Open AccessThe cell‐mediated immune response to Borrelia afzelii , garinii and burgdorferi in C57BL/6 mice is dependent on antigen specificity
Author(s) -
Malovrh Tadej,
Skoberne Mojca,
Gruntar Igor,
Kotnik Vladimir
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
fems immunology & medical microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1574-695X
pISSN - 0928-8244
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-695x.2000.tb01482.x
Subject(s) - borrelia afzelii , borrelia garinii , biology , borrelia burgdorferi , antigen , immune system , virology , microbiology and biotechnology , borrelia , immunology , antibody
Inbred C57BL/6 mice were challenged with Borrelia afzelii, Borrelia garinii and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto and tested for antigen‐specific T‐cell response in vitro. The sonicated preparations of in vitro grown spirochetes were capable of stimulating polyclonal proliferation and specific cell‐mediated response, depending on duration of the cell culture. Murine splenocytes previously sensitized to B. burgdorferi sensu lato (s.l.), but not those from control mice, could be induced for antigen‐specific proliferation in vitro. Moreover, detectable cell‐mediated response could be induced only with antigen preparations derived from a corresponding strain but not with those obtained from other Borrelia genospecies as revealed by the [ 3 H]thymidine incorporation assay. The current study considers that the strict B. burgdorferi s.l. antigen‐specific response may also be expected in infections in humans and contributes to the explanation of the frequently poor antibody‐ and cell‐mediated immune response observed in patients diagnosed with Lyme disease.