title: Immunoprotective potential of a Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus metalloprotease.
abstract: Ticks have serious impacts on animal and human health, causing significant economic losses in cattle breeding. Besides damage due to the hematophagous behavior, they transmit several pathogens. Low cost and environmental safety have made vaccines a promising alternative control method against tick infestation. Metalloproteases (MPs) have been shown to be essential for diverse biological functions in hematophagous organisms, inhibiting blood clotting, degrading extracellular matrix proteins, and inhibiting host tissue repair via anti-angiogenic activity. In this study, we analyzed the immunoprotective potential of a recombinant MP against Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus infestation. First, a cDNA encoding R. microplus amino acids sequence with highly conserved regions of the metzincin (reprolysin) group of MP was identified (BrRm-MP4). After expression and purification, recombinant BrRm-MP4 was used as a vaccinal antigen against R. microplus infestation in cattle (Bos taurus taurus). All vaccinated bovines developed immune response to the antigen, resulting in increased antibody level throughout the immunization protocol. Immunization with rBrRm-MP4 reduced tick feeding success, decreasing the number of engorged females and their reproduction potential, representing a 60% overall protection. These results show that rBrRm-MP4 provides protection against tick infestation, placing it is a potential candidate for an anti-tick vaccine.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, Porto Alegre 90035-000, RS, Brazil; Institute of Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar 25130, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Abid
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luís Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Parizi
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Melina Garcia
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Guizzo
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucas
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tirloni
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Rua Sarmento Leite 245, Porto Alegre 90050-170, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seixas
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9090, Porto Alegre 91540-000, RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: Itabajara da Silva
authors.initials: Ida S
authors.lastname: Vaz
authors.affiliation: Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Prédio 43421, Porto Alegre 91501-970, RS, Brazil; Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600, Porto Alegre 90035-000, RS, Brazil. Electronic address: trmgn@cbiot.ufrgs.br.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Termignoni
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D060829:Arthropod Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018076:DNA, Complementary / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D007114:Immunization / Q000662:veterinary; D045726:Metalloproteases / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D048494:Rhipicephalus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D013984:Tick Infestations / Q000469:parasitology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D014612:Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D060829:Arthropod Proteins; D018076:DNA, Complementary; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014612:Vaccines; D045726:Metalloproteases
keywords: Anti-tick vaccine; Blood meal; Metzincin metalloprotease; Rhipicephalus; Salivary gland