PUBLICATION

Tick salivary proteins metalloprotease and allergen-like p23 are associated with response to glycan α-Gal and mycobacterium infection

Authors
Vaz-Rodrigues, R., Mazuecos, L., Contreras, M., González-García, A., Rafael, M., Villar, M., de la Fuente, J.
ID
ZDB-PUB-250317-2
Date
2025
Source
Scientific Reports   15: 88498849 (Journal)
Registered Authors
Keywords
Allergy, Saliva, Tick, Tuberculosis, Zebrafish, α-Gal syndrome
MeSH Terms
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides/immunology
  • Salivary Proteins and Peptides/metabolism
  • Ticks/immunology
  • Ticks/microbiology
  • Food Hypersensitivity/immunology
  • Food Hypersensitivity/metabolism
  • Food Hypersensitivity/microbiology
  • Humans
  • Polysaccharides/immunology
  • Polysaccharides/metabolism
  • Animals
  • Metalloproteases*/metabolism
  • Allergens/immunology
  • Mycobacterium Infections/immunology
  • Zebrafish*/immunology
PubMed
40087469 Full text @ Sci. Rep.
Abstract
The alpha-Gal syndrome (AGS) evolved as a catastrophic selection associated with anti-α-Gal IgM/IgG protective response against pathogen infection and tick-borne food allergy caused by IgE-type antibodies against this glycan present in glycoproteins and glycolipids from mammalian meat and derived products. The immune response to α-Gal is modulated by tick salivary proteins with and without α-Gal modifications in combination with tick saliva non-protein fraction. Herein, we characterized the role of tick salivary proteins, metalloprotease and allergen-like p23 in AGS and protection against tuberculosis in the AGS zebrafish animal model. Metalloprotease and p23 are involved in allergic reactions after mammalian meat consumption through upregulation of pro-inflammatory protein-coding genes prkdc, tlr2, tnfα and il1b. Challenge with Mycobacterium marinum activated Th1-mediated immune protective response with reduced pathogen infection, ameliorating Th2-associated allergic reactions associated with AGS. These results highlight molecular mechanisms modulated by tick proteins in response to α-Gal and provide insights to reduce AGS impact on human health.
Genes / Markers
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Phenotype
Mutations / Transgenics
Human Disease / Model
Sequence Targeting Reagents
Fish
Antibodies
Orthology
Engineered Foreign Genes
Mapping