Characterization of tick antigens inducing host immune resistance. I. Immunization of guinea pigs with Amblyomma americanum-derived salivary gland extracts and identification of an important salivary gland protein antigen with guinea pig anti-tick antibodies.

Guinea pigs immunized by subcutaneous injection of an emulsion of incomplete Freund's adjuvant (IFA) containing tick salivary gland extract antigens (SGA) from partially fed female ticks expressed a significant level of tick rejection when challenged 17 days later. This level of tick rejection was similar to animals actively sensitized by tick feeding and challenged at the same time. SGA emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) or administered with saline was ineffective. However, ticks that fed on animals immunized with SGA+IFA or SGA+CFA expressed significant reductions in engorgement weight. SGA was active when prepared with or without protease inhibitors. The minimum effective immunizing dose of SGA was between 100 and 280 micrograms per animal. Extracts made from salivary gland-derived cement material (CA) from partially fed female ticks administered at 50 micrograms in IFA induced levels of tick rejection comparable to animals immunized with 280 micrograms of SGA+IFA. Sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS/PAGE) of 35S- and 125I-radiolabeled SGA and CA extracts immunoprecipitated by guinea pig anti-tick serum that transferred immune resistance demonstrated a unique protein of 20,000 m.w. Serum from animals immunized with SGA+IFA (successful immunization) recognized this same protein, whereas serum from animals immunized with SGA+CFA (unsuccessful immunization) did not. The results of this study suggest that a 20,000 m.w. protein derived from the tick salivary gland may be responsible for the induction and perhaps elicitation of host immune resistance responses to Amblyomma americanum ticks.