Abstract
BackgroundSand flies are hematophagous arthropods that act as vectors of Leishmania parasites. When hosts are bitten they develop cellular and humoral responses against sand fly saliva. A positive correlation has been observed between the number of bites and antibody levels indicating that anti-saliva antibody response can be used as marker of exposure to sand flies. Little is known about kinetics of antibodies against Phlebotomus perniciosus salivary gland homogenate (SGH) or recombinant salivary proteins (rSP). This work focused on the study of anti-P. perniciosus saliva antibodies in sera of mice and rabbits that were experimentally exposed to the bites of uninfected sand flies.Methodology/Principal FindingsAnti-saliva antibodies were evaluated by ELISA and Western blot. In addition, antibody levels against two P. perniciosus rSP, apyrase rSP01B and D7 related protein rSP04 were determined in mice sera. Anti-saliva antibody levels increased along the immunizations and correlated with the number of sand fly bites. Anti-SGH antibody levels were detected in sera of mice five weeks after exposure, and persisted for at least three months. Anti-apyrase rSP01B antibodies followed similar kinetic responses than anti-SGH antibodies while rSP04 showed a delayed response and exhibited a greater variability among sera of immunized mice. In rabbits, anti-saliva antibodies appeared after the second week of exposure and IgG antibodies persisted at high levels, even 7 months post-exposure.Conclusions/SignificanceOur results contributed to increase the knowledge on the type of immune response P. perniciosus saliva and individual proteins elicited highlighting the use of rSP01B as an epidemiological marker of exposure. Anti-saliva kinetics in sera of experimentally bitten rabbits were studied for the first time. Results with rabbit model provided useful information for a better understanding of the anti-saliva antibody levels found in wild leporids in the human leishmaniasis focus in the Madrid region, Spain.
Highlights
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease, where the protozoan -Leishmania spp.- is the causative agent while several species of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) serve as vectors [1]
This study shows valuable data on the kinetics of P. perniciosus salivary antibody response along the process of exposure of mice and rabbits to sand fly bites
These two animal models permitted to expand the information of anti-saliva antibody kinetics due to the variability of immune responses elicited by distinct vertebrate species
Summary
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease, where the protozoan -Leishmania spp.- is the causative agent while several species of phlebotomine sand flies (Diptera: Psychodidae) serve as vectors [1]. Cellular immunity is known to play a role in the protection against the establishment of Leishmania parasite due to pre-exposure to sand fly bites [3]. Anti-saliva antibody response is not responsible for the leishmaniasis protection, detection of anti-saliva antibodies can be used as a marker of exposure to sand flies as the appearance of antibodies against these arthropod salivary proteins is dependent on the exposure. A positive correlation has been observed between the number of bites and antibody levels indicating that anti-saliva antibody response can be used as marker of exposure to sand flies. This work focused on the study of anti-P. perniciosus saliva antibodies in sera of mice and rabbits that were experimentally exposed to the bites of uninfected sand flies
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