title: Black fly salivary gland extract inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis in murine splenocytes.
abstract: Black flies are known to be vectors of pathogens including Onchocerca volvulus, which causes human onchocerciasis, and Vesicular Stomatitis Virus. Their salivary secretion has been shown to contain a complex cocktail of anti-haemostatic factors and immunomodulatory activities, which may contribute to efficient transmission of the pathogens. Black fly salivary gland extract (SGE) inhibits mitogen-stimulated mouse splenocyte proliferation, including proliferation of both CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. The factor responsible for the inhibition was determined to be a protein (or protein complex) of a size larger than 50 kDa. Moreover, exposure to SGE results in activation of caspase 3 and characteristic morphological changes in CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, suggesting that induction of apoptosis could, at least in part, be responsible for this inhibition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Entomology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tsujimoto
authors.forename: E W
authors.initials: EW
authors.lastname: Gray
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Champagne
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D007963:Leukocytes, Mononuclear / Q000187:drug effects*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D008970:Molecular Weight; D010078:Oxazines / Q000378:metabolism; D012469:Salivary Glands / Q000737:chemistry*; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000633:toxicity*; D012843:Simuliidae / Q000472:pathogenicity*; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods; D014966:Xanthenes / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D010078:Oxazines; D012471:Salivary Proteins and Peptides; D014966:Xanthenes; C005843:resazurin; D053148:Caspase 3