Immune responses of cattle to biochemically modified antigens from the midgut of the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus

Treatment of membrane antigens of the midgut (GM) of the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus with sodium metaperiodate (periodate), pronase and lipase significantly inhibited the reactivity of the GM with antibodies in the sera of 57 cattle vaccinated with GM. Treatment of GM with periodate only removed the correlation between antibody reactivity of sera and protection against infestation with ticks. A monoclonal antibody (MoAb QU13), which recognises protective antigens solubilized from GM (Lee + Opdebeeck 1991), did not react with GM treated with periodate. Cattle vaccinated with GM extracts were significantly protected against infestation with cattle ticks (P less than 0.05), whereas cattle vaccinated with either GM extracts treated with periodate or with antigens precipitated from GM extracts with MoAb QU13 and also treated with periodate, were not protected against infestation. These studies provide preliminary evidence that protective antigens in the tick midgut membrane either are carbohydrate or are dependent on carbohydrate for their specificity.     

Effect of salivary gland extracts from the tick,Boophilus microplus,on leucocytes from Brahman and Hereford cattle

The effect of salivary gland extract (SGE) from Boophilus microplus on peripheral blood lymphocytes, neutrophils and monocytes from Brahman (Bos indicus) and Hereford (Bos taurus) cattle was investigated. SGE (8 micro g) significantly inhibited the proliferation response of lymphocytes to concanavalin A from both Brahman and Hereford cattle by 89% and 41%, respectively. The difference in inhibition between the two breeds was highly significant (P < 0.01), whilst at 1 micro g of SGE, significant inhibition of lymphocytes occurred only in Hereford cattle (34%). Flow cytometric analysis of monocytes and neutrophils showed that SGE (40 micro g) significantly reduced both the proportion of cells actively phagocytosing Escherichia coli labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate (E. coli-FITC) and the uptake of E. coli-FITC in Brahman cattle. However, in Hereford cattle, a significant depression in uptake was only observed in neutrophils. The proportion of monocytes and neutrophils with oxidative activity was significantly suppressed in the presence of SGE in both breeds of cattle. These results indicate that peripheral blood leucocytes from different breeds of cattle respond differently to SGE.     

Humoral immune responses of Hereford cattle vaccinated with midgut antigens of the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus

Vaccination of cattle with midgut membrane (GM) antigen derived from the cattle tick, Boophilus microplus, infected with the adjuvant Quil A, resulted in significant increases in total immunoglobulins, mainly in the IgG1 and IgG2 fractions of the serum. Analysis of the anti-GM antibody levels of vaccinated cattle showed that the levels of IgG, IgG1 and complement-fixing antibodies were significantly correlated to protection against infestation with cattle ticks. Anti-GM antibodies of the IgG2 and IgM isotype were not correlated to protection against infestation with cattle ticks. Anti-GM antibodies fixed complement (C') in the presence of GM, larval membrane antigen and live, midgut cells, but not in the presence of live, larval cells. Anti-GM antibodies were able to fix C' equally well in the presence of GM antigen and live, midgut cells. None of the antigens tested activated the alternate pathway of complement under the conditions tested. Levels of anti-GM IgG1 antibodies were used to develop a regression model for predicting levels of protection against infestation with cattle ticks in vaccinated cattle.     

Vaccination of cattle against the Boophilus microplus using a mucin-like membrane glycoprotein

An antigen, BMA7, which induced partial immunity against tick infestation has been isolated from Boophilus microplus using two different protein fractionation protocols, accompanied by vaccination and parasite challenge trials. The antigen is a 63 kDa glycoprotein isolated from semi-engorged adult female ticks. Though significant, the induced immunity is less striking than that previously reported for antigen Bm86 from the same parasite. However, co-vaccination with Bm86 and BMA7 can enhance immunity over that seen with a commercial vaccine based on Bm86 alone. Limited peptide sequence information shows significant variation in the BMA7 protein occurs. The antigen has approximately 36 kDa of glycosylation, in both N-linked and O-linked oligosaccharides. There is evidence that both polypeptide and oligosaccharide are antigenic, but the chemical nature of the protective antigenic sites is not clear. There is little or no immunological response to the antigen during natural infestation with parasites, suggesting the antigen is 'concealed' and protective immunity dependent on artificial vaccination. The antigen has some similarities with the vertebrate mucins. It is widely distributed in tick tissues and membrane bound but its function is currently unknown .     

