Tick anti-hemostatics: targets for future vaccines and therapeutics.
For ticks, a significant obstacle in obtaining a blood meal is counteracting the hemostatic system of the host. To this end, ticks have developed a broad array of anti-hemostatics, which is reflected in the presence of structurally related tick proteins with different functions. Disruption of blood flow which blocks successful tick feeding makes anti-hemostatics attractive targets for anti-tick vaccines. Moreover, the limited number of drugs currently available for a range of important cardio-vascular diseases makes ticks a potential source of novel therapeutics. This review aims to summarize the key features of tick anti-hemostatics, their structures, mode of action and possible future application as vaccines and novel therapeutic agents.
Maritz-Olivier
Christine
C
Department of Biochemistry, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa. christine.maritz@up.ac.za
Stutzer
Christian
C
Jongejan
Frans
F
Neitz
Albert W H
AW
Gaspar
Anabella R M
AR
D000818:Animals; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000378:metabolism; D001096:Arachnid Vectors / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000517:prevention & control; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D013983:Tick Control / Q000379:methods*; D017282:Tick-Borne Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D013987:Ticks / Q000469:parasitology / Q000502:physiology*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*
D000925:Anticoagulants; D010975:Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides