Salivary gland extract from the deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, facilitates neuroinvasion by Powassan virus in BALB/c mice

Powassan virus (POWV) is a neuroinvasive flavivirus transmitted to mammals by the bite of ixodid ticks. In this study, we sought to investigate the impact of tick salivary gland extract (SGE) on POWV neuroinvasion. BALB/c mice were footpad inoculated with either a high dose or a low dose of POWV, wi...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Scientific reports 2021-10, Vol.11 (1), p.20873-20873, Article 20873
Main Authors: Santos, Rodrigo I., Hermance, Meghan E., Reynolds, Erin S., Thangamani, Saravanan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
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692/699
Animals
Brain
Central nervous system
Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne - pathogenicity
Encephalitis, Tick-Borne - virology
Exocrine glands
Female
Humanities and Social Sciences
Invasiveness
Ixodes - metabolism
Ixodes - virology
Ixodes scapularis
Male
Mice
Mice, Inbred BALB C
multidisciplinary
Salivary gland
Salivary Glands - metabolism
Salivary Glands - virology
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
Spinal cord
Viruses
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Summary:Powassan virus (POWV) is a neuroinvasive flavivirus transmitted to mammals by the bite of ixodid ticks. In this study, we sought to investigate the impact of tick salivary gland extract (SGE) on POWV neuroinvasion. BALB/c mice were footpad inoculated with either a high dose or a low dose of POWV, with and without Ixodes scapularis salivary gland extract. Brain and spinal cord were extracted daily, and immunohistochemical techniques were used for temporal tracking of POWV antigen. The temporal pattern of POWV staining showed a caudal to rostral spread of POWV in the brains of mice from both high dose infection groups. For the high dose infection groups, the presence of tick SGE did not influence the spread of POWV in the brain. Mice infected with the low dose of virus alone did not present POWV staining in the brain; however, in the presence of SGE, low dose infected mice presented scattered foci of POWV-infected cells throughout the brain. This study shows that tick SGE facilitates POWV neuroinvasion when mice are infected with the lower dose of POWV. We also found two patterns of central nervous system invasion that were directly influenced by the dose of POWV administered.
ISSN:2045-2322
2045-2322
DOI:10.1038/s41598-021-00021-2