BB0405 protein - important vaccine target found

A Borrelia burgdorferi surface-exposed transmembrane protein lacking detectable immune responses supports pathogen persistence and constitutes a vaccine target

Borrelia burgdorferi harbors a limited set of transmembrane surface proteins, most of which constitute key targets of humoral immune responses. Here we show that BB0405, a conserved membrane-spanning protein of unknown function, fails to evoke detectable antibody responses despite its extracellular exposure. bb0405 is a member of an operon and ubiquitously expressed throughout the rodent-tick infection cycle. The gene product serves an essential function in vivo, as bb0405-deletion mutants are unable to transmit from ticks and establish infection in mammalian hosts. Despite the lack of BB0405-specific IgM or IgG antibodies during natural infection, mice immunized with a recombinant version of the protein elicited high-titer and remarkably long-lasting antibody responses, conferring significant host protection against tick-borne infection. Taken together, these studies highlight the essential role of an apparently immune-invisible borrelial transmembrane protein in facilitating infection and its usefulness as a target of protective host immunity blocking the transmission of B. burgdorferi.

jid.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2016/01/07/infdis.jiw013.abstract

Post Edited (mpost) : 1/14/2016 12:13:19 PM (GMT-7)

Thanks, as always, for sharing your great research efforts, mpost!!

I agree with k07 - especially when you think about the fact that people got sick with Lyme arthritis after getting the Lymex vaccine.

Plus, they're talking about one strain of Lyme....what about the other 99+ strains along with all the Babesia strains, Bartonella strains and the other lovely (not) infections we can get?

We need better prevention, awareness and effective diagnosis along with prompt and thorough treatment.

Traveler said...

And I find I'm super irritated with the fact that everyone in the science field seems to only focus on the one strain - as CD was talking about. It's not like it's the only strain that causes human illness!!

Well they don't even have a vaccine or effective cure for the now famous B31 strain. That would be a good start. Maybe at least some of its cousins have a few similar vulnerabilities.

Just tryin to stay positive here !!