Characterization of a novel salivary immunosuppressive protein from Ixodes ricinus ticks.

Ixodes ricinus immunosuppressive protein (Iris) 1 Characterization of a novel salivary immunosuppressive protein from Ixodes ricinus ticks

Ixodes ticks belonging to the Ixodes ricinus complex encode a family of anticomplement proteins.

The alternative pathway of complement is an important innate defence against pathogens including ticks. This component of the immune system has selected for pathogens that have evolved countermeasures. Recently, a salivary protein able to inhibit the alternative pathway was cloned from the American tick Ixodes scapularis (Valenzuela et al., 2000; J. Biol. Chem. 275, 18717-18723). Here, we isola...

Natural Transmission of Zoonotic Babesia spp. by Ixodes ricinus Ticks

To determine characteristics of natural transmission of Babesia sp. EU1 and B. divergens by adult Ixodes ricinus ticks, we examined tick salivary gland contents. We found that I. ricinus is a competent vector for EU1 and that their sporozoites directly invade erythrocytes. We conclude that EU1 is naturally transmitted by I. ricinus.

The prevalence of piroplasms in a population of Ixodes ricinus (Acari: Ixodidae) from north-western Poland.

Developmental forms of Babesia spp. were studied in isolated salivary glands of Ixodes ricinus, subjected to the Feulgen reaction. The same ticks were also hosts to Babesia microti, which was determined by PCR amplification with primers specific to the fragment of a gene encoding the nuclear small sub-unit ribosomal RNA (SS-rDNA). Presence of Babesia spp. was recorded in the salivary glands of ...

Identification of an Ixodes ricinus salivary gland fraction through its ability to stimulate CD4 T cells present in BALB/c mice lymph nodes draining the tick fixation site.

BALB/c mice infested with larvae or nymphs of Ixodes ricinus develop in their lymph nodes a T cell-specific immune response triggered by salivary gland soluble antigens (SGA). SGA are apparently conserved in the 3 biological stages of I. ricinus ticks and are species specific. SGA derived from partially fed females I. ricinus stimulate lymph node T cells from mice infested with I. ricinus larva...