Extracellular vesicles are thought to facilitate pathogen transmission from arthropods to humans and other animals. Here, we reveal that pathogen spreading from arthropods to the mammalian host is multifaceted. Extracellular vesicles from Ixodes scapularis enable tick feeding and promote infection of the mildly virulent rickettsial agent Anaplasma phagocytophilum through the SNARE proteins Vamp33 and Synaptobrevin 2 and dendritic epidermal T cells. However, extracellular vesicles from the tick Dermacentor andersoni mitigate microbial spreading caused by the lethal pathogen Francisella tularensis. Collectively, we establish that tick extracellular vesicles foster distinct outcomes of bacterial infection and assist in vector feeding by acting on skin immunity. Thus, the biology of arthropods should be taken into consideration when developing strategies to control vector-borne diseases.
- MeSH
- Anaplasma phagocytophilum pathogenicity MeSH
- Bacterial Infections immunology metabolism MeSH
- Cell Line MeSH
- Arthropods metabolism microbiology physiology MeSH
- Dermacentor metabolism microbiology physiology MeSH
- Extracellular Vesicles metabolism ultrastructure MeSH
- Francisella tularensis pathogenicity MeSH
- Gene Ontology MeSH
- Intravital Microscopy MeSH
- Ticks metabolism microbiology MeSH
- Ixodes metabolism microbiology physiology MeSH
- Skin immunology microbiology parasitology MeSH
- Humans MeSH
- Vesicle-Associated Membrane Protein 2 metabolism MeSH
- Mice, Inbred C57BL MeSH
- Mice, Knockout MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- R-SNARE Proteins metabolism MeSH
- Proteomics MeSH
- T-Lymphocytes metabolism MeSH
- Tandem Mass Spectrometry MeSH
- Microscopy, Electron, Transmission MeSH
- Inflammation immunology metabolism parasitology MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Check Tag
- Humans MeSH
- Male MeSH
- Mice MeSH
- Animals MeSH
- Publication type
- Journal Article MeSH
- Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural MeSH
- Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. MeSH
