Lectins (hemagglutinins) in the gut of the important disease vectors

Grubhoffer, Libor; Hypša, Václav; Volf, Petr

doi:10.1051/parasite/1997043203

Cited by 35 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…Lectins have been extensively studied in invertebrates with the best known invertebrate lectins from the horseshoe crabs and scorpions (Olafsen, 1986(Olafsen, , 1996Vasta and Marchalonis, 1984). Studies on tick lectins have been extensively reviewed by Grubhoffer et al (1997Grubhoffer et al ( , 2004 and thus are only briefly discussed in this paper.…”

Section: Hemagglutinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innate Immunity in Ticks: A review

Taylor

2006

J. Acarol. Soc. Jpn.

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Ticks transmit more different kinds of pathogenic organisms than any other hematophagous arthropod. This paper attempts to review the literature available on the cell-mediated and humoral responses of ticks. The cell-mediated defense responses by invertebrates are simpler than vertebrates, but are effective as a second line of defense against invasion by microorganisms. Hemocytes play a major role in this immune response through phagocytosis, nodule formation and encapsulation of invading foreign materials. These mechanisms appear to function in both soft and hard ticks. Humoral immune responses consist of three main types; humoral encapsulation, hemagglutination and production of antimicrobial proteins. Humoral encapsulation is elicited by the prophenoloxidase activating system and has only been shown to function in the soft tick Ornithodoros moubata. However, recent studies show the hard ticks also have prophenoloxidase activating cofactors indicating humoral encapsulation also functions in these ticks. Tick lectins function in hemagglutination of various microorganisms in both soft and hard ticks and also appear to function as recognition molecules of nonself and possibly in the transmission of pathogenic microorganisms. Ticks also have numerous antimicrobial proteins that can attack the invading microorganisms. Lysozymes have been shown to have bactericidal effects in several tick species and work in concert with other antimicrobial peptides to kill invaders. Cystatins, classic cysteine protease inhibitors, have recently been shown to function in innate immune responses of ticks. Hemoglobin fragments have antimicrobial activity in the midgut of ticks. Defensins show expression up-regulated by blood feeding and are effective antimicrobial agents with some differences between soft and hard ticks. Other novel antimicrobial peptides have been isolated from various species of soft and hard ticks, but their functions remain to be elucidated. Understanding these innate immune mechanisms in ticks is essential to develop strategies for reducing the transmission of diseases to man and animals.

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Section: Hemagglutinationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Innate Immunity in Ticks: A review

Taylor

2006

J. Acarol. Soc. Jpn.

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“…In vectors of infectious diseases lectins have a regulatory role in the refractoriness/susceptibility to transmitted trypanosomatid parasites (for review see Welburn and Maudlin 1999). Studies carried out on various sandfly species demonstrated the presence of gut lectin activity specific for aminosugars and heparin (for review see Grubhoffer et al 1997). The activity theoretically serves as one of factors affecting sandfly susceptibility to Leishmania infections (Volf et al 1998); however, no information is available about its role in bacterial infections.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Bacterial colonisation in the gut of Phlebotomus duboscqi (Diptera: Psychodidae): transtadial passage and the role of female diet

Volf

Kiewegová²,

Nemec³

2002

FOLIA PARASIT

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Abstract. Bacteria isolated from the gut of different developmental stages of Phlebotomus duboscqi Neveu-Lemaire, 1906 belonged almost all to aerobic or facultatively anaerobic gram-negative rods. In females, the highest bacterial counts were observed two days after bloodfeeding; seven days after bloodfeeding the bacterial counts returned to pre-feeding levels. Most isolates were identified phenotypically as Ochrobactrum sp. The distinctiveness and homogeneity of the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of Ochrobactrum isolates indicated that they belonged to a single strain (designated AK). This strain was acquired by larvae from food and passaged transtadially: it was isolated from the guts of fourth-instar larvae shortly before pupation, from pupae as well from newly emerged females. Most other bacteria found in females were acquired from the sugar solution fed to adults. To determine if the midgut lectin activity may serve as antibacterial agent females were membrane-fed on blood with addition of inhibitory carbohydrates. No significant differences in bacterial infections were found between experimental and control groups and we suppose that the lectin activity has no effect on gram-negative bacteria present in sandfly gut.

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“…If so, then those interactions may function as reciprocal ones, where tissue-specific tick lectins may enter counterpart interactions equally as lectins of LB spirochetes. Carbohydrate/glycan moieties of the membrane-bound or soluble proteins in tick tissues may serve as receptors of those lectin molecules (Grubhoffer et al 1997). Based on published results, a binding affinity to sialic acid and their derivatives or steric analogs has been revealed as a common feature of tissue-specific tick lectins.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lyme borreliosis: insights into tick- / host-borrelia relations

Grubhoffer¹,

Golovchenko²,

Vancová³

et al. 2005

FOLIA PARASIT

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Abstract. Lyme borreliosis (LB) is a serious infectious disease of humans and some domestic animals in temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere. It is caused by certain spirochetes in the Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.) species complex. The complex consists of 11 species (genospecies). Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto (s.s.), Borrelia garinii and Borrelia afzelii are the major agents of human disease. Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. species are transmitted mainly by ticks belonging to the Ixodes ricinus species complex plus a few additional species not currently assigned to the complex. B. burgdorferi infections may produce an acute or chronic disease with a wide array of clinical symptoms such as erythema migrans (EM), carditis, arthritis, neuroborreliosis, and acrodermatitis chronica atrophicans (ACA). Differences in LB spirochetes 'genospecies' and strains/isolates determine the occurrence and severity of this multi-system disease. Accurate and reliable identification of the LB spirochetes in ticks as well as knowledge of their prevalence are essential for prevention against the disease and development of an effective vaccine. An overview of the knowledge of molecular factors with emphasis on potential protein-carbohydrate interactions in the tickborrelia system is the main focus of this review.

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Lectins (hemagglutinins) in the gut of the important disease vectors

Cited by 35 publications

References 26 publications

Innate Immunity in Ticks: A review

Innate Immunity in Ticks: A review

Bacterial colonisation in the gut of Phlebotomus duboscqi (Diptera: Psychodidae): transtadial passage and the role of female diet

Lyme borreliosis: insights into tick- / host-borrelia relations

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