Coevolution of ticks and the vertebrate immune system has led to the development of immunosuppressive molecules that prevent immediate response of skin-resident immune cells to quickly fend off the parasite. In this article, we demonstrate that the tick-derived immunosuppressor sialostatin L restrains IL-9 production by mast cells, whereas degranulation and IL-6 expression are both unaffected. In addition, the expression of IL-1β and IRF4 is strongly reduced in the presence of sialostatin L. Correspondingly, IRF4- or IL-1R-deficient mast cells exhibit a strong impairment in IL-9 production, demonstrating the importance of IRF4 and IL-1 in the regulation of the Il9 locus in mast cells. Furthermore, IRF4 binds to the promoters of Il1b and Il9, suggesting that sialostatin L suppresses mast cell-derived IL-9 preferentially by inhibiting IRF4. In an experimental asthma model, mast cell-specific deficiency in IRF4 or administration of sialostatin L results in a strong reduction in asthma symptoms, demonstrating the immunosuppressive potency of tick-derived molecules.

3 Medical Clinic University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz 55131 Mainz Germany;

Department of Pulmonology Leiden University Medical Center 2333 ZA Leiden the Netherlands;

Institut für Medizinische Mikrobiologie und Krankenhaushygiene 35043 Marburg Germany;

Institute for Immunology University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz 55131 Mainz Germany;

Institute of Parasitology Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic; and

Institute of Parasitology Biology Centre of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic; and Faculty of Science University of South Bohemia 37005 České Budějovice Czech Republic

Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases National Institutes of Health Rockville MD 20852;

Translational Oncology University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University 55131 Mainz Germany;

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