The lipid component of lipoproteins from Borrelia burgdorferi: structural analysis, antigenicity, and presentation via human dendritic cells.
The spirochaetal bacteria Borrelia burgdorferi (Bb) is the tick-borne causative agent of lyme disease. The major membrane immunogens of Bb are outer surface proteins. The lipid component of these lipoproteins is relevant for the immunogenicity of Bb-lipoproteins. To characterize the antigenic properties, the native lipid component of lipoproteins was isolated and the detailed molecular structure was analyzed. The molecular structure of the lipoprotein-lipid component turned out to be S(propane-2',-3'diol)-3-thio-2-aminopropanic acid (S-glyceryl-cysteine) with one ester-linked fatty acid, one acetyl group, and one N-terminal amide-bound fatty acid. Fatty acid analysis of the lipid component indicated a heterogeneous composition comprising C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, C18:2, and C 20:0. The antigenicity was tested with in vitro bioassays using human blood-derived dendritic cells (DCs) as antigen-presenting cells and autologous Bb-specific T-cells. We found that human DCs present the lipid component of Bb-lipoproteins via MHC class II inducing an antigen-specific T-cell immune response in vitro.
Beermann
C
C
Institute of Anatomy, Division of Cell Biology, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich, CH-8057, Switzerland.
Lochnit
G
G
Geyer
R
R
Groscurth
P
P
Filgueira
L
L
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D015748:Borrelia burgdorferi Group / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D016339:Spectrometry, Mass, Fast Atom Bombardment; D019032:Spectrometry, Mass, Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption-Ionization; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology*
D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001425:Bacterial Outer Membrane Proteins; D008074:Lipoproteins