2019
Aedes aegypti AgBR1 antibodies modulate early Zika virus infection of mice
Uraki R, Hastings AK, Marin-Lopez A, Sumida T, Takahashi T, Grover JR, Iwasaki A, Hafler DA, Montgomery RR, Fikrig E. Aedes aegypti AgBR1 antibodies modulate early Zika virus infection of mice. Nature Microbiology 2019, 4: 948-955. PMID: 30858571, PMCID: PMC6533137, DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0385-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsZika virus infectionVirus infectionZika virusAegypti salivary proteinsGuillain-Barre syndromeEarly inflammatory responseSkin of micePrevention of mosquitoInflammatory responseAedes aegypti mosquitoesTherapeutic measuresSalivary factorsSalivary proteinsMosquito-borneInfectionMiceSubstantial mortalityRecent epidemicProtein 1Aegypti mosquitoesAntigenic proteinsVirusAntibodiesMosquitoesAntiserum
2017
Infection-derived lipids elicit an immune deficiency circuit in arthropods
Shaw DK, Wang X, Brown LJ, Chávez AS, Reif KE, Smith AA, Scott AJ, McClure EE, Boradia VM, Hammond HL, Sundberg EJ, Snyder GA, Liu L, DePonte K, Villar M, Ueti MW, de la Fuente J, Ernst RK, Pal U, Fikrig E, Pedra JH. Infection-derived lipids elicit an immune deficiency circuit in arthropods. Nature Communications 2017, 8: 14401. PMID: 28195158, PMCID: PMC5316886, DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14401.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAnaplasma marginaleAnaplasma phagocytophilumAnimalsArthropodsBorrelia burgdorferiCarrier ProteinsDisease Models, AnimalDrosophila melanogasterDrosophila ProteinsEscherichia coliFas-Associated Death Domain ProteinGene SilencingHEK293 CellsHumansImmunologic Deficiency SyndromesIxodesLipidsLyme DiseasePhosphatidylglycerolsRecombinant ProteinsRNA, Small InterferingSignal TransductionTranscription FactorsUbiquitin-Conjugating EnzymesUbiquitin-Protein LigasesX-Linked Inhibitor of Apoptosis ProteinConceptsAdaptor molecule FasImmune deficiency (IMD) pathwayPeptidoglycan recognition proteinsE3 ubiquitin ligaseLyme disease spirochete Borrelia burgdorferiIMD pathwayGram-negative bacteriaRecognition proteinsUbiquitin ligaseDeath domainApoptosis proteinDistinct bacteriaBiochemical interactionsMolecule FasSpirochete Borrelia burgdorferiReceptor networkA. marginaleProteinAnaplasma phagocytophilumBacteriaPathwayBorrelia burgdorferiInsectsLipidsArthropods
2015
Dengue Virus Infection of Aedes aegypti Requires a Putative Cysteine Rich Venom Protein
Londono-Renteria B, Troupin A, Conway MJ, Vesely D, Ledizet M, Roundy CM, Cloherty E, Jameson S, Vanlandingham D, Higgs S, Fikrig E, Colpitts TM. Dengue Virus Infection of Aedes aegypti Requires a Putative Cysteine Rich Venom Protein. PLOS Pathogens 2015, 11: e1005202. PMID: 26491875, PMCID: PMC4619585, DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1005202.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsDENV infectionVirus infectionDengue virusCysteine-rich venom proteinsSpecific antiviral therapyDengue virus infectionMosquito-borne flavivirusAedes aegypti cellsAntiviral therapyFlavivirus infectionMultiple flavivirusesTherapeutic measuresNew treatmentsAedes aegyptiInfectionGene targetsSerious human diseasesAegypti cellsMosquito vectorsVaccineVenom proteinsFlavivirusesHuman diseasesMosquitoesAntiserum inhibits
2011
Ixodes scapularis salivary gland protein P11 facilitates migration of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from the tick gut to salivary glands
Liu L, Narasimhan S, Dai J, Zhang L, Cheng G, Fikrig E. Ixodes scapularis salivary gland protein P11 facilitates migration of Anaplasma phagocytophilum from the tick gut to salivary glands. EMBO Reports 2011, 12: 1196-1203. PMID: 21921936, PMCID: PMC3207102, DOI: 10.1038/embor.2011.177.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchA Tick Mannose-Binding Lectin Inhibitor Interferes with the Vertebrate Complement Cascade to Enhance Transmission of the Lyme Disease Agent
Schuijt TJ, Coumou J, Narasimhan S, Dai J, DePonte K, Wouters D, Brouwer M, Oei A, Roelofs JJ, van Dam AP, van der Poll T, Veer C, Hovius JW, Fikrig E. A Tick Mannose-Binding Lectin Inhibitor Interferes with the Vertebrate Complement Cascade to Enhance Transmission of the Lyme Disease Agent. Cell Host & Microbe 2011, 10: 136-146. PMID: 21843870, PMCID: PMC3170916, DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2011.06.010.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAmino Acid SequenceAnimalsBorrelia burgdorferiCell Migration AssaysCloning, MolecularComplement Membrane Attack ComplexComplement Pathway, Mannose-Binding LectinFemaleGene SilencingHemolysisHumansImmunization, PassiveImmunotherapy, ActiveInsect ProteinsIxodesLarvaLyme DiseaseMiceMice, Inbred C3HMolecular Sequence DataNeutrophilsNymphPhagocytosisRabbitsRecombinant ProteinsSalivaSalivary Proteins and PeptidesSequence AlignmentConceptsComplement cascadeLyme disease agent Borrelia burgdorferiImpaired neutrophil phagocytosisTick salivary proteinsVector-borne pathogensLyme disease agentMammalian infectionVector colonizationVertebrate hostsTick midgutAlternative complement pathwayBorrelia transmissionComplement-mediated killingVector proteinNeutrophil phagocytosisEssential rolePathway inhibitorComplement pathwayDisease agentsSalivary proteinsBorrelia burgdorferiLectin inhibitorsProteinCascadeIxodes ticksAn In Vivo Transfection Approach Elucidates a Role for Aedes aegypti Thioester-Containing Proteins in Flaviviral Infection
Cheng G, Liu L, Wang P, Zhang Y, Zhao YO, Colpitts TM, Feitosa F, Anderson JF, Fikrig E. An In Vivo Transfection Approach Elucidates a Role for Aedes aegypti Thioester-Containing Proteins in Flaviviral Infection. PLOS ONE 2011, 6: e22786. PMID: 21818390, PMCID: PMC3144946, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0022786.Peer-Reviewed Original Research
2004
Disruption of Ixodes scapularis anticoagulation by using RNA interference
Narasimhan S, Montgomery RR, DePonte K, Tschudi C, Marcantonio N, Anderson JF, Sauer JR, Cappello M, Kantor FS, Fikrig E. Disruption of Ixodes scapularis anticoagulation by using RNA interference. Proceedings Of The National Academy Of Sciences Of The United States Of America 2004, 101: 1141-1146. PMID: 14745044, PMCID: PMC337020, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0307669100.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsAnti-factor Xa activityNumerous infectious diseasesIxodes scapularis ticksRNA interferenceMultiple anticoagulantsReduction of mRNAXa activityVaccine candidatesInfectious diseasesTick salivaAnticoagulantsBabesia microtiPhysiologic functionI. scapularis salivaSalivary glandsBorrelia burgdorferiTick feedingScapularis ticksAnticoagulant activityAnaplasma phagocytophilumTick engorgementSuch interventionsEngorgement weightEngorgementKey target