow selectivity of tick salivary cystatins determining their bioactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa A Martins
- Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Laboratory of Neurological Infections and Immunity, Rocky Mountain Laboratories, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Hamilton, MT, 59840, USA
| | - Michal Buša
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo N. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Adéla Chlastáková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760C, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Kotál
- Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760C, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Zuzana Beránková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760C, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Natascha Stergiou
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Edgar Schmitt
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Langenbeckstrasse 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany
| | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, the University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Branišovská 1760C, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Michael Mareš
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Flemingovo N. 2, 16610, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, N. Plastira 100, 70013, Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
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15
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Butler LR, Gonzalez J, Pedra JHF, Oliva Chavez AS. Tick extracellular vesicles in host skin immunity and pathogen transmission. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:873-885. [PMID: 37591719 PMCID: PMC10528898 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.07.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023]
Abstract
Ticks can transmit a variety of human pathogens, including intracellular and extracellular bacteria, viruses, and protozoan parasites. Historically, their saliva has been of immense interest due to its anticoagulant, anti-inflammatory, and anesthetic properties. Only recently, it was discovered that tick saliva contains extracellular vesicles (EVs). Briefly, it has been observed that proteins associated with EVs are important for multiple tick-borne intracellular microbial lifestyles. The impact of tick EVs on viral and intracellular bacterial pathogen transmission from the tick to the mammalian host has been shown experimentally. Additionally, tick EVs interact with the mammalian skin immune system at the bite site. The interplay between tick EVs, the transmission of pathogens, and the host skin immune system affords opportunities for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Rainer Butler
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Julia Gonzalez
- Department of Entomology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Joao H F Pedra
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Medicine University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD, USA
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Hajdusek O, Kopacek P, Perner J. Experimental platforms for functional genomics in ticks. CURRENT OPINION IN INSECT SCIENCE 2023; 59:101102. [PMID: 37586557 DOI: 10.1016/j.cois.2023.101102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding ectoparasites that devastate cattle farming and are an omnipresent nuisance to pets and humans, posing a threat of pathogen transmission. Laboratory experimental models can be instrumental in the search for molecular targets of novel acaricides or vaccines. Mainly, though, the experimental models represent invaluable tools for broadening our basic understanding of key processes of tick blood-feeding physiology and vector competence. In order to understand the function of a single component within the full complexity of a feeding tick, genetic or biochemical interventions are used for systemic phenotypisation. In this work, we summarise current experimental modalities that represent powerful approaches for determining biological functions of tick molecular components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ondrej Hajdusek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Kopacek
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Perner
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branisovska 31, 370 05 Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic.
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Rodríguez-Durán A, Ullah S, Parizi LF, Ali A, da Silva Vaz Junior I. Rabbits as Animal Models for Anti-Tick Vaccine Development: A Global Scenario. Pathogens 2023; 12:1117. [PMID: 37764925 PMCID: PMC10536012 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12091117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 08/29/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Studies evaluating candidate tick-derived proteins as anti-tick vaccines in natural hosts have been limited due to high costs. To overcome this problem, animal models are used in immunization tests. The aim of this article was to review the use of rabbits as an experimental model for the evaluation of tick-derived proteins as vaccines. A total of 57 tick proteins were tested for their immunogenic potential using rabbits as models for vaccination. The most commonly used rabbit breeds were New Zealand (73.8%), Japanese white (19%), Californians (4.8%) and Flemish lop-eared (2.4%) rabbits. Anti-tick vaccines efficacy resulted in up to 99.9%. Haemaphysalis longicornis (17.9%) and Ornithodoros moubata (12.8%) were the most common tick models in vaccination trials. Experiments with rabbits have revealed that some proteins (CoAQP, OeAQP, OeAQP1, Bm86, GST-Hl, 64TRP, serpins and voraxin) can induce immune responses against various tick species. In addition, in some cases it was possible to determine that the vaccine efficacy in rabbits was similar to that of experiments performed on natural hosts (e.g., Bm86, IrFER2, RmFER2, serpins and serine protease inhibitor). In conclusion, results showed that prior to performing anti-tick vaccination trials using natural hosts, rabbits can be used as suitable experimental models for these studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arlex Rodríguez-Durán
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
- Grupo de Investigación Parasitología Veterinaria, Laboratorio de Parasitología Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45 No. 26-85, Bogotá 110911, Colombia
| | - Shafi Ullah
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Luís Fernando Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
| | - Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan 23200, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan;
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz Junior
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; (A.R.-D.); (S.U.); (L.F.P.)
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande de Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
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Valenzuela-Leon PC, Campos Chagas A, Martin-Martin I, Williams AE, Berger M, Shrivastava G, Paige AS, Kotsyfakis M, Tirloni L, Calvo E. Guianensin, a Simulium guianense salivary protein, has broad anti-hemostatic and anti-inflammatory properties. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1163367. [PMID: 37469515 PMCID: PMC10353047 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1163367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Salivary glands from blood-feeding arthropods secrete several molecules that inhibit mammalian hemostasis and facilitate blood feeding and pathogen transmission. The salivary functions from Simulium guianense, the main vector of Onchocerciasis in South America, remain largely understudied. Here, we have characterized a salivary protease inhibitor (Guianensin) from the blackfly Simulium guianense. Materials and methods A combination of bioinformatic and biophysical analyses, recombinant protein production, in vitro and in vivo experiments were utilized to characterize the molecula mechanism of action of Guianensin. Kinetics of Guianensin interaction with proteases involved in vertebrate inflammation and coagulation were carried out by surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry. Plasma recalcification and coagulometry and tail bleeding assays were performed to understand the role of Guianensin in coagulation. Results Guianensin was identified in the sialotranscriptome of adult S. guianense flies and belongs to the Kunitz domain of protease inhibitors. It targets various serine proteases involved in hemostasis and inflammation. Binding to these enzymes is highly specific to the catalytic site and is not detectable for their zymogens, the catalytic site-blocked human coagulation factor Xa (FXa), or thrombin. Accordingly, Guianensin significantly increased both PT (Prothrombin time) and aPTT (Activated partial thromboplastin time) in human plasma and consequently increased blood clotting time ex vivo. Guianensin also inhibited prothrombinase activity on endothelial cells. We show that Guianensin acts as a potent anti-inflammatory molecule on FXa-induced paw edema formation in mice. Conclusion The information generated by this work highlights the biological functionality of Guianensin as an antithrombotic and anti-inflammatory protein that may play significant roles in blood feeding and pathogen transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrezza Campos Chagas
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Ines Martin-Martin
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Adeline E. Williams
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Markus Berger
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Gaurav Shrivastava
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Andrew S. Paige
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Michalis Kotsyfakis
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
- Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Heraklion, Greece
| | - Lucas Tirloni
- Tick-Pathogen Transmission Unit, Laboratory of Bacteriology, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Hamilton, MT, United States
| | - Eric Calvo
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
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Parizi LF, Githaka NW, Logullo C, Zhou J, Onuma M, Termignoni C, da Silva Vaz I. Universal Tick Vaccines: Candidates and Remaining Challenges. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:2031. [PMID: 37370541 DOI: 10.3390/ani13122031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advancements in molecular biology, particularly regarding massively parallel sequencing technologies, have enabled scientists to gain more insight into the physiology of ticks. While there has been progress in identifying tick proteins and the pathways they are involved in, the specificities of tick-host interaction at the molecular level are not yet fully understood. Indeed, the development of effective commercial tick vaccines has been slower than expected. While omics studies have pointed to some potential vaccine immunogens, selecting suitable antigens for a multi-antigenic vaccine is very complex due to the participation of redundant molecules in biological pathways. The expansion of ticks and their pathogens into new territories and exposure to new hosts makes it necessary to evaluate vaccine efficacy in unusual and non-domestic host species. This situation makes ticks and tick-borne diseases an increasing threat to animal and human health globally, demanding an urgent availability of vaccines against multiple tick species and their pathogens. This review discusses the challenges and advancements in the search for universal tick vaccines, including promising new antigen candidates, and indicates future directions in this crucial research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luís Fernando Parizi
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
| | | | - Carlos Logullo
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, Brazil
| | - Jinlin Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Misao Onuma
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, Brazil
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91501-970, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, Brazil
- Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 91540-000, Brazil
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Kosak L, Satz N, Jutzi M, Dobec M, Schlagenhauf P. Spotted fever group rickettsiae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum in Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato seropositive individuals with or without Lyme disease: A retrospective analysis. New Microbes New Infect 2023; 53:101139. [PMID: 37168237 PMCID: PMC10165448 DOI: 10.1016/j.nmni.2023.101139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Revised: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The Ixodes ricinus tick is the main vector of Borrelia burgdorferi and tick-borne encephalitis virus in Switzerland. Spotted fever group Rickettsiae (SFG) and Anaplasma phagocytophilum have been detected in Swiss ticks, however, information about the extent and clinical presentation of these infections in humans is scant. Methods Indirect fluorescent antibody tests for SFG rickettsiae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum were performed on serum samples of 121 Borrelia burgdorferi seropositive patients with and without Lyme disease and 43 negative controls. Results Out of 121 Borrelia burgdorferi seropositive individuals, 65 (53.7%) were seropositive for IgG and 15 (12.4%) for IgM antibodies to SFG rickettsiae. IgM antibodies were detected more frequently in early-than in late-stage of Lyme disease (12 out of 51 and 2 out of 49; respectively; p = 0.0078). Significantly higher IgG antibody titers against SFG rickettsiae were found in patients with late-stage compared to patients with early-stage Lyme disease (mean titer 1:261 and 1:129, respectively; p = 0.038). This difference was even more pronounced in patients with acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans compared to patients with early stage of Lyme disease (mean titer 1:337 and 1:129, respectively; p = 0.009).In patients presenting with fatigue, headache and myalgia, the prevalence of IgG antibodies against SFG rickettsiae was significantly higher (7 out of 11; 63.6%) than in Borrelia burgdorferi seropositive individuals without clinical illness (1 out of 10; 10%; p = 0.024). IgG antibodies to Anaplasma phagocytophilum were detected in 12 out of 121 individuals (9.9%), no IgM antibodies were found. Conclusion Infections with SFG rickettsiae and Anaplasma phagocytophilum are underdiagnosed and should be ruled out after a tick bite. Further studies are needed to elucidate the possible causative role of SFG rickettsiae for myalgia, headache and long-lasting fatigue after a tick bite and to determine the necessity for an antibiotic treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leonie Kosak
- University of Zürich, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention, Zürich, Switzerland
- Corresponding author.
