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Integrin-like RGD-dependent cell adhesion mechanism is involved in the rapid killing of Onchocerca microfilariae during early infection of Simulium damnosum s.l.

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 June 2002

H. E. HAGEN  and
S. L. KLÄGER
H. E. HAGEN
Affiliation:
Department of Biological Sciences, Keele University, Staffs ST5 5BG, UK School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Salford University, Salford M5 4WT, UK
S. L. KLÄGER
Affiliation:
School of Environmental and Life Sciences, Salford University, Salford M5 4WT, UK
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Abstract

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Injection trials with compatible and non-compatible Onchocerca species into S. damnosum s.l., the vector of human and bovine onchocerciasis, demonstrated that the rapid killing of microfilariae within the blackfly's haemocoel is species specific. In the presence of the peptide RGDS as a blocking agent for integrin-like receptors of haemocytes, the survival of O. ochengi microfilariae in its natural intermediate host was significantly increased. This increased survival 24 h p.i. correlated with a significant decrease of apoptosis levels in the microfilariae following a 2 h exposure to the haemolymph in vivo. These findings suggest that haemocytes are directly involved in the killing of Onchocerca microfilariae in the blackfly.

Keywords

innate immunityhaemocytesapoptosiscytotoxicitynatural killer cellsSimulium damnosumOnchocerca ochengiblackfliesfilarial infectionriver blindness
Type
Research Article
Information
Parasitology , Volume 122 , Issue 4 , April 2001 , pp. 433 - 438
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press