Apoptosis and autophagy promote <i>Babesia microti</i> infection in tick midguts: insights from transcriptomic and functional RNAi studies.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Ticks are the primary vectors of Babesia sp, with the midgut as the initial site of pathogen invasion following blood feeding. Elucidating the molecular interactions between tick midguts and Babesia is essential for developing targeted strategies to control tick-borne babesiosis. However, studies in this field remain limited.

Methods

To investigate tick-pathogen interactions, we employed RNA-seq to profile gene expression, and qRT-PCR served to validate key findings. Apoptosis and autophagy were assessed via TUNEL staining and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Furthermore, RNA interference (RNAi) and pharmacological modulation were employed to evaluate the impact of ticks on pathogen load.

Results

Our RNA-seq analysis identified 540 an

SUBMITTER: Chen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12491973 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature