Fig. 1 in Anti-tumour necrosis factor activity in saliva of various tick species and its appearance during the feeding period

Fig. 1. Anti-tumour necrosis factor (TNF) activity in saliva/salivary gland extract (SGE) from various tick species as determined by an ELISA. Ticks (females) were fed on guinea pigs to partial engorgement (6–7 days). Various concentrations of saliva/SGE protein were preincubated for 1.5 h with 2 ng/ml of mouse recombinant TNF before the cytokine ELISA was performed. Saliva of Ixodes ricinus (Linnaeus, 1758) was used as a positive control. PBS instead of saliva/SGE was added into negative control. Results are presented as the mean ± SD of triplicate wells. *The difference between saliva-treated and untreated group was significant at P <0.05.