J Vet Sci.  2005 Mar;6(1):47-51.

Immunization of mice with recombinant P27/30 protein confers protection against hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari: Ixodidae) infestation

• You MJ

Abstract

The success of immunological control methods is dependent upon the use of potential key antigens as tick vaccine candidates. Previously, we cloned a gene encoding 27 kDa and 30 kDa proteins (P27/30) of Haemaphysalis longicornis, and identified the P27/30 is a troponin I-like protein. In this study, the recombinant P27/30 (rP27/30) expressed in Escherichia coli was used to immunize mice and the mice were challenge-infested with ticks at different developmental stages of the same species. The rP27/30 protein stimulated a specific protective anti-tick immune response in mice, evidenced by the statistically significant longer pre-feeding periods in adult ticks. Furthermore, significantly longer feeding periods were noted in both larval and adult ticks. On the other hand, only larval ticks exhibited low attachment rates (31.1%). Immunization of mice with rP27/30 protein confers protection against hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis infestation. These results demonstrated that the rP27/30 protein might be a useful vaccine candidate antigen for biological control of ticks.

Keyword

ticks; troponin I; antigen; immunity; biological control

MeSH Terms

Animals
Feeding Behavior
Female
Ixodidae/*immunology
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
Microfilament Proteins/*immunology
Recombinant Proteins/immunology
Tick Infestations/*prevention&control
Vaccines, Synthetic/immunology