title: Analysis of the ability of spirochete species associated with relapsing fever, avian borreliosis, and epizootic bovine abortion to bind factor H and cleave c3b.
abstract: Some Borrelia species associated with Lyme disease bind the complement-regulatory protein factor H (fH), a process that may aid in immune evasion. In this report we demonstrate that some Borrelia species associated with relapsing fever bind fH, but not those associated with avian borreliosis and epizootic bovine abortion. Cell-bound fH was also found to mediate cleavage of exogenously supplied human C3b, demonstrating the biological relevance of fH binding and its possible importance in the pathogenesis of the relapsing-fever spirochetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Center for the Study of Biological Complexity, Medical College of Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, USA.
authors.forename: John V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: McDowell
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tran
authors.forename: Duncan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hamilton
authors.forename: Jill
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolfgang
authors.forename: Kelley
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Richard T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Marconi
mesh_terms: D000034:Abortion, Veterinary / Q000382:microbiology*; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D001898:Borrelia / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D001899:Borrelia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000662:veterinary*; D002417:Cattle; D003179:Complement C3b / Q000378:metabolism*; D017242:Complement Factor H / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006868:Hydrolysis; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology; D012061:Relapsing Fever / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013142:Spirochaeta / Q000302:isolation & purification* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000472:pathogenicity
chemical_list: C493495:CFH protein, human; D003179:Complement C3b; D017242:Complement Factor H