| | | | - Markus Jutzi
- Analytica Medizinische Laboratorien AG, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Marinko Dobec
- Analytica Medizinische Laboratorien AG, Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Patricia Schlagenhauf
- University of Zürich, Institute for Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Prevention, WHO Collaborating Centre for Travellers' Health, Department of Global and Public Health, MilMedBiol Competence Centre, Zürich, Switzerland
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21
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Islam MS, Talha AFSM, You MJ. Effects of histamine and antihistamine on the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis during blood sucking. PARASITES, HOSTS AND DISEASES 2023; 61:172-182. [PMID: 37258264 DOI: 10.3347/phd.22068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
At the time of host attachment, ticks are very sensitive to histamine, but during rapid blood sucking they paradoxically require histamine. Using a rabbit model, we studied the effects of histamine and antihistamine during attachment and fast-feeding in different life stages of Haemaphysalis longicorns. We examined how they responded to histamine and antihistamine by analyzing the detachment rate, histology of feeding lesions, and post-feeding behavior. A significant difference (P<0.01) was found in the detachment rate between experimental and control treatments throughout the observation period. Ticks exhibited a higher detachment rate (30.1%) at 12 h after histamine application during attachment time and on antihistamine-treated skin (25.4%) at 96 h during fast-feeding. After feeding on histamine-treated rabbits, the fully engorged body weights of larvae and nymphs were 0.7±0.36 mg and 3.5±0.65 mg, respectively. An average increase in body weight of 0.6±0.05 mg and 3.2±0.30 mg was observed for larvae and nymphs compared to the respective control weights. Nymphs and adults engorged after antihistamine treatment had an average body weight of 1.3±0.54 mg and 54±0.81 mg, respectively. An average decrease in body weight was observed in antihistamine-treated H. longicornis compared with control nymphs (3.3±0.42 mg) and adults (174±1.78 mg). Skin biopsies were collected after treatment, and differential histopathological characteristics were found between the treatment and control groups. Tick-infested skin collected from rabbits in the antihistamine-treated group lacked erythrocytes in the feeding pool, indicating that antihistamine impaired tick fast-feeding stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Saiful Islam
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, Specialized Campus, Iksan 54596, Korea
- Department of Medicine Surgery & Obstetrics, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur-5200, Bangladesh
| | - Abul Fatah Shah Muhammad Talha
- Laboratory of Veterinary Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, Specialized Campus, Iksan 54596, Korea
| | - Myung-Jo You
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-safety Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, Specialized Campus, Iksan 54596, Korea
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22
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Mans BJ. Paradigms in tick evolution. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:475-486. [PMID: 37061441 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The study of tick evolution may be classified into disciplines such as taxonomy and systematics, biogeography, evolution and development (evo-devo), ecology, and hematophagy. These disciplines overlap and impact each other to various extents. Advances in one field may lead to paradigm shifts in our understanding of tick evolution not apparent to other fields. The current study considers paradigm shifts that occurred, are in the process, or may occur in future for the disciplines that study tick evolution. Some disciplines have undergone significant changes, while others may still be developing their own paradigms. Integration of these various disciplines is essential to come to a holistic view of tick evolution; however, maturation of paradigms may be necessary before this vision can be attained.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben J Mans
- Epidemiology, Parasites and Vectors, Agricultural Research Council-Onderstepoort Veterinary Research, Onderstepoort, South Africa; Department of Life and Consumer Sciences, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa.
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23
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Riskin DK, Carter GG. The evolution of sanguivory in vampire bats: origins and convergences. CAN J ZOOL 2023. [DOI: 10.1139/cjz-2022-0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Blood-feeding (sanguivory) has evolved more than two dozen times among birds, fishes, insects, arachnids, molluscs, crustaceans, and annelids; however, among mammals, it is restricted to the vampire bats. Here, the authors revisit the question of how it evolved in that group. Evidence to date suggests that the ancestors of phyllostomids were insectivorous, and that carnivory, omnivory, and nectarivory evolved among phyllostomids after vampire bats diverged. Frugivory likely also evolved after vampire bats diverged, but the phylogeny is ambiguous on that point. However, vampire bats lack any genetic evidence of a frugivorous past, and the behavioural progression from frugivory to sanguivory is difficult to envision. Thus, the most parsimonious scenario is that sanguivory evolved in an insectivorous ancestor to vampire bats via ectoparasite-eating, wound-feeding, or some combination of the two—all feeding habits found among blood-feeding birds today. Comparing vampire bats with other sanguivores, the authors find several remarkable examples of convergence. Further, it was found that blood-feeding has been ca. 50 times more likely to evolve in a vertebrate lineage than in an invertebrate one. The authors hypothesize that this difference exists because vertebrates are more likely than invertebrates to have the biochemical necessities required to assimilate the components of vertebrate blood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel K. Riskin
- Department of Biology, University of Toronto Mississauga, Mississauga, ON L5L 1C6, Canada
| | - Gerald G. Carter
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Apartado 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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24
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Tick Salivary Kunitz-Type Inhibitors: Targeting Host Hemostasis and Immunity to Mediate Successful Blood Feeding. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021556. [PMID: 36675071 PMCID: PMC9865953 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Kunitz domain-containing proteins are ubiquitous serine protease inhibitors with promising therapeutic potential. They target key proteases involved in major cellular processes such as inflammation or hemostasis through competitive inhibition in a substrate-like manner. Protease inhibitors from the Kunitz superfamily have a low molecular weight (18-24 kDa) and are characterized by the presence of one or more Kunitz motifs consisting of α-helices and antiparallel β-sheets stabilized by three disulfide bonds. Kunitz-type inhibitors are an important fraction of the protease inhibitors found in tick saliva. Their roles in inhibiting and/or suppressing host homeostatic responses continue to be shown to be additive or synergistic with other protease inhibitors such as cystatins or serpins, ultimately mediating successful blood feeding for the tick. In this review, we discuss the biochemical features of tick salivary Kunitz-type protease inhibitors. We focus on their various effects on host hemostasis and immunity at the molecular and cellular level and their potential therapeutic applications. In doing so, we highlight that their pharmacological properties can be exploited for the development of novel therapies and vaccines.
