title: Protection of C3H/He mice from experimental Borrelia burgdorferi infection by immunization with a 110-kilodalton fusion protein.
abstract: A 110-kDa Borrelia burgdorferi fusion protein, Escherichia coli expressing the fusion protein, transformed E. coli lacking the fusion protein insert, and lyophilized whole B. burgdorferi bacteria were compared for immunogenicity in C3H/He mice. Immunized mice were challenged with a variety of isolates from the United States or the European isolate P/Gau 3 weeks following the last inoculation. An average of 76.7% of the mice immunized with 25 micrograms of lyophilized whole B. burgdorferi cells were protected from infection, while 60% of the mice immunized with the 110-kDa fusion protein were protected. Whole E. coli bacteria expressing the fusion protein protected 57.7% of immunized mice against experimental challenge. Lower levels of protection occurred in mice challenged with the European isolate than in those challenged with isolates originating from the United States. These results demonstrate the potential of the 110-kDa fusion protein for use as a component of a subunit vaccine for prevention of Lyme borreliosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary PathoBiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul 55108, USA.
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Bey
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Larson
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Lowery
authors.forename: B W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Knutson
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Simonson
authors.forename: V L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: King
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines / Q000276:immunology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008809:Mice, Inbred C3H; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D018840:HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins; D011993:Recombinant Fusion Proteins