Ferritin2 is a newly described tick protein. It is secreted from the tick gut into the hemolymph and functions as a transporter of non-heme iron from the digested blood to the peripheral tissues. Silencing the ferritin2 by RNA interference or vaccination of experimental animals with recombinant ferritin2 have a severe impact on tick feeding and development. Sequence of ferritin2 is largely different from mammalian ferritins, which promotes it as an ideal protective antigen due to its high immunogenicity and low cross-reactivity. The main potential of ferritin2 consists in vaccinating against one-host ticks Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus. Vaccination trials of cattle with R. microplus ferritin2 (Rm-Fer2) resulted in a similar protection level as was achieved with Bm86, the component of the only existing commercial anti-tick vaccine  (Gavac™, TickGard™).  Therefore, developing of Rm-Fer2-based vaccine or supplementing the existing vaccines with Rm-Fer2 antigen may lead to the novel, highly effective and patent-protected vaccine improving livestock production in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. 

Patent: (WO/2009/155886) FERRITIN 2 FOR THE HOST IMMUNIZATION AGAINST TICKS

Hajdusek et al., PNAS 106: 1033-1038, 2009

Hajdusek et al., Vaccine 28, 2993-2998, 2010