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Fig. 7 | Parasites & Vectors

Fig. 7

From: Saliva of Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) inhibits classical and alternative complement pathways

Fig. 7

Effect of Rhipicephalus microplus saliva on the membrane attack complex (MAC) components’ deposition and removal. a Effect on MAC components’ deposition: classical pathway-induced haemolysis was allowed to take place up to the point of C5, C6 or C7 deposition using C6-, C7- or C8-depleted serum, respectively. Normal human serum containing EDTA was then added to the assay to allow the haemolytic process to resume. Haemolysis levels were evaluated in each tube. b Effect on MAC components’ removal: alternative complement pathway-induced MAC formation was allowed to occur in agarose-coated 96-well microplates. At this point, saliva was added and the presence of MAC components was evaluated using anti-C5b and anti-C9 polyclonal antibodies. Bars represent the arithmetic mean ± standard deviation (SD) of three biological replicates. a Dunnet (C6 F (2,6) = 2.32, P = 0.21; C7 F (2,6) = 0.32, P = 0.75; C8 F (2,6) = 3.30, P = 0.14) and b t-test (C5b t (2) = 3.68, P = 0.07; C9 t (2) = 1.82, P = 0.21). Abbreviation: ns, non-significant (P > 0.05)

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