title: Amblyomma americanum (L): tick macrophage migration inhibitory factor peptide immunization lengthens lone star tick feeding intervals in vivo.
abstract: Immunizations of New Zealand White rabbits with specific macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) tick peptide (PEP) produced circulating anti-tick PEP antibodies in the hosts. Antibody titers of greater than 1:5000 to tick MIF peptide were observed for crude sera from PEP-immunized rabbits. PEP- and BSA-vaccinated rabbits were infested with Amblyomma americanum adults. Feeding intervals, female weights, egg masses and percent egg hatch were measured for ticks feeding on control and immunized hosts. Feeding intervals were significantly lengthened to 13.3 days for PEP-vaccinated hosts compared to BSA-vaccinated controls at 12.4 days, while female engorgement weights and egg masses were unchanged. By immunizing hosts using specific tick PEP, we were able to alter the length of time the ticks fed on their hosts.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology, Oklahoma State University, 127 Noble Research Center, Stillwater, OK 74078-8031, USA. deborah.jaworski@okstate.edu
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Jaworski
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Wasala
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D016207:Cytokines / Q000276:immunology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000379:methods; D026863:Ixodidae / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013047:Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D016207:Cytokines; C437995:MIF protein, Amblyomma americanum