Metylační umlčení některých buněčných genů je známkou progrese karcinogeneze a proto testy, které metylaci detekují, by mohly být využívány v diagnostice či „stagingu“ maligních onemocnění. V diagnostice dlaždicobuněčných karcinomů děložního hrdla (DH), které jsou téměř ve 100 % způsobeny dlouhodobou infekcí vysoce rizikovými lidskými papilomaviry (HR-HPV), je metylační umlčení určitých buněčných genů vysoce specifickým markerem pokročilé dysplastické léze a zřejmě vzniká důsledkem aberantní aktivace metyltransferázy DNMT1 virovými onkoproteiny E6 a E7. Metylační test provedený ze vzorku cervikovaginální cytologie umožňuje zvýšit výpovědní hodnotu tohoto neinvazivního vyšetření a selektovat pacientky s biologicky závažnou dlaždicobuněčnou lézí pro následné vyšetření. Pomocí cytologického vyšetření lze odhalit také méně časté anogenitální malignity, které jsou indukované HR-HPV v nižší míře – žlázové léze různého původu, nejčastěji adenokarcinomy DH a endometria a anální karcinom. Cílem naší pilotní studie bylo ohodnotit přínos metylačního testu pro diagnostiku těchto malignit na souboru 50 tekutých cervikovaginálních cytologií s nálezem žlázové léze a 74 tekutých análních cytologií HIV-pozitivních homosexuálů, kteří jsou ve vysokém riziku vzniku karcinomu anu.
Methylation silencing of certain cellular genes is a sign of carcinogenesis progression and therefore tests that detect methylation could be used in the diagnosis or staging of malignant diseases. In the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinomas of the cervix which are almost 100% caused by long-term infection with highrisk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV), methylation silencing of certain cellular genes is a highly specific marker of advanced dysplastic lesions and appears to result from aberrant activation of the methyltransferase DNMT1 by viral oncoproteins E6 and E7. A methylation test performed on a cervicovaginal cytology specimen allows to increase the diagnostic value of this non-invasive test and to select patients with severe squamous cell lesions for follow-up. Other less frequent anogenital malignancies that are induced by HR-HPV to a lesser extent can also be detected by cytological examination - glandular lesions of various origins, most commonly cervical and endometrial adenocarcinomas and anal carcinoma. The aim of our pilot study was to evaluate the utility of a methylation test for the diagnosis of these malignancies in a cohort of 50 liquid-based cervicovaginal cytologies with glandular lesion and 74 liquid-based anal cytologies from HIV-positive men having sex with men who are at high risk for anal cancer development.
- MeSH
- cytodiagnostika metody MeSH
- HIV séropozitivita komplikace MeSH
- infekce papilomavirem diagnóza komplikace patologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- metylace DNA * MeSH
- nádory anu diagnóza patologie prevence a kontrola MeSH
- nádory děložního čípku diagnóza patologie prevence a kontrola MeSH
- onkogenní proteiny virové genetika MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
INTRODUCTION: Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato, the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis, are transmitted by Ixodes ticks. Tick saliva proteins are instrumental for survival of both the vector and spirochete and have been investigated as targets for vaccine targeting the vector. In Europe, the main vector for Lyme borreliosis is Ixodes ricinus, which predominantly transmits Borrelia afzelii. We here investigated the differential production of I. ricinus tick saliva proteins in response to feeding and B. afzelii infection. METHOD: Label-free Quantitative Proteomics and Progenesis QI software was used to identify, compare, and select tick salivary gland proteins differentially produced during tick feeding and in response to B. afzelii infection. Tick saliva proteins were selected for validation, recombinantly expressed and used in both mouse and guinea pig vaccination and tick-challenge studies. RESULTS: We identified 870 I. ricinus proteins from which 68 were overrepresented upon 24-hours of feeding and B. afzelii infection. Selected tick proteins were successfully validated by confirming their expression at the RNA and native protein level in independent tick pools. When used in a recombinant vaccine formulation, these tick proteins significantly reduced the post-engorgement weights of I. ricinus nymphs in two experimental animal models. Despite the reduced ability of ticks to feed on vaccinated animals, we observed efficient transmission of B. afzelii to the murine host. CONCLUSION: Using quantitative proteomics, we identified differential protein production in I. ricinus salivary glands in response to B. afzelii infection and different feeding conditions. These results provide novel insights into the process of I. ricinus feeding and B. afzelii transmission and revealed novel candidates for an anti-tick vaccine.