微小牛蜱磷酸丙糖异构酶基因片段的克隆与原核表达

为克隆和表达微小牛蜱磷酸丙糖异构酶(triosephosphate isomerase,Tim)编码基因,提取微小牛蜱成虫总RNA,采用RT-PCR方法扩增目的基因,将其连入pMD-18T载体,经酶切和测序鉴定后,将正确的目的基因与pET-28a表达载体连接,并转入大肠埃希菌(E.coli)Rosetta(DE3)中,异丙基-β-D-硫代半乳糖苷(IPTG)诱导表达后,经十二烷基硫酸钠-聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳(SDS-PAGE)鉴定分析。结果发现,克隆所得的微小牛蜱成虫tim基因片段长度为750bp(登录号为JX112888),其中开放阅读框为750 bp,编码249个氨基酸,与微小牛蜱胚胎中克隆出的tim基因序列的同源性为99%。SDS-PAGE结果显示,重组蛋白Tim相对分子质量(Mr)约为27 000。     

Immunologic relations between cattle and ticks, specifically between cattle and Boophilus microplus]

In the present investigation, it has been demonstrated that cattle become resistant to ticks after several heavy infestations, particularly with B. microplus. During development of the infestations, antibodies against salivary glands of B. microplus were detected using 2 techniques: indirect immunofluorescence and immunoelectrophoresis. There is a positive causal relationship between antibody titer and resistance development. Two precipitating systems against B. microplus in infested cattle and 7 systems in immunized rabbits were studied. The systems 1 and 2 are similar in cattle and rabbits, but system 2 does not show any specificity, as it has been detected in cattle completely lacking tick infestations. Two one-day calves were treated with the antigen of B. microplus by injection of salivary glands and repeated infestations with a small number of larvae. They developed a pronounced resistance to the usual subsequent infestations by the ticks of the same species. Specific antibodies were found before the first usual infestation. This suggests that they might be responsible for resistance.     

A hard tick relapsing fever group spirochete in a Brazilian Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus

Tick-borne diseases usually comprise a complex epidemiological and ecological network connecting the vector, pathogen, and a group of host species. Symptoms associated with Lyme disease have been reported in Brazil, but no Borrelia sp. has been definitively related to these events. Here we have identified a B. lonestari/B. theileri-related spirochete DNA in the cattle tick Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus from Brazil. Four hundred R. microplus and 80 Amblyomma cajennense ticks were screened, and only 1 horse-fed R. microplus was infected. A Borrelia sp. 16S rDNA sequence was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) from the total tick DNA with 99% similarity to B. theileri and B. lonestari. Partial flaB sequence was also obtained, demonstrating 96% similarity to the B. lonestari flagellin gene, and the resultant putative amino acid sequence demonstrated 97% identity to B. lonestari flagellin. Moreover, partial glpQ sequence demonstrated 92% similarity to the B. lonestari gene, with a putative amino acid sequence 90% identical to the B. lonestari glycerophosphodiester phosphodiesterase. Phylogenetic analyses clearly include this Brazilian Borrelia sp., denoted "Borrelia," sp-BR in a group of spirochetes aligned with B. theileri and B. lonestari. Thus, hard tick relapsing fever group spirochetes represent a clade of widespread bacteria and herein we describe the first molecular identification of a Borrelia sp. in South America.     

Hereford cattle immunized and protected against Boophilus microplus with soluble and membrane-associated antigens from the midgut of ticks

Hereford cattle were immunized with membranes and soluble components extracted from the midgut of Boophilus microplus. Membrane vaccines protected cattle (91%) against challenge with 3 x 20,000 larval ticks administered at intervals of 7 days. Vaccines made from soluble antigens did not protect cattle. Antibody levels measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) related to the levels of protection induced by vaccination.     

Peripheral cellular and humoral responses to infestation with the cattle tick Rhipicephalus microplus in Santa Gertrudis cattle

Resistance to cattle tick infestation in single‐host ticks is primarily manifested against the larval stage and results in the immature tick failing to attach successfully and obtain a meal. This study was conducted to identify immune responses that characterize the tick‐resistant phenotype in cattle. Thirty‐five tick‐naïve Santa Gertrudis heifers were used in this study, thirty of which were artificially infested for thirteen weeks with tick larvae while five animals remained at a tick‐free quarantine property to serve as a control group. Following thirteen weeks of tick infestation, the animals in this trial exhibited highly divergent tick‐resistant phenotypes. Blood samples collected throughout the trial were used to measure peripheral immune parameters: haematology, the percentage of cellular subsets comprising the peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) population, tick‐specific IgG₁ and IgG₂ antibody titres, IgG1 avidity for tick antigens and the ability of PBMC to recognize and proliferate in response to stimulation with tick antigens in vitro. The tick‐susceptible cattle developed significantly higher tick‐specific IgG₁ antibody titres compared to the tick‐resistant animals. These results suggest that the heightened antibody response either does not play a role in resistance or might contribute to increased susceptibility to infestation.     

