Ixodes ricinus bites promote allergic skin inflammation and intestinal tuft and mast cell expansion in mice
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Abstract
Background
Tick bites often promote local allergic reactions in the skin and predispose to red meat allergy. The mechanisms involved in these processes are not fully understood. Here we investigated the local changes to the skin and intestine induced by tick bites.
Methods
C3H/HEN or Balb/c mice were subjected to either tick bites by Ixodes ricinus ( I. ricinus ) or mechanical skin injury. Skin or intestine was analyzed a different time point by transcriptomic and histological techniques.
Results
Our results indicate that I. ricinus bites promote epidermal hyperplasia, spongiosis and an accumulation of eosinophils and mast cells in the bitten skin. In addition, I. ricinus bites promote the expression of genes and activate pathways also induced by mechanical skin injury elicited by tape stripping. Remarkably, similar to tape stripping, I. ricinus bites promote an increase in total serum IgE, and intestinal tuft cell and mast cell expansion.
Conclusion
I. ricinus bites in mice promote cutaneous inflammation that resembles allergic skin inflammation, as well as intestinal changes that could play a role in the predisposition to red meat allergy.
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Following blood feeding for 4 days, all ticks were removed from the back skin and skin was evaluated immediately after and following 6 (day 10) or 10 (day 14) days as depicted in figure 1A
Do you have any evidence that longer feeding times promote a more severe allergic-like response on day 10 or 14, or if a longer feeding time may postpone the onset of inflammation?
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We analyzed the skin of bitten mice for the presence of B. burgdorferi sensu lato and A. phagocytophilum by PCR in the experiments carried with field-collected ticks. We detected Borrelia and Anaplasma in several but not all the bitten skin
Could you use ticks that are free from zoonotic pathogens to confirm that the pathogens are not causing the inflammatory response?
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To investigate the changes in the skin induced by tick bites, we analyzed both the intact skin and Ixodes ricinus (I. ricinus) bitten skin of C3H/HEN mice by histology
I'm curious why you choose Ixoden ricinus rather than others species of ticks for this study? From my understanding, a preponderance of reported ticks bites that result in a red meat allergy in humans are caused by bites from Amblyomma americanum. I'm just wondering if there is an advantage to using I. ricinus.
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changes in the jejunum
Wow, is this reaction typical for mechanical stress at the level of the skin?
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Figure 2.
Hi there! Looks like the figure images/links are broken
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