In episode 3 of Exploration Science, Professor Ingrid Dijkgraaf and Dr. Amine Jmel discuss the potential of tick salivary proteins as lead molecules to develop therapeutics, vaccines, and imaging agents for applications ranging from cardiac disease to livestock immunization.

DOI Links:

Inhibition of platelet adhesion, thrombus formation, and fibrin formation by a potent αIIbβ3 integrin inhibitor from ticks:  10.1002/rth2.12466

Immunomodulatory Proteins in Tick Saliva from a Structural Perspective: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.769574

Exogenous Integrin αIIbβ3 Inhibitors Revisited: Past, Present and Future Applications: 10.3390/ijms22073366

Structural characterization of anti-CCL5 activity of the tick salivary protein evasin-4: 10.1074/jbc.RA120.013891

Tick Saliva Protein Evasin-3 Allows for Visualization of Inflammation in Arteries through Interactions with CXC-Type Chemokines Deposited on Activated Endothelium: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.0c00095

Tick saliva protein Evasin-3 modulates chemotaxis by disrupting CXCL8 interactions with glycosaminoglycans and CXCR2: 10.1074/jbc.RA119.008902

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EZBAt7Sw-e4