Ixodes dammini: salivary anti-complement activity.
Saliva of the tick Ixodes dammini prevents hemolysis of rabbit erythrocytes by the human alternative pathway of complement. Deposition of C3b to activating surfaces and concomitant C3a release are inhibited. C3b deposition to activating surfaces is inhibited regardless the origin (humans, rat, mouse, guinea pig, and hamster) of the serum. The inhibitor elutes as a single peak upon gel filtration, with an apparent molecular weight of 49,000. Salivary anti-complement may contribute to successful feeding of I. dammini in their natural hosts.
D000818:Animals; D002850:Chromatography, Gel; D003176:Complement C3 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D003180:Complement C3b Inactivator Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D004533:Egtazic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D006461:Hemolysis; D008274:Magnesium / Q000494:pharmacology; D011817:Rabbits / Q000469:parasitology; D012463:Saliva / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D013987:Ticks / Q000502:physiology*
D003176:Complement C3; D003180:Complement C3b Inactivator Proteins; D003169:Complement Inactivator Proteins; D004533:Egtazic Acid; D008274:Magnesium