Open AccessSerologic Proteome Analysis of Borrelia burgdorferi Membrane-Associated Proteins
Author(s) -
Andrew Nowalk,
Robert D. Gilmore,
James A. Carroll
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.00189-06
Subject(s) - borrelia burgdorferi , lyme disease , proteome , borrelia , biology , spirochaetaceae , serology , virology , borrelia afzelii , microbiology and biotechnology , ixodes , membrane protein , borrelia garinii , immune system , lyme neuroborreliosis , antibody , immunology , genetics , membrane
Lyme disease, a global health concern, is caused by infection withBorrelia burgdorferi ,B. afzelii , orB. garinii . The spirochete responsible for the disease in the United States isB. burgdorferi and is spread by the bite of an infectedIxodes tick. We utilized multiple two-dimensional gel techniques combined with proteomics to reveal the full humoral immune response of mice and Lyme patients to membrane-associated proteins isolated fromBorrelia burgdorferi . Our studies indicated that a subset of immunogenic membrane-associated proteins (some new and some previously identified) was recognized by mice experimentally infected withBorrelia burgdorferi either by low-dose needle inoculation or by tick infestation. Moreover, the majority of these immunogenic membrane-associated proteins were recognized by sera from patients diagnosed with early-disseminated Lyme disease. These included RevA, ErpA, ErpP, DbpA, BmpA, FtsZ, ErpB, LA7, OppA I, OppA II, OppA IV, FlhF, BBA64, BBA66, and BB0323. Some immunogens (i.e., BBI36/38) were more reactive with sera from mice than Lyme patients, while additional membrane proteins (i.e., FlaB, P66, LA7, and Hsp90) were recognized more strongly with sera from patients diagnosed with early-localized, early-disseminated, or late (chronic)-stage Lyme disease. We were able to examine the humoral response in Lyme patients in a temporal fashion and to identify the majority of immunoreactive proteins as the disease progresses from early to late stages. This serologic proteome analysis enabled the identification of novel membrane-associated proteins that may serve as new diagnostic markers and, more importantly, as second-generation vaccine candidates for protection against Lyme disease.