- MeSH
- arachnida jako vektory MeSH
- klíště * MeSH
- lymeská nemoc * prevence a kontrola MeSH
- morčata MeSH
- myši MeSH
- proteiny členovců MeSH
- proteom MeSH
- slinné žlázy MeSH
- vakcíny * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- morčata MeSH
- myši MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Ixodes ricinus and Ixodes scapularis are the main vectors for the causative agents of Lyme borreliosis and a wide range of other pathogens. Repeated tick-bites are known to lead to tick rejection; a phenomenon designated as tick immunity. Tick immunity is mainly directed against tick salivary gland proteins (TSGPs) and has been shown to partially protect against experimental Lyme borreliosis. TSGPs recognized by antibodies from tick immune animals could therefore be interesting candidates for an anti-tick vaccine, which might also block pathogen transmission. To identify conserved Ixodes TSGPs that could serve as a universal anti-tick vaccine in both Europe and the US, a Yeast Surface Display containing salivary gland genes of nymphal I. ricinus expressed at 24, 48 and 72 h into tick feeding was probed with either sera from rabbits repeatedly exposed for 24 h to I. ricinus nymphal ticks and/or sera from rabbits immune to I. scapularis. Thus, we identified thirteen TSGP vaccine candidates, of which ten were secreted. For vaccination studies in rabbits, we selected six secreted TSGPs, five full length and one conserved peptide. None of these proteins hampered tick feeding. In contrast, vaccination of guinea pigs with four non-secreted TSGPs - two from the current and two from a previous human immunoscreening - did significantly reduce tick attachment and feeding. Therefore, non-secreted TSGPs appear to be involved in the development of tick immunity and are interesting candidates for an anti-tick vaccine.
Anaplasma phagocytophilum is the causative agent of tick-borne fever (TBF) and human granulocytic anaplasmosis (HGA) and is currently considered an emerging disease in the USA, Europe, and Asia. The increased prevalence of A. phagocytophilum as a human pathogen requires the detailed characterization of human isolates and the implementation of appropriate animal models. In this study, we demonstrated that the dynamics of infection with the human isolate of A. phagocytophilum NY-18 was variable in three different strains of mice (SCID, C3H/HeN, BALB/c). We further evaluated the ability of Ixodes ricinus to acquire and transmit A. phagocytophilum NY-18 and compared it with Ixodes scapularis. Larvae of both tick species effectively acquired the pathogen while feeding on infected mice. The infection rates then decreased during the development to nymphs. Interestingly, molted I. ricinus nymphs were unable to transmit the pathogen to naïve mice, which contrasted with I. scapularis. The results of our study suggest that I. ricinus is not a competent vector for the American human Anaplasma isolate. Further studies are needed to establish reliable transmission models for I. ricinus and European human isolate(s) of A. phagocytophilum.
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
It has been demonstrated that impairing protein synthesis using drugs targeted against tRNA amino acid synthetases presents a promising strategy for the treatment of a wide variety of parasitic diseases, including malaria and toxoplasmosis. This is the first study evaluating tRNA synthetases as potential drug targets in ticks. RNAi knock-down of all tested tRNA synthetases had a strong deleterious phenotype on Ixodes ricinus feeding. Our data indicate that tRNA synthetases represent attractive, anti-tick targets warranting the design of selective inhibitors. Further, we tested whether these severely impaired ticks were capable of transmitting Borrelia afzelii spirochaetes. Interestingly, biologically handicapped I. ricinus nymphs transmitted B. afzelii in a manner quantitatively sufficient to develop a systemic infection in mice. These data suggest that initial blood-feeding, despite the incapability of ticks to fully feed and salivate, is sufficient for activating B. afzelii from a dormant to an infectious mode, enabling transmission and dissemination in host tissues.
