Borrelia burgdorferi infection-enhanced Ixodes scapularis serpins S12c5 and S13c5, target MASP1/3 to inhibit MBL-pathway complement activation and promote spirochete survival
Emily Bencosme-Cuevas, Tae Kim, Thu-Thuy Nguyen, Moiz Ashraf Ansari, Shahbaz Manzoor Khan, Payton Smith, Kyla R Herr, Yungui Guo, William Harold Witola, Jon T. Skare, Brandon L. Garcia, Klaudia I. Kocurek, L. Garry Adams, Stefan H. E. Kaufmann, Albert Mulenga
This study identifies two tick serpins, S12c5 and S13c5, that inhibit complement activation and enhance Borrelia burgdorferi survival by targeting MASP1/3.
bioRxiv · Jun 26, 2026 · PreprintMolecular Biology