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25
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A systems biology approach to better understand human tick-borne diseases. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:53-69. [PMID: 36400674 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Tick-borne diseases (TBDs) are a growing global health concern. Despite extensive studies, ill-defined tick-associated pathologies remain with unknown aetiologies. Human immunological responses after tick bite, and inter-individual variations of immune-response phenotypes, are not well characterised. Current reductive experimental methodologies limit our understanding of more complex tick-associated illness, which results from the interactions between the host, tick, and microbes. An unbiased, systems-level integration of clinical metadata and biological host data - obtained via transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics - offers to drive the data-informed generation of testable hypotheses in TBDs. Advanced computational tools have rendered meaningful analysis of such large data sets feasible. This review highlights the advantages of integrative system biology approaches as essential for understanding the complex pathobiology of TBDs.
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26
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Raza A, Schulz BL, Nouwens A, Naseem MN, Kamran M, Mantilla Valdivieso EF, Kerr ED, Constantinoiu C, Jonsson NN, James P, Tabor AE. Application of quantitative proteomics to discover biomarkers for tick resistance in cattle. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1091066. [PMID: 36793724 PMCID: PMC9924087 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1091066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Breeding for tick resistance is a sustainable alternative to control cattle ticks due to widespread resistance to acaricidal drugs and the lack of a protective vaccine. The most accurate method used to characterise the phenotype for tick resistance in field studies is the standard tick count, but this is labour-intensive and can be hazardous to the operator. Efficient genetic selection requires reliable phenotyping or biomarker(s) for accurately identifying tick-resistant cattle. Although breed-specific genes associated with tick resistance have been identified, the mechanisms behind tick resistance have not yet been fully characterised. Methods This study applied quantitative proteomics to examine the differential abundance of serum and skin proteins using samples from naïve tick-resistant and -susceptible Brangus cattle at two-time points following tick exposure. The proteins were digested into peptides, followed by identification and quantification using sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion mass spectrometry. Results Resistant naïve cattle had a suite of proteins associated with immune response, blood coagulation and wound healing that were significantly (adjusted P < 10- 5) more abundant compared with susceptible naïve cattle. These proteins included complement factors (C3, C4, C4a), alpha-1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), beta-2-glycoprotein-1, keratins (KRT1 & KRT3) and fibrinogens (alpha & beta). The mass spectrometry findings were validated by identifying differences in the relative abundance of selected serum proteins with ELISA. The proteins showing a significantly different abundance in resistant cattle following early and prolonged tick exposures (compared to resistant naïve) were associated with immune response, blood coagulation, homeostasis, and wound healing. In contrast, susceptible cattle developed some of these responses only after prolonged tick exposure. Discussion Resistant cattle were able to transmigrate immune-response related proteins towards the tick bite sites, which may prevent tick feeding. Significantly differentially abundant proteins identified in this research in resistant naïve cattle may provide a rapid and efficient protective response to tick infestation. Physical barrier (skin integrity and wound healing) mechanisms and systemic immune responses were key contributors to resistance. Immune response-related proteins such as C4, C4a, AGP and CGN1 (naïve samples), CD14, GC and AGP (post-infestation) should be further investigated as potential biomarkers for tick resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Raza
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Benjamin L Schulz
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Amanda Nouwens
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Muhammad Noman Naseem
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Muhammad Kamran
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Emily F Mantilla Valdivieso
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Edward D Kerr
- The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Constantin Constantinoiu
- College of Public Health, Medical & Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
| | - Nicholas N Jonsson
- Institute of Biodiversity Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Peter James
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Ala E Tabor
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Centre for Animal Science, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia.,The University of Queensland, School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, St. Lucia, QLD, Australia
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27
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Trentelman JJA, de Vogel FA, Colstrup E, Sima R, Coumou J, Koetsveld J, Klouwens MJ, Nayak A, Ersoz J, Barriales D, Tomás-Cortázar J, Narasimhan S, Hajdusek O, Anguita J, Hovius JW. Identification of novel conserved Ixodes vaccine candidates; a promising role for non-secreted salivary gland proteins. Vaccine 2022; 40:7593-7603. [PMID: 36357287 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.10.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis are the main vectors for the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis and a wide range of other pathogens. Repeated tick-bites are known to lead to tick rejection; a phenomenon designated as tick immunity. Tick immunity is mainly directed against tick salivary gland proteins (TSGPs) and has been shown to partially protect against experimental Lyme borreliosis. TSGPs recognized by antibodies from tick immune animals could therefore be interesting candidates for an anti-tick vaccine, which might also block pathogen transmission. To identify conserved Ixodes TSGPs that could serve as a universal anti-tick vaccine in both Europe and the US, a Yeast Surface Display containing salivary gland genes of nymphal I. ricinus expressed at 24, 48 and 72 h into tick feeding was probed with either sera from rabbits repeatedly exposed for 24 h to I. ricinus nymphal ticks and/or sera from rabbits immune to I. scapularis. Thus, we identified thirteen TSGP vaccine candidates, of which ten were secreted. For vaccination studies in rabbits, we selected six secreted TSGPs, five full length and one conserved peptide. None of these proteins hampered tick feeding. In contrast, vaccination of guinea pigs with four non-secreted TSGPs - two from the current and two from a previous human immunoscreening - did significantly reduce tick attachment and feeding. Therefore, non-secreted TSGPs appear to be involved in the development of tick immunity and are interesting candidates for an anti-tick vaccine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jos J A Trentelman
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
| | - Fons A de Vogel
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Emil Colstrup
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Radek Sima
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic; Biopticka laborator s.r.o., Plzen, Czech Republic
| | - Jeroen Coumou
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Joris Koetsveld
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Michelle J Klouwens
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Abhijeet Nayak
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Jasmin Ersoz
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
| | - Diego Barriales
- CIC bioGUNE-Basque Research & Technology Alliance, Derio 48160, Spain
| | - Julen Tomás-Cortázar
- CIC bioGUNE-Basque Research & Technology Alliance, Derio 48160, Spain; UCD Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Ondrej Hajdusek
- Biology Centre, Institute of Parasitology, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Anguita
- CIC bioGUNE-Basque Research & Technology Alliance, Derio 48160, Spain; Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, Bilbao 48012, Spain
| | - Joppe W Hovius
- Center for Experimental and Molecular Medicine, Amsterdam Infection and Immunity, Amsterdam UMC, Location Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
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28
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A Deeper Insight into the Tick Salivary Protein Families under the Light of Alphafold2 and Dali: Introducing the TickSialoFam 2.0 Database. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232415613. [PMID: 36555254 PMCID: PMC9779611 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232415613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Hard ticks feed for several days or weeks on their hosts and their saliva contains thousands of polypeptides belonging to dozens of families, as identified by salivary transcriptomes. Comparison of the coding sequences to protein databases helps to identify putative secreted proteins and their potential functions, directing and focusing future studies, usually done with recombinant proteins that are tested in different bioassays. However, many families of putative secreted peptides have a unique character, not providing significant matches to known sequences. The availability of the Alphafold2 program, which provides in silico predictions of the 3D polypeptide structure, coupled with the Dali program which uses the atomic coordinates of a structural model to search the Protein Data Bank (PDB) allows another layer of investigation to annotate and ascribe a functional role to proteins having so far being characterized as "unique". In this study, we analyzed the classification of tick salivary proteins under the light of the Alphafold2/Dali programs, detecting novel protein families and gaining new insights relating the structure and function of tick salivary proteins.
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29
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Couret J, Schofield S, Narasimhan S. The environment, the tick, and the pathogen - It is an ensemble. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1049646. [PMID: 36405964 PMCID: PMC9666722 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1049646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis is one of the predominant vectors of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease in the USA. The geographic distribution of I. scapularis, endemic to the northeastern and northcentral USA, is expanding as far south as Georgia and Texas, and northwards into Canada and poses an impending public health problem. The prevalence and spread of tick-borne diseases are influenced by the interplay of multiple factors including microbiological, ecological, and environmental. Molecular studies have focused on interactions between the tick-host and pathogen/s that determine the success of pathogen acquisition by the tick and transmission to the mammalian host. In this review we draw attention to additional critical environmental factors that impact tick biology and tick-pathogen interactions. With a focus on B. burgdorferi we highlight the interplay of abiotic factors such as temperature and humidity as well as biotic factors such as environmental microbiota that ticks are exposed to during their on- and off-host phases on tick, and infection prevalence. A molecular understanding of this ensemble of interactions will be essential to gain new insights into the biology of tick-pathogen interactions and to develop new approaches to control ticks and tick transmission of B. burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jannelle Couret
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Samantha Schofield
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Environment and Life Sciences, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI, United States
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
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30
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Barillas-Mury C, Ribeiro JMC, Valenzuela JG. Understanding pathogen survival and transmission by arthropod vectors to prevent human disease. Science 2022; 377:eabc2757. [PMID: 36173836 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc2757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Many endemic poverty-associated diseases, such as malaria and leishmaniasis, are transmitted by arthropod vectors. Pathogens must interact with specific molecules in the vector gut, the microbiota, and the vector immune system to survive and be transmitted. The vertebrate host, in turn, is infected when the pathogen and vector-derived factors, such as salivary proteins, are delivered into the skin by a vector bite. Here, we review recent progress in our understanding of the biology of pathogen transmission from the human to the vector and back, from the vector to the host. We also highlight recent advances in the biology of vector-borne disease transmission, which have translated into additional strategies to prevent human disease by either reducing vector populations or by disrupting their ability to transmit pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Barillas-Mury
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - Jesus G Valenzuela
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
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Lu J, Wang K, Gao Z, Zhang S, Li H, Shi Y, Song X, Liu J, Yu Z, Yang X. Doenitin-1: A novel Kunitz family protein with versatile functions during feeding and reproduction of the tick Haemaphysalis doenitzi. Front Vet Sci 2022; 9:872244. [PMID: 36032296 PMCID: PMC9399790 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2022.872244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
As obligate blood-feeding ectoparasites, ticks secrete a great diversity of antithrombin molecules during feeding. In this study, a novel antithrombin gene named Doenitin-1 was characterized from the tick Haemaphysalis doenitzi. It has an open reading frame size of 426 bp; it encodes 141 amino acids and has a predicted molecular weight of 15.8 kDa. The fibrinogen coagulation test showed that the time of coagulation was increased significantly with increase in rDoenitin-1 protein concentration, and the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) and prothrombin time (PT) assays showed that rDoenitin-1 significantly prolonged the coagulation time of APTT, indicating that rDoenitin-1 has an anticoagulant activity in vitro. In addition, rDoenitin-1 presents a significant inhibitory activity in thrombin and cathepsin G. The hemolysis rate of rDoenitin-1 in healthy human blood cells was 4.25%, and no obvious hemolysis activity was observed. The comparison with other life stages shows that the higher expression occurs in adults, and tissue comparison indicated a higher expression in the midgut. The RNAi results indicated that interference of Doenitin-1 significantly reduced the engorgement rate and egg hatchability of H. doenitzi, and that the engorged body weight was slightly reduced. In conclusion, the results suggested that the novel gene Doenitin-1 functions in blood-feeding of H. doenitzi and performs various functions during feeding and reproduction of H. doenitzi. Doenitin-1 may be a potential vaccine candidate for tick control and for developing new antithrombotic drugs in the future.
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Medina JM, Jmel MA, Cuveele B, Gómez-Martín C, Aparicio-Puerta E, Mekki I, Kotál J, Martins LA, Hackenberg M, Bensaoud C, Kotsyfakis M. Transcriptomic analysis of the tick midgut and salivary gland responses upon repeated blood-feeding on a vertebrate host. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:919786. [PMID: 35992165 PMCID: PMC9386188 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.919786] [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: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-feeding arthropods that use the components of their salivary glands to counter the host’s hemostatic, inflammatory, and immune responses. The tick midgut also plays a crucial role in hematophagy. It is responsible for managing blood meals (storage and digestion) and protecting against host immunity and pathogen infections. Previous transcriptomic studies revealed the complexity of tick sialomes (salivary gland transcriptomes) and mialomes (midgut transcriptomes) which encode for protease inhibitors, lipocalins (histamine-binding proteins), disintegrins, enzymes, and several other tick-specific proteins. Several studies have demonstrated that mammalian hosts acquire tick resistance against repeated tick bites. Consequently, there is an urgent need to uncover how tick sialomes and mialomes respond to resistant hosts, as they may serve to develop novel tick control strategies and applications. Here, we mimicked natural repeated tick bites in a laboratory setting and analyzed gene expression dynamics in the salivary glands and midguts of adult female ticks. Rabbits were subjected to a primary (feeding on a naive host) and a secondary infestation of the same host (we re-exposed the hosts but to other ticks). We used single salivary glands and midguts dissected from individual siblings adult pathogen-free female Ixodes ricinus to reduce genetic variability between individual ticks. The comprehensive analysis of 88 obtained RNA-seq data sets allows us to provide high-quality annotated sialomes and mialomes from individual ticks. Comparisons between fed/unfed, timepoints, and exposures yielded as many as 3000 putative differentially expressed genes (DEG). Interestingly, when classifying the exposure DEGs by means of a clustering approach we observed that the majority of these genes show increased expression at early feeding time-points in the mid-gut of re-exposed ticks. The existence of clearly defined groups of genes with highly similar responses to re-exposure suggests the existence of molecular swiches. In silico functional analysis shows that these early feeding reexposure response genes form a dense interaction network at protein level being related to virtually all aspects of gene expression regulation and glycosylation. The processed data is available through an easy-to-use database-associated webpage (https://arn.ugr.es/IxoriDB/) that can serve as a valuable resource for tick research.
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Affiliation(s)
- José María Medina
- Dpto. de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Lab. de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Granada, Spain
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czechia
| | - Brent Cuveele
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czechia
| | - Cristina Gómez-Martín
- Department of Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, Location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
- Program Imaging and Biomarkers, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta
- Dpto. de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Lab. de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Granada, Spain
- Chair for Clinical Bioinformatics, Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
| | - Imen Mekki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czechia
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czechia
| | - Jan Kotál
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czechia
| | | | - Michael Hackenberg
- Dpto. de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Granada, Spain
- Lab. de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Granada, Spain
| | - Chaima Bensaoud
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Michail Kotsyfakis, ; Chaima Bensaoud,
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Budweis, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Michail Kotsyfakis, ; Chaima Bensaoud,
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Santos DV, Gontijo NF, Pessoa GCD, Sant'Anna MRV, Araujo RN, Pereira MH, Koerich LB. An updated catalog of lipocalins of the chagas disease vector Rhodnius prolixus (Hemiptera, Reduviidae). INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 146:103797. [PMID: 35640811 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The haematophagy process by arthropods has been one of the main targets of studies in the parasite-host interaction, and the kissing-bug Rhodnius prolixus, vector of the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, has been one of the main models for such studies. Still in the 1980s, it was identified that among the salivary proteins for disrupting vertebrate host homeostasis, lipocalins were among the most relevant proteins for this process. Since then, 30 lipocalins have been identified in the salivary glands of R. prolixus, that promotes vasodilatation, prevents inflammation, act as anticoagulants and inhibits platelet aggregation. The present work aims to identify new lipocalins from R. prolixus, combining transcriptome and genome data. Identified new genes were mapped and had their structure annotated. To infer an evolutionary relationship between lipocalins, and to support the predicted functions for each lipocalin, all amino acid sequences were used to construct phylogenetic trees. We identified a total of 29 new lipocalins, 3 new bioaminogenic-biding proteins (which act to inhibit platelet aggregation and vasodilation), 9 new inhibitors of platelet aggregation, 7 new apolipoproteins and 10 lipocalins with no putative function. In addition, we observed that several of the lipocalins are also expressed in different R. prolxius tissues, including gut, central nervous system, antennae, and reproductive organs. In addition to newly identified lipocalins and a mapping the new and old lipocalins in the genome of R. prolixus, our study also carried out a review on functional status and nomenclature of some of the already identified lipocalins. Our study reinforces that we are far from understanding the role of lipocalins in the physiology of R. prolixus, and that studies of this family are still of great relevance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela V Santos
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Nelder F Gontijo
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Garsielle C D Pessoa
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Mauricio R V Sant'Anna
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ricardo N Araujo
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcos H Pereira
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Leonardo B Koerich
- Laboratorio de Fisiologia de Insetos Hematofagos, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Alvarenga PH, Dias DR, Xu X, Francischetti IMB, Gittis AG, Arp G, Garboczi DN, Ribeiro JMC, Andersen JF. Functional aspects of evolution in a cluster of salivary protein genes from mosquitoes. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 146:103785. [PMID: 35568118 PMCID: PMC9662162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2022.103785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2022] [Revised: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The D7 proteins are highly expressed in the saliva of hematophagous Nematocera and bind biogenic amines and eicosanoid compounds produced by the host during blood feeding. These proteins are encoded by gene clusters expressing forms having one or two odorant-binding protein-like domains. Here we examine functional diversity within the D7 group in the genus Anopheles and make structural comparisons with D7 proteins from culicine mosquitoes in order to understand aspects of D7 functional evolution. Two domain long form (D7L) and one domain short form (D7S) proteins from anopheline and culicine mosquitoes were characterized to determine their ligand selectivity and binding pocket structures. We previously showed that a D7L protein from Anopheles stephensi, of the subgenus Cellia, could bind eicosanoids at a site in its N-terminal domain but could not bind biogenic amines in its C-terminal domain as does a D7L1 ortholog from the culicine species Aedes aegypti, raising the question of whether anopheline D7L proteins had lost their ability to bind biogenic amines. Here we find that D7L from anopheline species belonging to two other subgenera, Nyssorhynchus and Anopheles, can bind biogenic amines and have a structure much like the Ae. aegypti ortholog. The unusual D7L, D7L3, can also bind serotonin in the Cellia species An. gambiae. We also show through structural comparisons with culicine forms that the biogenic amine binding function of single domain D7S proteins in the genus Anopheles may have evolved through gene conversion of structurally similar proteins, which did not have biogenic amine binding capability. Collectively, the data indicate that D7L proteins had a biogenic amine and eicosanoid binding function in the common ancestor of anopheline and culicine mosquitoes, and that the D7S proteins may have acquired a biogenic amine binding function in anophelines through a gene conversion process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia H Alvarenga
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA; Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil.
| | - Denis R Dias
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Resposta ao Estresse, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-902, Brazil
| | - Xueqing Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Ivo M B Francischetti
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Apostolos G Gittis
- Structural Biology Section, Research Technologies Branch (RTB) National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Gabriela Arp
- Structural Biology Section, Research Technologies Branch (RTB) National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - David N Garboczi
- Structural Biology Section, Research Technologies Branch (RTB) National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - José M C Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA
| | - John F Andersen
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Rockville, MD, 20852, USA.
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Bensaoud C, Tenzer S, Poplawski A, Medina JM, Jmel MA, Voet H, Mekki I, Aparicio-Puerta E, Cuveele B, Distler U, Marini F, Hackenberg M, Kotsyfakis M. Quantitative proteomics analysis reveals core and variable tick salivary proteins at the tick-vertebrate host interface. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:4162-4175. [PMID: 35661311 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Few studies have examined tick proteomes, how they adapt to their environment, and their roles in the parasite-host interactions that drive tick infestation and pathogen transmission. Here we used a proteomics approach to screen for biologically and immunologically relevant proteins acting at the tick-host interface during tick feeding and, as proof of principle, measured host antibody responses to some of the discovered candidates. We used a label-free quantitative proteomic workflow to study salivary proteomes of (i) wild Ixodes ricinus ticks fed on different hosts; (ii) wild or laboratory ticks fed on the same host; and (iii) adult ticks co-fed with nymphs. Our results reveal high and stable expression of several protease inhibitors and other tick-specific proteins under different feeding conditions. Most pathways functionally enriched in sialoproteomes were related to proteolysis, endopeptidase, and amine-binding activities. The generated catalog of tick salivary proteins enabled the selection of six candidate secreted immunogenic peptides for rabbit immunizations, three of which induced strong and durable antigen-specific antibody responses in rabbits. Furthermore, rabbits exposed to ticks mounted immune responses against the candidate peptides/proteins, confirming their expression at the tick-vertebrate interface. Our approach provides insights into tick adaptation strategies to different feeding conditions and promising candidates for developing anti-tick vaccines or markers of exposure of vertebrate hosts to tick bites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaima Bensaoud
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Budweis, Czechia
| | - Stefan Tenzer
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Alicia Poplawski
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - José María Medina
- Dpto. de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, Granada, Spain.,Lab. de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, Granada, Spain
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Budweis, Czechia
| | - Hanne Voet
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Budweis, Czechia.,University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Imen Mekki
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Budweis, Czechia.,Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, Czech Republic
| | - Ernesto Aparicio-Puerta
- Dpto. de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, Granada, Spain.,Lab. de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, Granada, Spain
| | - Brent Cuveele
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Budweis, Czechia.,University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Ute Distler
- Institute for Immunology, University Medical Center of the Johannes-Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Federico Marini
- Institute of Medical Biostatistics, Epidemiology and Informatics, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Michael Hackenberg
- Dpto. de Genética, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Granada, Campus de Fuentenueva s/n, Granada, Spain.,Lab. de Bioinformática, Centro de Investigación Biomédica, PTS, Instituto de Biotecnología, Avda. del Conocimiento s/n, Granada, Spain
| | - Michalis Kotsyfakis
- Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre, Czech Academy of Sciences, Ceske Budejovice, Budweis, Czechia
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36
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Schön MP. The tick and I: Parasite-host interactions between ticks and humans. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2022; 20:818-853. [PMID: 35674196 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.14821] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Ticks, particularly hard ticks (Ixodidae), which are among the most important vectors of dangerous infectious agents, feed on their hosts for extended periods of time. With this lifestyle, numerous adaptations have evolved in ticks and their hosts, the pharmacological importance of which is increasingly being recognized. Many bioactive substances in tick saliva are being considered as the basis of new drugs. For example, components of tick cement can be developed into tissue adhesives or wound closures. Analgesic and antipruritic salivary components inhibit histamine or bradykinin, while other tick-derived molecules bind opioid or cannabinoid receptors. Tick saliva inhibits the extrinsic, intrinsic, or common pathway of blood coagulation with implications for the treatment of thromboembolic diseases. It contains vasodilating substances and affects wound healing. The broad spectrum of immunomodulatory and immunosuppressive effects of tick saliva, such as inhibition of chemokines or cellular immune responses, allows development of drugs against inflammation in autoimmune diseases and/or infections. Finally, modern vaccines against ticks can curb the spread of serious infections. The medical importance of the complex tick-host interactions is increasingly being recognized and translated into first clinical applications. Using selected examples, an overview of the mutual adaptations of ticks and hosts is given here, focusing on their significance to medical advance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Schön
- Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Germany
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37
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Schön MP. Die Zecke und ich: Parasiten-Wirt-Interaktionen zwischen Zecken und Menschen. J Dtsch Dermatol Ges 2022; 20:818-855. [PMID: 35711058 DOI: 10.1111/ddg.14821_g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Michael P Schön
- Klinik für Dermatologie, Venerologie und Allergologie, Universitätsmedizin Göttingen
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Abbas MN, Chlastáková A, Jmel MA, Iliaki-Giannakoudaki E, Chmelař J, Kotsyfakis M. Serpins in Tick Physiology and Tick-Host Interaction. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:892770. [PMID: 35711658 PMCID: PMC9195624 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.892770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva has been extensively studied in the context of tick-host interactions because it is involved in host homeostasis modulation and microbial pathogen transmission to the host. Accumulated knowledge about the tick saliva composition at the molecular level has revealed that serine protease inhibitors play a key role in the tick-host interaction. Serpins are one highly expressed group of protease inhibitors in tick salivary glands, their expression can be induced during tick blood-feeding, and they have many biological functions at the tick-host interface. Indeed, tick serpins have an important role in inhibiting host hemostatic processes and in the modulation of the innate and adaptive immune responses of their vertebrate hosts. Tick serpins have also been studied as potential candidates for therapeutic use and vaccine development. In this review, we critically summarize the current state of knowledge about the biological role of tick serpins in shaping tick-host interactions with emphasis on the mechanisms by which they modulate host immunity. Their potential use in drug and vaccine development is also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Nadeem Abbas
- State Key Laboratory of Silkworm Genome Biology, Key Laboratory of Sericultural Biology and Genetic Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Adéla Chlastáková
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology of Ticks, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Mohamed Amine Jmel
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
| | | | - Jindřich Chmelař
- Department of Medical Biology, Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař, ; Michail Kotsyfakis,
| | - Michail Kotsyfakis
- Laboratory of Genomics and Proteomics of Disease Vectors, Institute of Parasitology, Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, České Budějovice, Czechia
- *Correspondence: Jindřich Chmelař, ; Michail Kotsyfakis,
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Hunt R, Cable J, Ellison A. Daily patterns in parasite processes: diel variation in fish louse transcriptomes. Int J Parasitol 2022; 52:509-518. [PMID: 35533730 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
Parasites, similar to all other organisms, time themselves to environmental cues using a molecular clock to generate and maintain rhythms. Chronotherapeutic (timed treatment) techniques based on such rhythms offer great potential for improving control of chronic, problematic parasites. Fish lice are a key disease threat in aquaculture, with current control insufficient. Assessing the rhythmicity of fish lice transcriptomes offers not only insight into the viability of chronotherapy, but the opportunity to identify new drug targets. Here, for the first known time in any crustacean parasite, diel changes in gene transcription are examined, revealing that approximately half of the Argulus foliaceus annotated transcriptome displays significant daily rhythmicity. We identified rhythmically transcribed putative clock genes including core clock/cycle and period/timeless pairs, alongside rhythms in feeding-associated genes and processes involving immune response, as well as fish louse drug targets. A substantial number of gene pathways showed peak transcription in hours immediately preceding onset of light, potentially in anticipation of peak host anti-parasite responses or in preparation for increased feeding activity. Genes related to immune haemocyte activity and chitin development were more highly transcribed 4 h post light onset, although inflammatory gene transcription was highest during dark periods. Our study provides an important resource for application of chronotherapy in fish lice; timed application could increase efficacy and/or reduce dose requirement, improving the current landscape of drug resistance and fish health while reducing the economic cost of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Hunt
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - J Cable
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AX, United Kingdom
| | - A Ellison
- School of Natural Sciences, Bangor University, Deiniol Road, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, United Kingdom.
