Tick-protozoan parasite interactions: focusing on nutrient metabolism in ticks

• Project/Area Number: 16K18794
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Veterinary medical science
• Research Institution: Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: SHIRAFUJI Rika 帯広畜産大学, 原虫病研究センター, 助教 (00549909)
• Research Collaborator: YOKOYAMA naoaki ; SUZUKI hiroshi ; HORIUCHI noriyuki ; MATSUO tomohide ; HAYASHIDA kyoko
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
• Budget Amount: ¥4,160,000 (Direct Cost: ¥3,200,000、Indirect Cost: ¥960,000); Fiscal Year 2018: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000); Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,690,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,300,000、Indirect Cost: ¥390,000)
• Keywords: マダニ / 栄養シグナル伝達 / 原虫伝播 / RNA干渉法 / 飢餓 / 飽血 / 獣医学 / 畜産学 / 感染症 / シグナル伝達

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Ticks are blood sucking arthropods and transmit various pathogens to human and animals. In this study, we focused on nutrient metabolism in protozoan parasite-infected ticks and examined the gene expression profiles of autophagy- and Target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway-related molecules in the infected ticks. We found that some genes were up-regulated or down-regulated in protozoan parasite-infected ticks. Subsequently, gene silencing mediated by RNA interference was performed to compare phenotype and infection rates of between control and knockdown ticks. As a result, it was suggested that the molecules involved in the synthesis and uptake of egg yolk protein precursor (vitellogenin), an essential molecule for oocyte / embryo development, might play an important role in the tick-protozoan parasite interactions in the ovaries.

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究では、原虫感染マダニモデルを用い、原虫がマダニ卵巣に感染する際に重要な役割を担う分子を見出した。それらの分子は、マダニ胚の栄養源である卵黄タンパク質前駆体（ビテロジェニン）の合成と取り込みに関与する分子であり、研究開始当初の仮説の通り、マダニにおける原虫の伝播は、マダニの生命維持と繁殖の付随現象であることが明らかになった。これらの成果は、将来の原虫伝播阻止ワクチンの作製と効果実証研究へと発展させるための重要な基礎情報である。

