Applications of a cell culture system for studying the interaction ofAnaplasmamarginale with tick cells

Abstract

AbstractA cell culture system for the tick-borne rickettsiaAnaplasma marginaleoffers new opportunities for research on this economically important pathogen of cattle.A. marginalemultiplies in membrane-bound inclusions in host cells. Whereas erythrocytes appear to be the only site of infection in cattle,A. marginaleundergoes a complex developmental cycle in ticks and transmission occurs via the salivary glands during feeding. We recently developed a cell culture system forA. marginaleusing a cell line derived from embryos ofIxodes scapularis. Here we review the use of this cell culture system for studying the interaction ofA. marginalewith tick cells. Several assays were developed using theA. marginale/tick cell system. An adhesion assay was developed for the identification of proteins required byA. marginalefor adhesion to tick cells. The effect of antibodies against selected major surface proteins in inhibitingA. marginaleinfection was tested in an assay that allowed further confirmation of the role of surface proteins in the infection of tick cells. A drug screening assay forA. marginalewas developed and provides a method of initial drug selection without the use of cattle. The culture system was used to test for enhancing effects of tick saliva and saliva components onA. marginaleinfection. The tick cell culture system has proved to be a good model for studyingA. marginale–tick interactions. Information gained from these studies may be applicable to other closely related tick-borne pathogens that have been propagated in the same tick cell line.