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40
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Li Z, Soohoo-Hui A, O’Hara FM, Swale DR. ATP-sensitive inward rectifier potassium channels reveal functional linkage between salivary gland function and blood feeding in the mosquito, Aedes aegypti. Commun Biol 2022; 5:278. [PMID: 35347209 PMCID: PMC8960802 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03222-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Reducing saliva secretions into the vertebrate host reduces feeding efficacy by most hematophagous arthropods. However, seminal studies suggested saliva is not a prerequisite for blood feeding in Aedes aegypti. To test this paradigm, we manually transected the salivary duct of female A. aegypti and an inability to salivate was correlated to an inability to imbibe blood. These data justified testing the relevance of inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels in the A. aegypti salivary gland as an antifeedant target site. Pharmacological activation of ATP-gated Kir (KATP) channels reduced the secretory activity of the salivary gland by 15-fold that led to near elimination of blood ingestion during feeding. The reduced salivation and feeding success nearly eliminated horizontal transmission and acquisition of Dengue virus-2 (DENV2). These data suggest mosquito salivation is a prerequisite for blood feeding and provide evidence that KATP channels are critical for salivation, feeding, and vector competency. The salivary gland of Aedes aegypti is needed for efficient blood feeding, and disruption of ATP-gated Kir channels prevents salivation and blood feeding in A. aegypti as well as horizontal transmission and acquisition of Dengue virus2.
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Integrative Alternative Tactics for Ixodid Control. INSECTS 2022; 13:insects13030302. [PMID: 35323601 PMCID: PMC8948879 DOI: 10.3390/insects13030302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Simple Summary Hard ticks are important for economic and health reasons, and control has mainly relied upon use of synthetic acaricides. Contemporary development of resistance and concerns relating to health and environmental safety have elicited exploration into alternative tactics for hard tick management. Some examples of alternative tactics involve biological control, desiccant dusts, growth regulators, vaccines, cultural methods, and ingested medications. Abstract Ixodids (hard ticks), ectoparasitic arthropods that vector the causal agents of many serious diseases of humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, have become increasingly difficult to control because of the development of resistance against commonly applied synthetic chemical-based acaricides. Resistance has prompted searches for alternative, nonconventional control tactics that can be used as part of integrated ixodid management strategies and for mitigating resistance to conventional acaricides. The quest for alternative control tactics has involved research on various techniques, each influenced by many factors, that have achieved different degrees of success. Alternative approaches include cultural practices, ingested and injected medications, biological control, animal- and plant-based substances, growth regulators, and inert desiccant dusts. Research on biological control of ixodids has mainly focused on predators, parasitoid wasps, infective nematodes, and pathogenic bacteria and fungi. Studies on animal-based substances have been relatively limited, but research on botanicals has been extensive, including whole plant, extract, and essential oil effects on ixodid mortality, behavior, and reproduction. The inert dusts kaolin, silica gel, perlite, and diatomaceous earth are lethal to ixodids, and they are impervious to environmental degradation, unlike chemical-based toxins, remaining effective until physically removed.
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Ali A, Zeb I, Alouffi A, Zahid H, Almutairi MM, Ayed Alshammari F, Alrouji M, Termignoni C, Vaz IDS, Tanaka T. Host Immune Responses to Salivary Components - A Critical Facet of Tick-Host Interactions. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:809052. [PMID: 35372098 PMCID: PMC8966233 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.809052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick sialome is comprised of a rich cocktail of bioactive molecules that function as a tool to disarm host immunity, assist blood-feeding, and play a vibrant role in pathogen transmission. The adaptation of the tick's blood-feeding behavior has lead to the evolution of bioactive molecules in its saliva to assist them to overwhelm hosts' defense mechanisms. During a blood meal, a tick secretes different salivary molecules including vasodilators, platelet aggregation inhibitors, anticoagulants, anti-inflammatory proteins, and inhibitors of complement activation; the salivary repertoire changes to meet various needs such as tick attachment, feeding, and modulation or impairment of the local dynamic and vigorous host responses. For instance, the tick's salivary immunomodulatory and cement proteins facilitate the tick's attachment to the host to enhance prolonged blood-feeding and to modulate the host's innate and adaptive immune responses. Recent advances implemented in the field of "omics" have substantially assisted our understanding of host immune modulation and immune inhibition against the molecular dynamics of tick salivary molecules in a crosstalk between the tick-host interface. A deep understanding of the tick salivary molecules, their substantial roles in multifactorial immunological cascades, variations in secretion, and host immune responses against these molecules is necessary to control these parasites. In this article, we reviewed updated knowledge about the molecular mechanisms underlying host responses to diverse elements in tick saliva throughout tick invasion, as well as host defense strategies. In conclusion, understanding the mechanisms involved in the complex interactions between the tick salivary components and host responses is essential to decipher the host defense mechanisms against the tick evasion strategies at tick-host interface which is promising in the development of effective anti-tick vaccines and drug therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abid Ali
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Ismail Zeb
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Abdulaziz Alouffi
- King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hafsa Zahid
- Department of Zoology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Mashal M. Almutairi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahdah Ayed Alshammari
- College of Sciences and Literature Microbiology, Nothern Border University, Rafha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammed Alrouji
- College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Carlos Termignoni
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Tetsuya Tanaka
- Laboratory of Infectious Diseases, Joint Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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Genome variation in tick infestation and cryptic divergence in Tunisian indigenous sheep. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:167. [PMID: 35227193 PMCID: PMC8883713 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08321-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Ticks are obligate haematophagous ectoparasites considered second to mosquitos as vectors and reservoirs of multiple pathogens of global concern. Individual variation in tick infestation has been reported in indigenous sheep, but its genetic control remains unknown. Results Here, we report 397 genome-wide signatures of selection overlapping 991 genes from the analysis, using ROH, LR-GWAS, XP-EHH, and FST, of 600 K SNP genotype data from 165 Tunisian sheep showing high and low levels of tick infestations and piroplasm infections. We consider 45 signatures that are detected by consensus results of at least two methods as high-confidence selection regions. These spanned 104 genes which included immune system function genes, solute carriers and chemokine receptor. One region spanned STX5, that has been associated with tick resistance in cattle, implicating it as a prime candidate in sheep. We also observed RAB6B and TF in a high confidence candidate region that has been associated with growth traits suggesting natural selection is enhancing growth and developmental stability under tick challenge. The analysis also revealed fine-scale genome structure indicative of cryptic divergence in Tunisian sheep. Conclusions Our findings provide a genomic reference that can enhance the understanding of the genetic architecture of tick resistance and cryptic divergence in indigenous African sheep. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08321-1.
