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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Pullman, Washington » Animal Disease Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #338197
Research Project: Identification of Tick Colonization Mechanisms and Vaccine Development for Anaplasmosis

Location: Animal Disease Research

Title: The transcription factor relish controls anaplasma marginale infection in the bovine tick rhipicephalus microplus

Author
item CAPELLI-PEIXOTO, JANAÍNA - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item CARVALHO, DANIELLE - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item Johnson, Wendell
item Scoles, Glen
item FOGAÇA, ANDREA - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item DAFFRE, SIRLEI - Universidad De Sao Paulo
item Ueti, Massaro

Submitted to: Developmental and Comparative Immunology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/8/2017
Publication Date: 4/10/2017
Citation: Capelli-Peixoto, J., Carvalho, D.D., Johnson, W.C., Scoles, G.A., Fogaça, A.C., Daffre, S., Ueti, M.W. 2017. The transcription factor relish controls anaplasma marginale infection in the bovine tick rhipicephalus microplus. Developmental and Comparative Immunology. doi: 10.1016/j.dci.2017.04.005.

Interpretive Summary: Rhipicephalus microplus is an important biological vector of Anaplasma marginale. The knowledge of tick immune responses to control bacterial infections remains limited. In this study, we demonstrate that tick immunity plays an important role in the control of A. marginale infection within ticks. A significant increase in the number of A. marginale in tick gut and salivary glands was observed after suppression of tick immunity. This study provides the first evidence that tick immune responses serve an important role in pathogen control.

Technical Abstract: Rhipicephalus microplus is an important biological vector of Anaplasma marginale, the etiological agent of bovine anaplasmosis. The knowledge of tick immune responses to control bacterial infections remains limited. In this study, we demonstrate that transcription factor Relish from the Imd signaling pathway has an important role in the control of A. marginale infection in ticks. We demonstrated that RNA-mediated silencing of Relish caused a significant increase in the number of A. marginale in the midgut and salivary glands of R. microplus. In addition, the Imd pathway regulates the expression of the gene that encodes the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) microplusin. Therefore, it is plausible to hypothesize that microplusin may be involved in the A. marginale control. This study provides the first evidence of Imd signaling pathway participation on the pathogen control in ticks.