Immunization with outer surface protein (Osp) A, but not OspC, provides cross-protection of mice challenged with North American isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi.
The identification of antigens with the capacity to induce a broad spectrum of protective immunity is an important consideration in the design of a Lyme disease vaccine. In this study, the range of protection provided by outer surface protein (Osp) A or OspC vaccination was compared. Mice actively immunized with OspA or OspC were challenged with 3 North American isolates of Borrelia burgdorferi. OspA-immunized mice were fully protected from infection with each of the isolates, whereas mice immunized with OspC were protected from infection with the homologous isolate but not with 2 heterologous isolates. Sequence analysis revealed that the ospA genes from these 3 isolates were >99% homologous, whereas the ospC genes shared only 81%-85% homology. Western blot analysis suggested antigenic heterogeneity associated with OspC but not OspA. These results indicate that genetic and antigenic heterogeneity may limit the usefulness of OspC as a vaccine constituent.
Probert
W S
WS
Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616, USA.
Crawford
M
M
Cadiz
R B
RB
LeFebvre
R B
RB
D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology*; D003429:Cross Reactions / Q000276:immunology; D007114:Immunization; D008074:Lipoproteins; D008193:Lyme Disease / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D000954:Antigens, Surface; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D001428:Bacterial Vaccines; D008074:Lipoproteins; C072045:OspA protein; C079616:OspC protein; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic