Exploring immunogenicity of tick salivary AV422 protein in persons exposed to ticks: prospects for utilization.

Autor: Mihaljica D; Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. darko.mihaljica@imi.bg.ac.rs., Marković D; Group for Immunology, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia., Repac J; Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry 'Ivan Djaja', University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia., Božić B; Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry 'Ivan Djaja', University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia., Radulović Ž; Department of Biology, College of Sciences and Mathematics, Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX, USA., Veinović G; Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia., Sukara R; Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia., Ristanović E; Institute for Microbiology, University of Defense, Military Medical Academy, Belgrade, Serbia., Chochlakis D; Laboratory of Clinical Microbiology and Microbial Pathogenesis, School of Medicine, University of Crete, Heraklion, Crete, Greece., Nedeljković BB; Institute for Physiology and Biochemistry 'Ivan Djaja', University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia., Tomanović S; Group for Medical Entomology, Centre of Excellence for Food- and Vector-Borne Zoonoses, Institute for Medical Research, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Experimental & applied acarology [Exp Appl Acarol] 2021 Sep; Vol. 85 (1), pp. 83-99. Date of Electronic Publication: 2021 Aug 25.
DOI: 10.1007/s10493-021-00653-z
Abstrakt: In order to determine whether conserved tick salivary protein AV422 is immunogenic, the goal of our study was to detect specific IgG response within at-risk populations. Study groups included 76 individuals, differing in occurrence of recently recorded tick bites and health status. Western blotting with recombinant (r) protein derived from Ixodes ricinus (Ir) was performed. IgG response to Borrelia/Rickettsia, as indicators of previous tick infestations, was also assessed. Additionally, a detailed in silico AV422 protein sequence analysis was performed, followed by modelling of the interactions between peptides and corresponding MHC II molecules by molecular docking. Anti-rIrAV422 seroprevalences among individuals exposed to ticks were high (62.5, 57.9 and 66.7%) and anti-Borrelia/Rickettsia seroprevalences were 54.2, 15.8 and 44.4% among individuals with/without recent tick bite and patients suspected of tick-borne disease, respectively. In silico analysis of AV422 protein sequence showed a high level of conservation across tick genera, including also the predicted antigenic determinants specific for T and B cells. Docking to the restricted MHC II molecules was performed for all predicted AV422 T cell epitopes, and the most potent (highly immunogenic) epitope determinants were suggested. The epitope prediction reveals that tick salivary protein AV422 may elicit humoral immune response in humans, which is consistent with the high anti-rIrAV422 seroprevalence in tested at-risk subjects. Tick-borne diseases are a growing public health concern worldwide, and AV422 is potentially useful in clinical practice and epidemiological studies.
(© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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