Tick salivary cystatin Iristatin limits the virus replication in skin of tick-borne encephalitis virus-infected mice.

ABSTRACT: Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is flavivirus transmitted to the host via tick saliva which contains various molecules with biological impacts. One of such molecules is Iristatin, a cysteine protease inhibitor from Ixodes ricinus that has been shown to have immunomodulatory properties. To characterize Iristatin in the relation to TBEV, we investigate whether this tick inhibitor has any capacity to influence TBEV infection. Mice were intradermally infected by TBEV with or without Iristatin and the viral multiplication was determined in skin and brain tissues by RT-PCR two and 5 days after infection. The viral RNA was detected in both intervals in skin and increased by time. The application of Iristatin caused a reduction in viral RNA in skin but not in the brain of infected mice 5 days

SUBMITTER: Langhansova H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11739226 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature