Ixodes ricinus tick saliva modulates tick-borne encephalitis virus infection of dendritic cells

• DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2010.03.015
• Publication Date: 2010-04-12T07:32:18Z
• Authors: Anna Fialová; Zdeněk Cimburek; Giandomenica Iezzi; Jan Kopecký
• Keywords: 0301 basic medicine; Ixodes; Interleukin-6; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; Dendritic Cells; Encephalitis Viruses, Tick-Borne; 3. Good health; Mice, Inbred C57BL; Mice; 03 medical and health sciences; Animals; Female; Saliva; Cells, Cultured

Tick-borne encephalitis virus is an important human pathogen, naturally delivered into host skin via a tick bite. To examine the effects of the virus on dendritic cell biology, we cultured dendritic cells with two tick-borne encephalitis virus strains of different virulence in the presence of Ixodes ricinus tick saliva. Tick saliva treatment increased proportion of virus-infected cells, led to a decrease in virus-induced TNF-alpha and IL-6 production and to reduced virus-induced apoptosis. Our data indicate that tick saliva modulate virus-mediated alterations in dendritic cells, thus probably being involved in the early infection process in the host.