Comparative vaccination of cattle against Boophilus microplus with recombinant antigen Bm86 alone or in combination with recombinant Bm91

Cattle were vaccinated either with a single recombinant tick antigen, Bm86 or with a combination of two recombinant antigens, Bm86 and Bm91 from the tick Boophilus microplus . In three experiments, the responses of cattle to subsequent challenge with the tick were assessed. The addition of the Bm91 antigen enhanced the efficacy of the vaccination over that with Bm86 alone to a statistically significant degree. Moreover, co-vaccination with two antigens did not impair the response of cattle to the Bm86 antigen. Finally, responses of individual cattle to the two antigens were independent. All of these results may be relevant to the increase in efficacy expected from a dual antigen vaccine.     

长角血蜱谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶的克隆与原核表达(英文)

目的长角血蜱(Hemaphysalis longicornis)不仅吸食家畜血甚至人血,还是多种疾病的传播媒介,对该蜱的研究具有重要的医学和兽医学意义。在大肠杆菌中表达长角血蜱的谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(glutathione peroxidase)(HlGPx),为该酶在长角血蜱中的生理作用研究奠定基础,为该病媒的免疫防控提供参考。方法根据长角血蜱EST文库提示的片段序列的信息,设计引物采用PCR方法从长角血蜱成蜱的cDNA中扩增谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶基因。利用定点突变将该基因编码序列中一个编码硒半胱氨酸的密码子TGA突变为通用半胱氨酸密码子TGC,与表达载体pGEX-4T-1重组,转化BL21(DE3)pLysS,IPTG诱导表达,SDS-PAGE及免疫印迹分析。结果成功获得了长角血蜱谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶全长序列,突变后在大肠杆菌中诱导表达了约51kDa的重组蛋白,Western-blot显示表达产物与抗GST抗体有很强的交叉反应。结论突变的HlGPx可以在大肠杆菌中表达并可用于下一步制备免疫血清及功能分析。     

Cloning and characterization of a potentially protective antigen in lymphatic filariasis.

To facilitate biochemical studies of protective filarial antigens, a lambda gt11 cDNA library was constructed from Brugia malayi adult mRNA and screened with rabbit sera that recognizes a limited set of filarial antigens of approximately 25, 42, 60, and 112 kDa. Antigens of approximately equal to 25 and approximately equal to 60 kDa have been shown previously to induce enhanced clearance of microfilaremia in mice. A 154-base pair clone detected by immunological reactivity was used to isolate by hybridization a nearly full-length cDNA clone of 1.8 kilobases. Nucleotide-sequence analysis indicated that this clone was derived from a mRNA encoding a 63-kDa antigen. A fusion polypeptide containing 37 kDa of the Escherichia coli TrpE protein (anthranilate synthase) and 55 kDa of the cloned protein was recognized in immunoblot experiments with antisera raised against a partially purified preparation of the approximately equal to 60-kDa protective filarial antigen. These data relate the cloned antigen to a potentially protective antigen in lymphatic filariasis.     

微小牛蜱唾液腺cDNA文库的构建

从微小牛蜱唾液腺中提取RNA，纯化mRNA，合成双链cDNA，定向克隆到λSCREEN载体的两臂之间。用噬菌体蛋白包装产物对以上连接产物进行体外包装以形成完整的噬菌体，转染大肠埃希菌ER1647，构建成微小牛蜱唾液腺的cDNA表达文库。经测定，文库的库容量约为1.38×10⁶ PFU，重组率为100%，扩增后文库的滴度为2×10⁹ PFU/ml。用兔抗微小牛蜱唾液腺蛋白阳性血清，对文库进行初步免疫学筛选，获得一个细胞色素氧化酶第2亚基cDNA序列。将该基因序列与GenBank中的序列进行同源性比对，发现与已知的其他物种细胞色素氧化酶第2亚基的氨基酸序列同源性为60%～77%。微小牛蜱唾液腺cDNA表达文库构建成功。     

福建厦门微小牛蜱中埃立克体的检测与鉴定

目的 检测福建厦门微小牛蜱携带的埃立克体，进行分类鉴定。方法 采用套式PCR方法检测埃立克体，然后对阳性标本中的埃立克体进行16SrRNA全基因序列测定并分析。结果 共检测吸血微小牛蜱标本299份，27份阳性，阳性率为9．0％。选择其中的1份阳性样本扩增16SrRNA的全基因序列，全长1458bp，序列对比显示与泰缅边境和越南的埃立克体同源性为99．9％，相差2个碱基；与西藏埃立克体同源性为99．7％，相差4个碱基；与非洲埃立克体同源性为99．6％，相差7个碱基；与中国南方的查菲埃立克体同源性为98．9％，相差17个碱基。结论 从福建厦门微小牛蜱中检测到埃立克体，可能是一个埃立克体新的亚种。     

Cloning and expression of the tumor-associated antigen L6.

The L6 cell surface antigen, which is highly expressed on lung, breast, colon, and ovarian carcinomas, has attracted attention as a therapeutic target for murine monoclonal antibodies and their humanized counterparts. Its molecular nature has, however, remained elusive. Here we describe the expression cloning of a cDNA encoding the L6 antigen. COS cells transfected with this cDNA direct the expression of an approximately 24-kDa surface protein that reacts with the two anti-L6 monoclonal antibodies available. The predicted L6 peptide sequence is 202 amino acids long and contains three predicted NH2-terminal hydrophobic transmembrane regions, which are followed by a hydrophilic region containing two potential N-linked glycosylation sites and a COOH-terminal hydrophobic transmembrane region. The L6 antigen is related to a number of cell surface proteins with similar predicted membrane topology that have been implicated in cell growth. Two other members of this family of proteins, CD63 (ME491) and CO-029, are also highly expressed on tumor cells. The present findings should make it possible to further study the role of the L6-defined antigen in normal and neoplastic cells and to construct animal models for development of improved agents for active and passive cancer immunotherapy.     

Cloning, expression and immunoprotective efficacy of rHaa86, the homologue of the Bm86 tick vaccine antigen, from Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum

The Bm86 homologue of Hyalomma anatolicum anatolicum Izatnagar isolate was cloned and expressed in methylotropic yeast Pichia pastoris as intracellular, glycosylated and particulated form. It was named as rHaa86, the first recombinant protein of H. a. anatolicum . Seven epidermal growth factor-like domains predicted in Haa86 were structurally similar with that of its Bm86 counterpart. The identity between the corresponding EGF like domains of Bm86 and Haa86 were ranging from 51·3% to 78·3%. The molecular weight of the rHaa86 was 120–140 kDa, with possible 50–70 kDa glycosylation. The purified rHaa86 was characterized immunologically and evaluated for its immunoprotective potential against homologous challenge infestation in three groups of cross-bred calves. The immediate rejection percentage of females of H. a. anatolicum was 36 5%, 12·4% and 10·1% fed on immunized (group 1), adjuvant control (group 2) and untreated control (group 3) calves, respectively. The percent rejection of female ticks fed on immunized calves was 24·1% and 26·4% higher than for the ticks fed on control groups 2 and 3, respectively ( P <  0·05). The reduction of number of females, mean weight of eggs, adult females and efficacy of immunogen were 58·0%, 9·0%, 5·0% and 61·6%, respectively. The mean reproductive index of females fed on group 1 calves was significantly lower ( P <  0·05) than the females fed on the control groups and 44% reduction in the number of engorged larvae was recorded from the group 1 calves. The data demonstrated that rHaa86 antigen based vaccine could serve as one of the effective components in the integrated control of H. a. anatolicum.     

Detection of Bm86 antigen in different strains of Boophilus microplus and effectiveness of immunization with recombinant Bm86

The control of tick populations by using conventional strategies poses several problems, including the appearance of organophosphate resistant strains, among others. The possibility of using alternative strategies such as vaccination with tick antigens has been suggested by several authors. One particular antigen (Bm86) has been described and shown to be able to induce a protective immunity against the cattle tick Boophilus microplus. In this paper we demonstrate by means of immunohistochemical staining that this antigen is conserved among several strains of this species. These results correlate with those showing that animals vaccinated with a preparation of recombinant Bm86 were protected against challenge with the four different strains tested, including one resistant to organophosphates. These results favour the immunization with recombinant Bm86 for the control of the cattle tick B. microplus.     

The innate immune response in calves to Boophilus microplus tick transmitted Babesia bovis involves type-1 cytokine induction and NK-like cells in the spleen

The innate immune response to Babesia bovis infection in cattle is age-related, spleen-dependent and, in stabilate inoculated calves, has type-1 characteristics, including the early induction of IL-12 and IFN-gamma. In this study with three calves, parameters of innate immunity were followed for 2 weeks after tick transmission of B. bovis. Each calf survived the acute disease episode without drug intervention, and responded with increased levels of plasma interferon-gamma and type-1 cytokine expression, monocyte/macrophage activation, and CD8+ cellular proliferation in the spleen. The proliferating CD8+ population consisted primarily of NK-like cells, and the expansion occurred in parallel with an increase in IL-15 mRNA expression in the spleen.