Research Products

• [Journal Article] The development of oocytes in the ovary of a parthenogenetic tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (2018)
  • Author(s): Mihara R, Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Abe Y, Matsuo T, Horiuchi N, Kawano S, Fujisaki K, Suzuki H.
  • Journal Title: Parasitology International Volume: 67 Issue: 4 Pages: 465-471
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2018.04.006
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Establishment of a mouse-tick infection model for Theileria orientalis and analysis of its transcriptome (2018)
  • Author(s): Hayashida Kyoko、Umemiya-Shirafuji Rika、Sivakumar Thillaiampalam、Yamagishi Junya、Suzuki Yutaka、Sugimoto Chihiro、Yokoyama Naoaki
  • Journal Title: International Journal for Parasitology Volume: 48 Issue: 12 Pages: 915-924
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2018.05.012
  • NAID: 120006533722
  • Peer Reviewed / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Application of Percoll density gradient centrifugation for separation of Babesia ovata-infected erythrocytes (2017)
  • Author(s): Sato M, Hatta T, Maeda H, Tsubokawa D, Alim MA, Tsuji N, Inoue N, Suzuki H, Umemiya-Shirafuji R.
  • Journal Title: Journal of Protozoology Research Volume: 27 Pages: 8-12
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research
• [Journal Article] Transovarial persistence of Babesia ovata DNA in a hard tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis, in a semi-artificial mouse skin membrane feeding system (2017)
  • Author(s): Umemiya-Shirafuji R, Hatta T, Okubo K, Sato M, Maeda H, Kume A, Yokoyama N, Igarashi I, Tsuji N, Fujisaki K, Inoue N, Suzuki H.
  • Journal Title: Acta Parasitologica Volume: 62 Issue: 4 Pages: 836-841
  • DOI: 10.1515/ap-2017-0100
  • NAID: 120006411416
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access
• [Journal Article] Initial development of Babesia ovata in the tick midgut (2017)
  • Author(s): Maeda, H., Hatta, T., Alim, M. A., Tsubokawa, D., Mikami, F., Kusakisako, K., Matsubayashi, M., Umemiya-Shirafuji, R., Tsuji, N. and Tanaka, T.
  • Journal Title: Vet. Prasitol. Volume: 233 Pages: 39-42
  • DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2016.11.020
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Journal Article] Establishment of a novel tick-Babesia experimental infection mode (2016)
  • Author(s): Maeda, H., Hatta, T., Alim, M. A., Tsubokawa, D., Mikami, F., Matsubayashi, M., Miyoshi, T., Umemiya-Shirafuji, R., Kawazu, S., Igarashi, I., Mochizuki, M., Tsuji, N. and Tanaka, T.
  • Journal Title: Sci. Rep. Volume: 6 Issue: 1 Pages: 37039-37039
  • DOI: 10.1038/srep37039
  • Peer Reviewed / Open Access / Int'l Joint Research / Acknowledgement Compliant
• [Presentation] 原虫病研究センターにおけるマダニ研究の展開 (2018)
  • Author(s): 白藤梨可、井上昇、岡戸清、横山直明、藤崎幸蔵、鈴木宏志、玄学南．
  • Organizer: 第70回日本衛生動物学会大会・第26回病害動物の生理分子生物談話会
  • Invited
• [Presentation] Oogenesis in a parthenogenetic tick, Haemaphysalis longicornis (2018)
  • Author(s): Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
  • Organizer: 14th International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA2018)
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Autophagy-related genes in ticks (2018)
  • Author(s): Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji
  • Organizer: 14th International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA2018)
  • Int'l Joint Research / Invited
• [Presentation] Babesia ovata感染フタトゲチマダニにおける卵形成に関わる分子の発現解析 (2018)
  • Author(s): 國寄 真希、岡戸 清、岡田 美穂、菅沼 啓輔、鈴木宏志、白藤（梅宮） 梨可．
  • Organizer: 第27回日本ダニ学会大会
• [Presentation] Babesia ovata感染フタトゲチマダニの卵形成過程における遺伝子発現変化 (2018)
  • Author(s): 白藤（梅宮） 梨可、國寄 真希、八田 岳士、岡戸 清、辻 尚利、藤崎 幸蔵、鈴木 宏志．
  • Organizer: 第87回日本寄生虫学会大会
• [Presentation] フタトゲチマダニ卵母細胞の発育過程における卵黄タンパク質前駆体受容体の発現 (2017)
  • Author(s): 白藤（梅宮）梨可、三原 涼、阿部 靖之、松尾 智英、堀内 雅之、川野 優、藤崎 幸蔵、鈴木 宏志．
  • Organizer: 第86回日本寄生虫学会大会
• [Presentation] Theileria orientalis のマウスとマダニを用いた感染実験系の確立と遺伝子発現解析 (2017)
  • Author(s): 林田 京子、白藤 梨可、Thillaiampalam Sivakumar、山岸 潤也、鈴木 穣、杉本 千尋、横山 直明
  • Organizer: 第86回日本寄生虫学会大会
• [Presentation] Gene expression and protein localization of vitellogenin receptor in growing oocytes in parthenogenetic Haemaphysalis longicornis ticks (2017)
  • Author(s): Rika Umemiya-Shirafuji, Ryo Mihara, Yasuyuki Abe, Tomohide Matsuo, Noriyuki Horiuchi, Damdinsuren Boldbaatar, Kozo Fujisaki, Hiroshi Suzuki.
  • Organizer: 9th Tick and Tick-borne Pathogen Conference & 1st Asia Pacific Rickettsia Conference
  • Int'l Joint Research
• [Presentation] マダニ生物学から見た原虫伝播メカニズムの理解 (2017)
  • Author(s): 白藤（梅宮）梨可．
  • Organizer: 第160回日本獣医学会学術集会（公衆衛生学分科会シンポジウム）
  • Invited
• [Presentation] フタトゲチマダニ卵におけるBabesia ovata β-チューブリン遺伝子の検出． (2016)
  • Author(s): 白藤（梅宮） 梨可、八田 岳士、大久保 和洋、佐藤 萌子、前田 大輝、横山 直明、五十嵐 郁男、藤崎 幸蔵、井上 昇、辻 尚利．
  • Organizer: 第25回日本ダニ学会札幌大会．
  • Place of Presentation: 北海道立道民活動センター かでる2・7（北海道札幌市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-10-15
• [Presentation] Babesia ovata原虫におけるマダニ中腸形態へのステージシフト誘導実験． (2016)
  • Author(s): 前田 大輝、八田 岳士、坪川 大悟、三上 房子、松林 誠、白藤（梅宮） 梨可、辻 尚利、田仲 哲也．
  • Organizer: 第159回日本獣医学会学術集会．日本獣医寄生虫学会．
  • Place of Presentation: 日本大学生物資源科学部湘南キャンパス（神奈川県藤沢市）
  • Year and Date: 2016-09-06
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター
  • URL: https://www.obihiro.ac.jp/facility/protozoa/
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター 論文リスト（2018）
  • URL: https://www.obihiro.ac.jp/facility/protozoa/publication-2018
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター
  • URL: http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/index.html
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター 2017年 論文リスト
  • URL: http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/gyoseki2017.html
• [Remarks] 帯広畜産大学 原虫病研究センター 2016-2017研究業績
  • URL: http://www.obihiro.ac.jp/~protozoa/gyoseki.html