- MeSH
- akaricidy farmakologie MeSH
- aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetasy antagonisté a inhibitory genetika MeSH
- Borrelia burgdorferi komplex MeSH
- klíšťata účinky léků mikrobiologie MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lymeská nemoc farmakoterapie mikrobiologie přenos MeSH
- proteosyntéza účinky léků MeSH
- vyvíjení léků MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- lidé MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
In Europe, Ixodes ricinus is the most important vector of human infectious diseases, most notably Lyme borreliosis and tick-borne encephalitis virus. Multiple non-natural hosts of I. ricinus have shown to develop immunity after repeated tick bites. Tick immunity has also been shown to impair B. burgdorferi transmission. Most interestingly, multiple tick bites reduced the likelihood of contracting Lyme borreliosis in humans. A vaccine that mimics tick immunity could therefore potentially prevent Lyme borreliosis in humans. A yeast surface display library (YSD) of nymphal I. ricinus salivary gland genes expressed at 24, 48 and 72 h into tick feeding was constructed and probed with antibodies from humans repeatedly bitten by ticks, identifying twelve immunoreactive tick salivary gland proteins (TSGPs). From these, three proteins were selected for vaccination studies. An exploratory vaccination study in cattle showed an anti-tick effect when all three antigens were combined. However, immunization of rabbits did not provide equivalent levels of protection. Our results show that YSD is a powerful tool to identify immunodominant antigens in humans exposed to tick bites, yet vaccination with the three selected TSGPs did not provide protection in the present form. Future efforts will focus on exploring the biological functions of these proteins, consider alternative systems for recombinant protein generation and vaccination platforms and assess the potential of the other identified immunogenic TSGPs.
- MeSH
- antigeny krev imunologie izolace a purifikace MeSH
- Borrelia burgdorferi izolace a purifikace MeSH
- imunizace MeSH
- infestace klíšťaty imunologie parazitologie MeSH
- klíště imunologie MeSH
- kousnutí klíštětem imunologie MeSH
- králíci MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- lymeská nemoc krev parazitologie přenos MeSH
- metody zobrazení buněčného povrchu metody MeSH
- peptidová knihovna MeSH
- peptidové fragmenty imunologie MeSH
- Saccharomyces cerevisiae MeSH
- skot MeSH
- slinné proteiny a peptidy imunologie MeSH
- slinné žlázy imunologie MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- králíci MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- skot MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
Ixodes ricinus is the vector for Borrelia afzelii, the predominant cause of Lyme borreliosis in Europe, whereas Ixodes scapularis is the vector for Borrelia burgdorferi in the USA. Transcription of several I. scapularis genes changes in the presence of B. burgdorferi and contributes to successful infection. To what extend B. afzelii influences gene expression in I. ricinus salivary glands is largely unknown. Therefore, we measured expression of uninfected vs. infected tick salivary gland genes during tick feeding using Massive Analysis of cDNA Ends (MACE) and RNAseq, quantifying 26.179 unique transcripts. While tick feeding was the main differentiator, B. afzelii infection significantly affected expression of hundreds of transcripts, including 465 transcripts after 24 h of tick feeding. Validation of the top-20 B. afzelii-upregulated transcripts at 24 h of tick feeding in ten biological genetic distinct replicates showed that expression varied extensively. Three transcripts could be validated, a basic tail protein, a lipocalin and an ixodegrin, and might be involved in B. afzelii transmission. However, vaccination with recombinant forms of these proteins only marginally altered B. afzelii infection in I. ricinus-challenged mice for one of the proteins. Collectively, our data show that identification of tick salivary genes upregulated in the presence of pathogens could serve to identify potential pathogen-blocking vaccine candidates.
- MeSH
- arachnida jako vektory mikrobiologie MeSH
- bakteriální vakcíny aplikace a dávkování MeSH
- Borrelia burgdorferi komplex účinky léků MeSH
- infestace klíšťaty genetika mikrobiologie prevence a kontrola přenos MeSH
- klíště účinky léků MeSH
- lymeská nemoc genetika mikrobiologie prevence a kontrola přenos MeSH
- myši MeSH
- proteiny členovců genetika MeSH
- slinné žlázy mikrobiologie MeSH
- transkriptom * MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- myši MeSH
- ženské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- práce podpořená grantem MeSH
