Ticks are obligatory ectoparasites that feed on the blood of vertebrate hosts and often transmit pathogens, including bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. Tick-borne diseases cause huge economic losses in the animal industry as well as health risks to humans. The salivary secretions of ticks play an important role in blood feeding by modulating the host response. We propose to investigate the neural mechanisms controlling salivary secretion in the black-legged tick, Ixodes scapularis, one of the most important ticks in the northern U.S. in terms of its risk to human health. Our preliminary studies, combined with previous studies, led to hypotheses attempting to explain the major mechanism involved in salivary gland control. We hypothesize that myoinhibitory peptide (MIP) and SIFamide control dopamine biosynthesis in the salivary glands. Dopamine, as a paracrine signal synthesized and secreted from basally located cells in the salivary gland acini, activates apical epithelial cells and granular cells in the acini for salivary secretion. To test these hypotheses, three Specific Aims are proposed in this proposal.
Specific Aim 1 is to identify and characterize the receptors for each SIFamide and dopamine in the salivary glands.
Specific Aim 2 is to investigate the biosynthesis of catecholamines in the salivary glands by biochemical analyses.
Specific Aim 3 will be to investigate the functions of MIP, SIFamide, and dopamine signaling pathways in the salivary gland using RNAi and physiological assays. This study will contribute significantly to the body of knowledge that has accumulated in the last three decades with regard to the understanding of the mechanisms controlling the tick salivary gland. The fundamental knowledge obtained from this research is expected to lead to the design of compounds and vaccines that disrupt tick salivary function. The outcome of the proposed research will have a large impact on studies in other tick species that have negative impacts on the economy and human and animal health.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed work will provide an understanding of the mechanism controlling tick salivary gland, which can have large impacts on studies of other tick species that have negative impacts on the economy, and human and animal health. The fundamental knowledge will offer rational approaches to the development of environmentally benign acaricidal compounds.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AI090062-04
Application #
8460912
Study Section
Vector Biology Study Section (VB)
Program Officer
Costero, Adriana
Project Start
2010-05-01
Project End
2015-04-30
Budget Start
2013-05-01
Budget End
2014-04-30
Support Year
4
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$275,458
Indirect Cost
$89,338
Name
Kansas State University
Department
Zoology
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
929773554
City
Manhattan
State
KS
Country
United States
Zip Code
66506
Kim, Donghun; Urban, Joshua; Boyle, Daniel L et al. (2016) Multiple functions of Na/K-ATPase in dopamine-induced salivation of the Blacklegged tick, Ixodes scapularis. Sci Rep 6:21047
Jiang, Hongbo; Kim, Donghun; Dobesh, Sharon et al. (2016) Ligand selectivity in tachykinin and natalisin neuropeptidergic systems of the honey bee parasitic mite Varroa destructor. Sci Rep 6:19547
Gulia-Nuss, Monika; Nuss, Andrew B; Meyer, Jason M et al. (2016) Genomic insights into the Ixodes scapularis tick vector of Lyme disease. Nat Commun 7:10507
Jiang, Hongbo; Kim, Hong Geun; Park, Yoonseong (2015) Alternatively spliced orcokinin isoforms and their functions in Tribolium castaneum. Insect Biochem Mol Biol 65:1-9
Jiang, Hongbo; Wei, Zhaojun; Nachman, Ronald J et al. (2015) Functional characterization of five different PRXamide receptors of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum with peptidomimetics and identification of agonists and antagonists. Peptides 68:246-52
Ladislav, Roller; Ladislav, Šimo; Akira, Mizoguchi et al. (2015) Orcokinin-like immunoreactivity in central neurons innervating the salivary glands and hindgut of ixodid ticks. Cell Tissue Res 360:209-22
Šimo, Ladislav; Ko?i, Juraj; Kim, Donghun et al. (2014) Invertebrate specific D1-like dopamine receptor in control of salivary glands in the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis. J Comp Neurol 522:2038-52
Simo, Ladislav; Park, Yoonseong (2014) Neuropeptidergic control of the hindgut in the black-legged tick Ixodes scapularis. Int J Parasitol 44:819-26
Jiang, Hongbo; Wei, Zhaojun; Nachman, Ronald J et al. (2014) Molecular cloning and functional characterization of the diapause hormone receptor in the corn earworm Helicoverpa zea. Peptides 53:243-9
Jiang, Hongbo; Wei, Zhaojun; Nachman, Ronald J et al. (2014) Functional phylogenetics reveals contributions of pleiotropic peptide action to ligand-receptor coevolution. Sci Rep 4:6800

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