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Praça YR, Santiago PB, Charneau S, Mandacaru SC, Bastos IMD, Bentes KLDS, Silva SMM, da Silva WMC, da Silva IG, de Sousa MV, Soares CMDA, Ribeiro JMC, Santana JM, de Araújo CN. An Integrative Sialomic Analysis Reveals Molecules From Triatoma sordida (Hemiptera: Reduviidae). Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:798924. [PMID: 35047420 PMCID: PMC8762107 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.798924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Triatomines have evolved salivary glands that produce versatile molecules with various biological functions, including those leading their interactions with vertebrate hosts’ hemostatic and immunological systems. Here, using high-throughput transcriptomics and proteomics, we report the first sialome study on the synanthropic triatomine Triatoma sordida. As a result, 57,645,372 reads were assembled into 26,670 coding sequences (CDS). From these, a total of 16,683 were successfully annotated. The sialotranscriptomic profile shows Lipocalin as the most abundant protein family within putative secreted transcripts. Trialysins and Kazal-type protease inhibitors have high transcript levels followed by ubiquitous protein families and enzyme classes. Interestingly, abundant trialysin and Kazal-type members are highlighted in this triatomine sialotranscriptome. Furthermore, we identified 132 proteins in T. sordida salivary gland soluble extract through LC-MS/MS spectrometry. Lipocalins, Hemiptera specific families, CRISP/Antigen-5 and Kazal-type protein inhibitors proteins were identified. Our study provides a comprehensive description of the transcript and protein compositions of the salivary glands of T. sordida. It significantly enhances the information in the Triatominae sialome databanks reported so far, improving the understanding of the vector’s biology, the hematophagous behaviour, and the Triatominae subfamily’s evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanna Reis Praça
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Paula Beatriz Santiago
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Sébastien Charneau
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Samuel Coelho Mandacaru
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | - Kaio Luís da Silva Bentes
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Marcelo Valle de Sousa
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | | | - José Marcos Chaves Ribeiro
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Jaime Martins Santana
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Programa Pós-Graduação em Ciências Médicas, Faculty of Medicine, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil.,Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasilia, Brasilia, Brazil
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Fernández-Ruiz N, Estrada-Peña A. Scenes From Tick Physiology: Proteins of Sialome Talk About Their Biological Processes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:767845. [PMID: 35059322 PMCID: PMC8765405 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.767845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 11/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Ticks are blood-sucking parasites with different strategies of feeding depending on the tick family. The major families are Ixodidae or Argasidae, being slow or fast feeders, respectively. In the recent years, the advances in molecular sequencing techniques have enabled to gain knowledge about the proteome of the tick's salivary glands. But an holistic view of the biological processes underlying the expression of the sialome has been neglected. In this study we propose the use of standard biological processes as a tool to draw the physiology of the tick's salivary glands. We used published data on the sialome of Rhipicephalus sanguineus s.l. (Ixodidae) and Ornithodoros rostratus (Argasidae). A partial set of proteins obtained by these studies were used to define the biological process(es) in which proteins are involved. We used a directed network construction in which the nodes are proteins (source) and biological processes (target), separately for the low-level processes ("children") and the top-level ones ("parents"). We applied the method to feeding R. sanguineus at different time slices, and to different organs of O. rostratus. The network connects the proteins and the processes with a strength directly proportional to the transcript per millions of each protein. We used PageRank as a measure of the importance of each biological process. As suggested in previous studies, the sialome of unfed R. sanguineus express about 30% less biological processes than feeding ticks. Another decrease (25%) is noticed at the middle of the feeding and before detachment. However, top-level processes are deeply affected only at the onset of feeding, demonstrating a redundancy in the feeding. When ixodid-argasid are compared, large differences were observed: they do not share 91% of proteins, but share 90% of the biological processes. However, caution must be observed when examining these results. The hypothesis of different proteins linked to similar biological process(es) in both ticks is an extreme not confirmed in this study. Considering the limitations of this study, carried out with a selected set of proteins, we propose the networks of proteins of sialome linked to their biological processes as a tool aimed to explain the biological processes behind families of proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Fernández-Ruiz
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Group of Research on Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Agustín Estrada-Peña
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.,Group of Research on Emerging Zoonoses, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Zaragoza, Spain
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Agwunobi DO, Wang N, Huang L, Zhang Y, Chang G, Wang K, Li M, Wang H, Liu J. Phosphoproteomic Analysis of Haemaphysalis longicornis Saliva Reveals the Influential Contributions of Phosphoproteins to Blood-Feeding Success. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:769026. [PMID: 35118006 PMCID: PMC8804221 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.769026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tick saliva, an essential chemical secretion of the tick salivary gland, is indispensable for tick survival owing to the physiological influence it exerts on the host defence mechanisms via the instrumentality of its cocktail of pharmacologically active molecules (proteins and peptides). Much research about tick salivary proteome has been performed, but how most of the individual salivary proteins are utilized by ticks to facilitate blood acquisition and pathogen transmission is not yet fully understood. In addition, the phosphorylation of some proteins plays a decisive role in their function. However, due to the low phosphorylation level of protein, especially for a small amount of protein, it is more difficult to study phosphorylation. Maybe, for this reason, the scarcity of works on the phosphorylated tick salivary proteomes still abound. Here, we performed a phosphoproteomic analysis of Haemaphysalis longicornis tick saliva via TiO2 enrichment and the most advanced Thermo Fisher Orbitrap Exploris 480 mass spectrometer for identification. A total of 262 phosphorylated tick saliva proteins were identified and were subjected to functional annotation/enrichment analysis. Cellular and metabolic process terms accounted for the largest proportion of the saliva proteins, with the participation of these proteins in vital intracellular and extracellular transport-oriented processes such as vesicle-mediated transport, exocytic process, cell adhesion, and movement of cell/subcellular component. “Endocytosis”, “Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum”, and “Purine metabolism” were the most significantly enriched pathways. The knockdown (RNAi) of Tudor domain-containing protein (TCP), actin-depolymerizing factors (ADF), programmed cell death protein (PD), and serine/threonine-protein kinase (SPK) resulted in the dissociation of collagen fibers and the pilosebaceous unit, increased inflammatory infiltrates/granulocytes (possibly heterophiles), and the depletion of the epithelium. Ticks injected with SPK dsRNA engorged normally but with a change in skin colour (possibly an autoimmune reaction) and the failure to produce eggs pointing to a possible role of SPK in reproduction and host immune modulation. Ticks injected with ADF dsRNA failed to acquire blood, underscoring the role of ADF in facilitating tick feeding. The results of this study showed the presence of phosphorylation in tick saliva and highlight the roles of salivary phosphoproteins in facilitating tick feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Desmond O. Agwunobi
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Ningmei Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Lei Huang
- Hebei Xiaowutai Mountain National Nature Reserve Management Center, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Yefei Zhang
- Hebei Xiaowutai Mountain National Nature Reserve Management Center, Zhangjiakou, China
| | - Guomin Chang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Kuang Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Mengxue Li
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
| | - Hui Wang
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- *Correspondence: Jingze Liu, ; Hui Wang,
| | - Jingze Liu
- Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Hebei Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Life Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, China
- *Correspondence: Jingze Liu, ; Hui Wang,
