Abstract
BackgroundBabesia is a protozoan parasite that infects red blood cells in some vertebrates. Some species of Babesia can induce zoonoses and cause considerable harm. As the largest immune organ in mammals, the spleen plays an important role in defending against Babesia infection. When infected with Babesia, the spleen is seriously injured but still actively initiates immunomodulatory responses.MethodsTo explore the molecular mechanisms underlying the immune regulation and self-repair of the spleen in response to infection, this study used data-independent acquisition (DIA) quantitative proteomics to analyse changes in expression levels of global proteins and in phosphorylation modification in spleen tissue after Babesia microti infection in mice.ResultsAfter mice were infected with B. microti, their spleens were seriously damaged. Using bioinformatics methods to analyse dynamic changes in a large number of proteins, we found that the spleen still initiated immune responses to combat the infection, with immune-related proteins playing an important role, including cathepsin D (CTSD), interferon-induced protein 44 (IFI44), interleukin-2 enhancer-binding factor 2 (ILF2), interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A). In addition, some proteins related to iron metabolism were also involved in the repair of the spleen after B. microti infection, including serotransferrin, lactoferrin, transferrin receptor protein 1 (TfR1) and glutamate-cysteine ligase (GCL). At the same time, the expression and phosphorylation of proteins related to the growth and development of the spleen also changed, including protein kinase C-δ (PKC-δ), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 3/1, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (Grb2) and P21-activated kinase 2 (PAK2).ConclusionsImmune-related proteins, iron metabolism-related proteins and growth and development-related proteins play an important role in the regulation of spleen injury and maintenance of homeostasis. This study provides an important basis for the diagnosis and treatment of babesiosis.Graphical
Highlights
Babesia is a protozoan parasite that infects red blood cells in some vertebrates
This study showed that expression levels of immune, iron metabolism- and growth and development-related proteins in mouse spleen tissues changed after Babesia infection
Immune‐related proteins The quantitative proteomics results in this study showed that the expression of many immune-related proteins changed in the mouse spleen during B. microti infection
Summary
Babesia is a protozoan parasite that infects red blood cells in some vertebrates. Some species of Babesia can induce zoonoses and cause considerable harm. To elucidate the molecular regulatory mechanisms of immune responses and self-repair exhibited by the spleen during different stages of Babesia infection, this study used data-independent acquisition (DIA) [9] quantitative proteomics to comprehensively analyse changes in expression levels and phosphorylation modifications of proteins in mouse spleen tissues during different stages of B. microti infection. To our knowledge, this is the first proteomics study on mammalian spleen after Babesia infection. These study results may provide a theoretical basis for analyses of how the spleen perceives Babesia infection stress and resists Babesia infection and a theoretical basis for effective detection, diagnosis and treatment of babesiosis
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