The Lyme disease agent exploits a tick protein to infect the mammalian host

Ramamoorthi, Nandhini; Narasimhan, Sukanya; Pal, Utpal; Bao, Fukai; Yang, Xiaofeng; Fish, Durland; Anguíta, Juan; Norgard, Michael V.; Kantor, Fred S.; Anderson, John F.; Koski, Raymond A.; Fikrig, Erol

doi:10.1038/nature03812

Cited by 444 publications

(431 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…Despite the rapid feeding of mosquitoes, mosquito saliva clearly has immunomodulatory activity, and mounting data demonstrate that, as a consequence of this activity, mosquito-borne pathogens may be delivered to the vertebrate in an environment that is compromised in its ability to respond to and contain infection. As with other pathogens that have visibly co-evolved with the vector to take advantage of arthropod saliva and the unique immune environment it creates (Ramamoorthi et al 2005), arboviruses also appear to exploit this niche to improve transmission and survival. Continuing research into the effect of mosquito saliva on host immune response and arbovirus infection will not only provide a progressively more accurate understanding of mosquito-transmitted virus pathogenesis, but may uncover the means to disrupt transmission or diminish disease by, in conjunction with viral prophylactic strategies, undermining the action of salivary proteins.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The enhancement of arbovirus transmission and disease by mosquito saliva is associated with modulation of the host immune response

Schneider

Higgs

2008

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygi

227

198

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SUMMARYArthropod-borne viruses have emerged as a major human health concern. Viruses transmitted by mosquitoes are the cause of the most serious and widespread arbovirus diseases worldwide and are ubiquitous in both feral and urban settings. Arboviruses, including dengue and West Nile virus are injected into vertebrates within mosquito saliva during mosquito feeding. Mosquito saliva contains anti-haemostatic, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory molecules that facilitate the acquisition of a blood-meal. Collectively, studies investigating the effects of mosquito saliva on the vertebrate immune response suggest that at high concentrations salivary proteins are immmunosuppressive, whereas lower concentrations modulate the immune response; specifically, T H 1 and antiviral cytokines are down-regulated, while T H 2 cytokines are unaffected or amplified. As a consequence, mosquito saliva can impair the anti-viral immune response thus affecting viral infectiousness and host survival. Mounting evidence suggests that this is a mechanism whereby arbovirus pathogenicity is enhanced. In a range of disease models, including various hosts, mosquito species, and arthropodborne viruses, mosquito saliva and/or feeding is associated with a potentiation of virus infection. Compared to arbovirus infection initiated in absence of the mosquito or its saliva, infection including mosquito saliva leads to an increase in virus transmission, host susceptibility, viraemia, disease progression, and mortality.Keywords arthropod-borne virus; mosquito saliva; immunomodulation; disease enhancement Most arthropod-borne (arbo)viruses of public health significance are mosquito-borne, and thus transmitted to vertebrates via the feeding of an infected mosquito. For a mosquito to

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The enhancement of arbovirus transmission and disease by mosquito saliva is associated with modulation of the host immune response

Schneider

Higgs

2008

Transactions of the Royal Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygi

227

198

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“…A recent genetic study showed that the midgut protein TROSPA is a receptor for OspA binding, whose presence enhances colonization by B. burgdorferi [170]. The salivary gland protein Salp15 is immunosuppressive and may facilitate infection by the low numbers of spirochetes that are transmitted during tick feeding [171,172]. Recently, a tick antioxidant was shown to facilitate tick acquisition of spirochetes from infected animals [173].…”

Section: B Burgdorferi Infection Of Ticksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biology of Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi

Tilly

Rosa

Stewart

2008

Infectious Disease Clinics of North America

183

177

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The spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi is a tick-borne obligate parasite whose normal reservoir is a variety of small mammals [1]. Whereas infection of these natural hosts does not lead to disease, infection of humans can result in Lyme disease, as a consequence of the human immunopathological response to B. burgdorferi [2,3]. Consistent with the pathogenesis of Lyme disease, bacterial products that allow B. burgdorferi to replicate and survive, rather than true "virulence factors," appear to be primarily what is required for the bacterium to cause disease in a susceptible host. In support of this idea, the genome sequence of B31, the type strain of B. burgdorferi sensu stricto [4,5], revealed that the bacterium lacks factors common to many bacterial pathogens, such as lipopolysaccharide, toxins, and specialized secretion systems. In this chapter, we will describe the basic biology of B. burgdorferi, and some of the bacterial components required to infect and survive in the mammalian and tick hosts.

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“…The function of this protein was unknown for a long time. Recently the ligand for OspC -tick salivary immunosuppressive protein Salp15 -was described 109 . It is a soluble component of tick saliva which suppresses the vertebrate host immune response against components of tick saliva during tick engorgement.…”

Section: Outer Surface Protein Cmentioning

confidence: 99%

Biological Aspects of Lyme Disease Spirochetes: Unique Bacteria of the Borrelia Burgdorferi Species Group

Křupka¹,

Raška²,

Bĕláková³

et al. 2007

Biomed Pap Med Fac Univ Palacky Olomouc Czech Repub

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Background: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato is a group of at least twelve closely related species some of which are responsible for Lyme disease, the most frequent zoonosis in Europe and the USA. Many of the biological features of Borrelia are unique in prokaryotes and very interesting not only from the medical viewpoint but also from the view of molecular biology.Methods: Relevant recent articles were searched using PubMed and Google search tools. Results and Conclusion:This is a review of the biological, genetic and physiological features of the spirochete species group, Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato. In spite of a lot of recent articles focused on B. burgdorferi sensu lato, many features of Borrelia biology remain obscure. It is one of the main reasons for persisting problems with prevention, diagnosis and therapy of Lyme disease. The aim of the review is to summarize ongoing current knowledge into a lucid and comprehensible form.

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The Lyme disease agent exploits a tick protein to infect the mammalian host

Cited by 444 publications

References 30 publications

The enhancement of arbovirus transmission and disease by mosquito saliva is associated with modulation of the host immune response

The enhancement of arbovirus transmission and disease by mosquito saliva is associated with modulation of the host immune response

Biology of Infection with Borrelia burgdorferi

Biological Aspects of Lyme Disease Spirochetes: Unique Bacteria of the Borrelia Burgdorferi Species Group

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