Targeting Haemaphysalis longicornis serpin to prevent tick feeding and pathogen transmission
Tingting Feng, Hao Tong, Qianqian Zhang, Zhihao Ming, Zhenyu Song, Xia Zhou, Jianfeng Dai- Insect Science
- General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology
- Agronomy and Crop Science
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Abstract
Serine proteinase inhibitors (serpins), identified from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis of China, play significant roles in various animal physiological processes. In this study, we showed that H. longicornis serpins (Hlserpin‐a and Hlserpin‐b) were induced during blood‐feeding in nymph ticks and exhibited anticoagulation activity in vitro. Silencing Hlserpins through RNA interference (RNAi) significantly impaired tick feeding. Immunization of mice with recombinant Hlserpins or passive transfer of Hlserpin antiserum significantly curtails the efficacy of tick feeding. Concurrently, the transmission of the Langat virus (LGTV) from ticks to mice witnessed a substantial decrease when Hlserpins were silenced. Our findings suggest that inhibiting Hlserpins can hamper tick engorgement and pathogen transmission, indicating the potential of Hlserpins as a vaccine to counter tick‐borne diseases.