Abstract
Despite increasing studies targeted at host-pathogen interactions, vector-borne diseases remain one of the largest economic health burdens worldwide. Such diseases are vectored by hematophagous arthropods that deposit pathogens into the vertebrate host’s skin during a blood meal. These pathogens spend a substantial amount of time in the skin that allows for interaction with cutaneous immune cells, suggesting a window of opportunity for development of vaccine strategies. In particular, the recent availability of intravital imaging approaches has provided further insights into immune cell behavior in living tissues. Here, we discuss how such intravital imaging studies have contributed to our knowledge of cutaneous immune cell behavior and specifically, toward pathogen and tissue trauma from the arthropod bite. We also suggest future imaging approaches that may aid in better understanding of the complex interplay between arthropod-vectored pathogens and cutaneous immunity that could lead to improved therapeutic strategies.
Highlights
INTRODUCTION “here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place” – a statement made by the Red Queen to Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass in her explanation of the nature of Wonderland
In 1973, Leigh Van Valen proposed the metaphor of an evolutionary arms race coined the Red Queen Hypothesis, which suggests that microbial pathogens and their host co-evolve continuously to maintain a state of balance [1]. This continuous microbial challenge is believed to result in specialized immune cell subsets in the host [2] that reside in specific anatomical sites, which allows immune cells to defend against foreign pathogens yet maintain tolerance toward commensal flora [3, 4]
Langerhans cells (LCs) and a subset of γδ T-cells found in mice, known as dendritic epidermal T-cells (DETCs), are the major immune cell types in the epidermis and are both characterized by their defined dendritic-like yet sessile behavior [6,7,8]
Summary
INTRODUCTION “here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place” – a statement made by the Red Queen to Alice in Lewis Carroll’s Through the Looking Glass in her explanation of the nature of Wonderland. In contrast to the epidermis, the highly vascularized dermis compartment bustles with activity and consists of a variety of immune cells including dermal dendritic cells (dDCs), mast cells, macrophages, neutrophils, and both αβ and γδT-cells. THE CAMERA: DYNAMIC IMAGING IN VIVO The interaction between arthropod vectors, the pathogen, and the host’s immune response is a complex and multifactorial event.
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