Infestation with pathogen-free nymphs of the tick Ixodes scapularis induces host resistance to transmission of Borrelia burgdorferi by ticks

Abstract

Female BALB/c mice were infested four times with pathogen-free Ixodes scapularis nymphs prior to infestation with nymphs infected with Borrelia burgdorferi B31. Each infestation was separated by a 14-day tick-free period. Mean weights of fed ticks and percentage reaching repletion did not indicate development of acquired resistance. Only 16.7% of mice repeatedly infested with pathogen-free ticks prior to infected I. scapularis nymph challenge became positive for B. burgdorferi. One hundred percent of control mice infested only with infected ticks were culture positive for B. burgdorferi.

A novel sphingomyelinase‐like enzyme in Ixodes scapularis tick saliva drives host CD4+ T cells to express IL‐4

“…A broadly recurrent theme among ixodid tick biology is that host T cell responses are redirected towards a Th2 profile marked by IL-4 expression, which often is accompanied with suppression of Th1 cytokines (4,(14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Furthermore, this Th2 response appears to facilitate pathogen transmission (37)(38)(39)(40), while repeated infestations reduces the extent of both the degree of tick-induced host Th2 response and pathogen transmission (18,21). Here, we report the cloning, expression and characterization of the first tick salivary gland molecule responsible for programming IL-4 expression in host CD4 + T cells.…”

Process Characterization and Biophysical Analysis for a Yeast-Expressed Phlebotomus papatasi Salivary Protein (PpSP15) as a Leishmania Vaccine Candidate

“…[9][10][11][12] Repeated exposure to sandfly salivary gland homogenate or sandfly bites has been shown the cause delayed-type hypersensitivity to salivary components, which has been shown to impede the ability of the parasite to infect its host, yielding protection against infection. 13,14 Similar protective effects from insect salivary proteins are also seen in other vector-borne diseases; for example, animals pre-exposed to tick bites were protected against Borrelia infection 15 and mice pre-exposed to mosquito bites were protected against malaria. 16 In addition, animals vaccinated with the respective vector's salivary proteins also were shown to be protected against encephalitis virus, 17 Mycobacterium ulcerans infection, 18 and dengue virus.…”

Ixodes ricinus tick salivary gland extract inhibits IL‐10 secretion and CD69 expression by mitogen‐stimulated murine splenocytes and induces hyporesponsiveness in B lymphocytes

“…In such scenarios, it is possible that neutralization of the saliva immunomodulators or exhaustion of immune response occurs. Indeed, repeated tick infestations and the Th2 polarization response coincide with the mouse becoming refractory to Borrelia burgdorferi transmission (28).…”

“…© 2003 Blackwell Publishing Ltd, Parasite Immunology, 25,[27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37] …”