1. Humoral immune responses in blackfly and mosquito vectors of filariae

Ham, P. J.; Albuquerque, Cleide Maria Ribeiro de; Baxter, A.J.; Chalk, R.; Hagen, H.

doi:10.1016/0035-9203(94)90264-x

Cited by 17 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…1 A, lanes 3-8), except that an additional small polypeptide was secreted by these cells. Of particular interest was the protein p66, because it is similar in size to a potential immunity protein described in filarial-worm-infected blackflies and mosquitoes (19,20).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mosquito transferrin, an acute-phase protein that is up-regulated upon infection

Yoshiga

Hernandez

Fallon

et al. 1997

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

175

176

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When treated with heat-killed bacterial cells, mosquito cells in culture respond by up-regulating several proteins. Among these is a 66-kDa protein (p66) that is secreted from cells derived from both Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus. p66 was degraded by proteolysis and gave a virtually identical pattern of peptide products for each mosquito species. The sequence of one peptide (31 amino acids) was determined and found to have similarity to insect transferrins. By using conserved regions of insect transferrin sequences, degenerate oligonucleotide PCR primers were designed and used to isolate a cDNA clone encoding an A. aegypti . This transferrin, like those of two other insect species, has conserved iron-binding residues in the Nterminal lobe but not in the C-terminal lobe, which also has large deletions in the polypeptide chain, compared with transferrins with functional C-terminal lobes. The hypothesis is developed that this transferrin plays a role similar to vertebrate lactoferrin in sequestering iron from invading organisms and that degradation of the structure of the C-terminal lobe might be a mechanism for evading pathogens that elaborate transferrin receptors to tap sequestered iron.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mosquito transferrin, an acute-phase protein that is up-regulated upon infection

Yoshiga

Hernandez

Fallon

et al. 1997

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

175

176

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“…No visible host responses such as melanization or encapsulation occur during this process, although it has been reported in mosquitoes refractory to filarial infection (Christensen and Forton 1986). However, infection and development of W. bancrofti could make changes in the cellular and humoral component of the mosquito (Guo et al 1995;Ham et al 1994;Paily et al 2005). Information on these immune responses against the filarial parasite is important, as it decides the vector competence of the mosquito.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transferrin in the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), up-regulated upon infection and development of the filarial parasite, Wuchereria bancrofti (Cobbold) (Spirurida: Onchocercidae)

2007

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Transferrin is a defence protein known to be up-regulated upon infection of parasites/pathogens in Aedes aegypti mosquito. However, no information is available on its up-regulation in Culex quinquefasciatus, the vector of bancroftian filarial parasite. In the present study, enhancement of transferrin in C. quinquefasciatus infected with Wuchereria bancrofti is demonstrated through amplification of the specific mosquito transcript, its sequencing, cloning, and expression. By using two oligonucleotide primers, a 950-bp polymerase chain reaction product was obtained from the first strand cDNA made from RNA of C. quinquefasciatus infected with W. bancrofti. A 707-bp sequence encoding the mature portion of transferrin was confirmed by sequencing the product. This is the first report of transferrin expression in C. quinquefasciatus. The deduced amino acid sequence shared 85% homology with A. aegypti transferrin precursor molecule. Western blot analysis of haemolymph proteins of infected C. quinquefasciatus with antibodies raised against recombinant transferrin protein showed binding to a 66-kDa protein, confirming its identity as transferrin. Hence, this molecule also could be added to the list of immune molecules of C. pipiens group, such as the defensin, gambicin, and cecropin, which are already known.

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“…However, whether infection of Cx. quinquefasciatus with W. bancrofti leads to any change in the cellular (Guo et al ., 1995) or humoral (Ham et al ., 1994) component of the mosquito haemolymph is yet to be investigated. Information on these immune responses by which the mosquito defends itself and limits parasite development is important as it decides the vector competence of the mosquito.…”

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confidence: 99%

Changes in the haemocyte population of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, following infection with the filarial parasite, Wuchereria bancrofti

Paily

Abidha

Kumar

et al. 2005

Medical Vet Entomology

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The mosquito Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae) is the vector of the filarial parasite Wuchereria bancrofti (Cobbold) (Spirurida: Onchocercidae), which causes human bancroftian filariasis. Information on the mosquito humoral response against the filarial parasite during the process of its infection and development is important, as it decides the vector competence of the mosquito. Visible changes in the haemocyte population of mosquito, if any, will be an indicator of the possible humoral factors. The present study was aimed at investigating changes in the populations of various types of haemocytes of Cx. quinquefasciatus following infection with W. bancrofti. On day 2 post-feeding on microfilaraemic blood, the haemolymph perfusate of infected mosquitoes with L1 stage of the parasite showed 44.1% granulocytes, 42% prohaemocytes and 13.9% plasmatocytes, whereas that of the control mosquitoes fed on amicrofilaraemic blood showed 63.4% plasmatocytes, 22.2% prohaemocytes and 14.4% granulocytes. Differences in the population numbers of haemocyte types between the infected and control were significant (P > 0.05). However, the mosquitoes examined on day 6 post-feeding, when the parasite was in L2 stage, did not show any such changes. But, similar changes reappeared on day 12 in mosquitoes with L3 stage of the parasite. The observed haemocyte population changes indicate the possibility of some amount of humoral immune response, through the production of certain immune molecules, in Cx. quinquefasciatus infected with W. bancrofti. The nature and exact role of such a response on the filarial parasite development need further investigation.

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1. Humoral immune responses in blackfly and mosquito vectors of filariae

Cited by 17 publications

References 27 publications

Mosquito transferrin, an acute-phase protein that is up-regulated upon infection

Mosquito transferrin, an acute-phase protein that is up-regulated upon infection

Transferrin in the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), up-regulated upon infection and development of the filarial parasite, Wuchereria bancrofti (Cobbold) (Spirurida: Onchocercidae)

Changes in the haemocyte population of the mosquito, Culex quinquefasciatus, following infection with the filarial parasite, Wuchereria bancrofti

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