Advances in Immunology and Microbiology Seminar Series: Cameron Coyle and Kaylee Vosbigian
About the event
Featuring research in the areas of:
Epidemiology | Infectious Disease | Disease Ecology | Drug Discovery | Virology |
Global Health | Vector-Borne Disease | Pathology
The Advances in Immunology & Microbiology seminar series is a weekly forum that brings together scientists from diverse fields and disciplines across the College of Veterinary Medicine to discuss research advances in the broad areas of immunology, microbiology, infectious diseases, and global health. Seminars feature student speakers from the Immunology & Infectious Disease (IID) doctoral program, IID-affiliated postdoctoral researchers and faculty, intramural speakers from across the university, and extramural speakers.
PRESENTER: Cameron Coyle, PhD Candidate; Mentor: Dr. Dana Shaw, Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, WSU
TITLE: Exploring the function of cell-mediated innate immune memory in Ixodes scapularis
ABSTRACT: The black-legged deer tick, Ixodes scapularis, vectors at least seven pathogens of significant public health concern including the causative agents of Lyme disease (Borrelia burgdorferi) and anaplasmosis (Anaplasma phagocytophilum). The tick immune system is a significant determinant in how ticks acquire, harbor, and transmit disease (“vector competency”). We have previously shown that antigenically priming ticks results in both short- and long-term protection against bacterial colonization. One possible mechanism mediating persistent protection is innate immune memory. Innate immune memory describes enhanced innate immune responses and increased survival following previous antigenic challenges. Mounting evidence indicates that immunological memory conferred by innate immune processes exists in invertebrates, including ticks. Specialized phagocytic cells, termed “hemocytes”, are an integral component of arthropod immune responses, but their role in tick innate immune memory remains unexplored. In this presentation, I will introduce my investigation into the transcriptional and functional involvement of hemocytes in tick innate immune memory.
PRESENTER: Kaylee Vosbigian, PhD Candidate; Mentor: Dr. Dana Shaw, Veterinary Microbiology & Pathology, WSU
TITLE: Stressed for success: How pathogen persistence in ticks is supported by ATF6 regulation of stomatin
ABSTRACT: Ixodes scapularis, the North American deer tick, can transmit seven pathogens including the causative agent of Anaplasmosis, Anaplasma phagocytophilum. How tick-borne pathogens interact with their hosts has been primarily studied in mammals. Comparatively less is known about ticks. We found that the transcription factor, ATF6 is activated during Anaplasma infection and supports pathogen colonization of ticks. What ATF6 regulates to support Anaplasma is not known. We identified an ATF6 binding site in the promoter region of stomatin and found that stomatin expression is increased in ticks infected with Anaplasma. When ATF6 is transcriptionally decreased, a corresponding decrease in stomatin is observed. We found that stomatin expression supports Anaplasma growth in larvae, which may mechanistically function through cholesterol transport. Overall, our findings uncovered a previously unknown player in vector competency of ticks.