Publication detail

A novel approach to imaging engorged ticks: Micro-CT scanning of Ixodes ricinus fed on blood enriched with gold nanoparticles

ONDRUŠ, J. HUBATKA, F. KULICH, P. ODEHNALOVÁ, N. HARABIŠ, V. HESKO, B. SYCHRA, O. ŠIROKÝ, P. TURÁNEK, J. NOVOBILSKÝ, A.

Original Title

A novel approach to imaging engorged ticks: Micro-CT scanning of Ixodes ricinus fed on blood enriched with gold nanoparticles

Type

journal article in Web of Science

Language

English

Original Abstract

Micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) is an exceptional imaging modality which is limited in visualizing soft biological tissues that need pre-examination contrasting steps, which can cause serious deformation to sizeable specimens like engorged ticks. The aim of this study was to develop a new technique to bypass these limitations and allow the imaging of fed ticks in their natural state. To accomplish this, adult Ixodes ricinus females were allowed to engorge in vitro on blood supplemented with PEGylated gold nanoparticles (PEG-AuNPs). In total, 73/120 females divided into 6 groups engorged on blood enriched with 0.07–2.16 mg PEG-AuNPs per ml of blood. No toxic effect was observed for any of the tested groups compared to the control group, in which 12/20 females engorged on clear blood. The ticks were scanned on a Bruker micro-CT SkyScan 1276. The mean radiodensity of the examined ticks exceeded 0 Hounsfield Units only in the case of the two groups with the highest concentration. The best contrast was observed in ticks engorged on blood with the highest tested concentration of 2.16 mg/mL PEG-AuNPs. In these ticks, the midgut and rectal sac were clearly visible. Also, the midgut lumen volume was computed from segmented image data. The reduction in midgut volume was documented during the egg development process. According to this pilot study, micro-CT of ticks engorged on blood supplemented with contrasting agents in vitro may reveal additional information regarding the engorged ticks’ anatomy.

Keywords

Anatomy, ArthropodsIn vitro feeding, Gold nanoparticles, Micro-computed tomography, Non-destructive visualization

Authors

ONDRUŠ, J.; HUBATKA, F.; KULICH, P.; ODEHNALOVÁ, N.; HARABIŠ, V.; HESKO, B.; SYCHRA, O.; ŠIROKÝ, P.; TURÁNEK, J.; NOVOBILSKÝ, A.

Released

28. 9. 2020

Publisher

Elsevier

ISBN

1877-959X

Periodical

TICKS TICK-BORNE DIS

Year of study

12

Number

1

State

Federal Republic of Germany

Pages from

1

Pages to

6

Pages count

6

URL

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X20304283

BibTex

@article{BUT165458,
  author="Jaroslav {Ondruš} and Vratislav {Harabiš} and Branislav {Hesko} and František {Hubatka} and Adam {Novobilský} and Pavel {Kulich} and Nikola {Odehnalová} and Oldřich {Sychra} and Pavel {Široký} and Jaroslav {Turánek}",
  title="A novel approach to imaging engorged ticks: Micro-CT scanning of Ixodes ricinus fed on blood enriched with gold nanoparticles",
  journal="TICKS TICK-BORNE DIS",
  year="2020",
  volume="12",
  number="1",
  pages="1--6",
  doi="10.1016/j.ttbdis.2020.101559",
  issn="1877-959X",
  url="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1877959X20304283"
}