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Pérez-Sánchez R, Carnero-Morán A, Luz Valero M, Oleaga A. A proteomics informed by transcriptomics insight into the proteome of Ornithodoros erraticus adult tick saliva. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:1. [PMID: 34980218 PMCID: PMC8722417 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05118-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The argasid tick Ornithodoros erraticus is the main vector of tick-borne human relapsing fever (TBRF) and African swine fever (ASF) in the Mediterranean Basin. The prevention and control of these diseases would greatly benefit from the elimination of O. erraticus populations, and anti-tick vaccines are envisaged as an effective and sustainable alternative to chemical acaricide usage for tick control. Ornithodoros erraticus saliva contains bioactive proteins that play essential functions in tick feeding and host defence modulation, which may contribute to host infection by tick-borne pathogens. Hence, these proteins could be candidate antigen targets for the development of vaccines aimed at the control and prevention of O. erraticus infestations and the diseases this tick transmits. The objective of the present work was to obtain and characterise the proteome of the saliva of O. erraticus adult ticks as a means to identify and select novel salivary antigen targets. METHODS A proteomics informed by transcriptomics (PIT) approach was applied to analyse samples of female and male saliva separately using the previously obtained O. erraticus sialotranscriptome as a reference database and two different mass spectrometry techniques, namely liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in data-dependent acquisition mode and sequential window acquisition of all theoretical fragment ion spectra MS (SWATH-MS). RESULTS Up to 264 and 263 proteins were identified by LC-MS/MS in the saliva of O. erraticus female and male ticks, respectively, totalling 387 non-redundant proteins. Of these, 224 were further quantified by SWATH-MS in the saliva of both male and female ticks. Quantified proteins were classified into 23 functional categories and their abundance compared between sexes. Heme/iron-binding proteins, protease inhibitors, proteases, lipocalins and immune-related proteins were the categories most abundantly expressed in females, while glycolytic enzymes, protease inhibitors and lipocalins were the most abundantly expressed in males. Ninety-seven proteins were differentially expressed between the sexes, of which 37 and 60 were overexpressed in females and males, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The PIT approach demonstrated its usefulness for proteomics studies of O. erraticus, a non-model organism without genomic sequences available, allowing the publication of the first comprehensive proteome of the saliva of O. erraticus reported to date. These findings confirm important quantitative differences between sexes in the O. erraticus saliva proteome, unveil novel salivary proteins and functions at the tick-host feeding interface and improve our understanding of the physiology of feeding in O. erraticus ticks. The integration of O. erraticus sialoproteomic and sialotranscriptomic data will drive a more rational selection of salivary candidates as antigen targets for the development of vaccines aimed at the control of O. erraticus infestations and the diseases it transmits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ricardo Pérez-Sánchez
- Parasitology Laboratory, Spanish National Research Council Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (CSIC-IRNASA), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - Angel Carnero-Morán
- Parasitology Laboratory, Spanish National Research Council Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (CSIC-IRNASA), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
| | - M. Luz Valero
- Proteomics Section, Central Service for Experimental Research, University of Valencia, Carrer del Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - Ana Oleaga
- Parasitology Laboratory, Spanish National Research Council Institute of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (CSIC-IRNASA), Cordel de Merinas, 40-52, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
- Proteomics Section, Central Service for Experimental Research, University of Valencia, Carrer del Dr. Moliner, 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
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rDromaserpin: A Novel Anti-Hemostatic Serpin, from the Salivary Glands of the Hard Tick Hyalomma dromedarii. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13120913. [PMID: 34941750 PMCID: PMC8703697 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13120913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 12/01/2021] [Accepted: 12/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemostatic disorders are caused either by platelet-related dysfunctions, defective blood coagulation, or by a combination of both, leading to an increased susceptibility to cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and other related illnesses. The unique specificity of anticoagulants from hematophagous arthropods, such as ticks, suggests that tick saliva holds great promise for discovering new treatments for these life-threatening diseases. In this study, we combined in silico and in vitro analyses to characterize the first recombinant serpin, herein called Dromaserpin, from the sialotranscriptome of the Hyalomma dromedarii tick. Our in silico data described Dromaserpin as a secreted protein of ~43 kDa with high similarities to previously characterized inhibitory serpins. The recombinant protein (rDromaserpin) was obtained as a well-structured monomer, which was tested using global blood coagulation and platelet aggregation assays. With this approach, we confirmed rDromaserpin anticoagulant activity as it significantly delayed plasma clotting in activated partial thromboplastin time and thrombin time assays. The profiling of proteolytic activity shows its capacity to inhibit thrombin in the micromolar range (0.2 to 1 μM) and in the presence of heparin this inhibition was clearly increased. It was also able to inhibit Kallikrein, FXIa and slightly FXIIa, with no significant effect on other factors. In addition, the rDromaserpin inhibited thrombin-induced platelet aggregation. Taken together, our data suggest that rDromaserpin deserves to be further investigated as a potential candidate for developing therapeutic compounds targeting disorders related to blood clotting and/or platelet aggregation.
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Aguilar-Díaz H, Quiroz-Castañeda RE, Salazar-Morales K, Cossío-Bayúgar R, Miranda-Miranda E. Tick Immunobiology and Extracellular Traps: An Integrative Vision to Control of Vectors. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10111511. [PMID: 34832666 PMCID: PMC8621429 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10111511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ticks are hematophagous ectoparasites that infest a diverse number of vertebrate hosts. The tick immunobiology plays a significant role in establishing and transmitting many pathogens to their hosts. To control tick infestations, the acaricide application is a commonly used method with severe environmental consequences and the selection of tick-resistant populations. With these drawbacks, new tick control methods need to be developed, and the immune system of ticks contains a plethora of potential candidates for vaccine design. Additionally, tick immunity is based on an orchestrated action of humoral and cellular immune responses. Therefore, the actors of these responses are the object of our study in this review since they are new targets in anti-tick vaccine design. We present their role in the immune response that positions them as feasible targets that can be blocked, inhibited, interfered with, and overexpressed, and then elucidate a new method to control tick infestations through the development of vaccines. We also propose Extracellular Traps Formation (ETosis) in ticks as a process to eliminate their natural enemies and those pathogens they transmit (vectorial capacity), which results attractive since they are a source of acting molecules with potential use as vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Aguilar-Díaz
- Unidad de Artropodología, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico; (R.C.-B.); (E.M.-M.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Rosa Estela Quiroz-Castañeda
- Unidad de Anaplasmosis, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico;
| | - Karina Salazar-Morales
- Centro de Investigaciones Sobre Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca 62100, Mexico;
| | - Raquel Cossío-Bayúgar
- Unidad de Artropodología, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico; (R.C.-B.); (E.M.-M.)
| | - Estefan Miranda-Miranda
- Unidad de Artropodología, Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria en Salud Animal e Inocuidad INIFAP, Jiutepec 62574, Mexico; (R.C.-B.); (E.M.-M.)
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Sajid A, Matias J, Arora G, Kurokawa C, DePonte K, Tang X, Lynn G, Wu MJ, Pal U, Strank NO, Pardi N, Narasimhan S, Weissman D, Fikrig E. mRNA vaccination induces tick resistance and prevents transmission of the Lyme disease agent. Sci Transl Med 2021; 13:eabj9827. [PMID: 34788080 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abj9827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Ixodes scapularis ticks transmit many pathogens that cause human disease, including Borrelia burgdorferi. Acquired resistance to I. scapularis due to repeated tick exposure has the potential to prevent tick-borne infectious diseases, and salivary proteins have been postulated to contribute to this process. We examined the ability of lipid nanoparticle–containing nucleoside-modified mRNAs encoding 19 I. scapularis salivary proteins (19ISP) to enhance the recognition of a tick bite and diminish I. scapularis engorgement on a host and thereby prevent B. burgdorferi infection. Guinea pigs were immunized with a 19ISP mRNA vaccine and subsequently challenged with I. scapularis. Animals administered 19ISP developed erythema at the bite site shortly after ticks began to attach, and these ticks fed poorly, marked by early detachment and decreased engorgement weights. 19ISP immunization also impeded B. burgdorferi transmission in the guinea pigs. The effective induction of local redness early after I. scapularis attachment and the inability of the ticks to take a normal blood meal suggest that 19ISP may be used either alone or in conjunction with traditional pathogen-based vaccines for the prevention of Lyme disease, and potentially other tick-borne infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andaleeb Sajid
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Jaqueline Matias
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Gunjan Arora
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Cheyne Kurokawa
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Kathleen DePonte
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Xiaotian Tang
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Geoffrey Lynn
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Ming-Jie Wu
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Utpal Pal
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20472, USA
- Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, College Park, MD 20472, USA
| | - Norma Olivares Strank
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Norbert Pardi
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Sukanya Narasimhan
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
| | - Drew Weissman
- Department of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Erol Fikrig
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA
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