Wolbachia Impacts Anaplasma Infection in Ixodes scapularis Tick Cells.

ABSTRACT: The specific interactions of members of tick bacterial microbiota and their effects on pathogen transmission remains relatively unexplored. Here, we introduced a novel Wolbachia infection type into Ixodes scapularis tick cells and examined the antipathogenic effects on the intracellular pathogen Anaplasma phagocytophilum. An increase in A. phagocytophilum replication was observed in Wolbachia-infected tick cells. However, Wolbachia infection densities decreased when cells were serially passaged and ultimately the infection was lost. Host-cell immune response was also examined as an additional factor that could have affected A. phagocytophilum replication in Wolbachia-infected cells. In early passages post-Wolbachia infection, a decreased immune response was observed, but in later passages

SUBMITTER: Skinner KM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8834366 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature