Saliva of the tick Ixodes dammini inhibits neutrophil function.
Pilocarpine-induced saliva of adult female Ixodes dammini ticks inhibits the function of peritoneal-derived rat neutrophils, as measured by anaphylatoxin-induced aggregation, FMLP-induced granule enzyme secretion, zymosan-induced superoxide secretion, and phagocytosis of Borrelia burgdorferi spirochetes. Inhibition ranged from 40 to 80% when saliva was diluted 20 times into the assay medium. This neutrophil-inhibiting activity of I. dammini saliva may aid in tick feeding and facilitate pathogen transmission.
Ribeiro
J M
JM
Harvard School of Public Health, Department of Tropical Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts 02115.
Weis
J J
JJ
Telford
S R
SR
D000818:Animals; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology; D002449:Cell Aggregation; D002470:Cell Survival; D005260:Female; D005966:Glucuronidase / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000201:enzymology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D010587:Phagocytosis; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism; D013987:Ticks / Q000276:immunology*
D013481:Superoxides; D005966:Glucuronidase