Host association of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato – the key role of host complement

Kurtenbach, Klaus; Michelis, Simona De; Etti, Susanne; Schäfer, Stefanie; Sewell, Henna-Sisko; Brade, Volker; Kraiczy, Peter

doi:10.1016/s0966-842x(01)02298-3

Cited by 382 publications

(410 citation statements)

References 51 publications

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“…It has been hypothesised that the genetic diversity within the B. burgdorferi genospecies is driven mainly by the host, in particular by the sensitivity or resistance to its complement system (Kurtenbach et al, 2002). Thus, vertebrate hosts, rather than tick vectors, are the key to Lyme borreliosis spirochetes diversity.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of intraspecific mtDNA variability of European Ixodes ricinus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae)

Casati

Bernasconi

Gern

et al. 2008

Infection, Genetics and Evolution

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The Ixodes ricinus complex is composed of 14 species distributed worldwide. Some members of this complex are involved in the transmission of a number of diseases to animals and humans, in particular Lyme borreliosis, tick-borne encephalitis, ehrlichiosis and babesiosis. While the phylogenetic relationships between species of the I. ricinus complex have been investigated in the past, still little is known about the genetic structure within the species I. ricinus sensu stricto. We have investigated the intraspecific variability among 26 I. ricinus s.s. ticks collected in various European countries, including Switzerland, Italy, Austria, Denmark, Sweden, and Finland by using five mitochondrial gene fragments corresponding to the control region, 12S rDNA, cytb, COI, and COII. The five genes considered here showed a low genetic variability (1.6-5%). Our results based on both statistical parsimony (applied to the COI + COII + cytb + 12S + CR data set, for a total of 3423 bp) and maximum parsimony (applied to the COI + COII + cytb + 12S data set, for a total of 2980 bp) did not provide any evidence for a correlation between the identified haplotypes and their geographic origin. Thus, the European I. ricinus s.s. ticks do not seem to show any phylogeography structure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of intraspecific mtDNA variability of European Ixodes ricinus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae)

Casati

Bernasconi

Gern

et al. 2008

Infection, Genetics and Evolution

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“…Particular outer surface proteins of B. burgdorferi are essential for their complement resistance (6,9). Complement-resistant B. burgdorferi strains, which have lost plasmids during in vitro propagation, acquire susceptibility to complement-mediated killing (54 -58).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complement Resistance of Borrelia burgdorferi Correlates with the Expression of BbCRASP-1, a Novel Linear Plasmid-encoded Surface Protein That Interacts with Human Factor H and FHL-1 and Is Unrelated to Erp Proteins

Kraiczy

Hellwage

Skerka

et al. 2004

Journal of Biological Chemistry

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216

217

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The etiologic agent of Lyme disease, Borrelia burgdorferi, is capable of circumventing the immune defense of a variety of potential vertebrate hosts. Previous work has shown that interaction of host-derived complement regulators, factor H and factor H-like protein 1 (FHL-1), with up to five complement regulator-acquiring surface proteins (CRASPs) expressed by resistant B. burgdorferi sensu lato isolates conferred complement resistance. In addition expression of CRASP-1 is directly correlated with complement resistance of Borrelia species. This work describes the functional characterization of BbCRASP-1 as the dominant factor H and FHL-1-binding protein of B. burgdorferi. The corresponding gene, zs7.a68, is located on the linear plasmid lp54 and is different from factor H-binding Erp proteins that are encoded by genes localized on circular plasmids (cp32). Deletion mutants of BbCRASP-1 were generated, and a high affinity binding site for factor H and FHL-1 was mapped to the C terminus of BbCRASP-1. Similarly, the predominant binding site of factor H and FHL-1 was localized to the short consensus repeat 7. Factor H and FHL-1 maintain their cofactor activity for factor I-mediated C3b inactivation when bound to BbCRASP-1, and factor H is up to 6-fold more efficient in mediating C3b conversion than FHL-1. In conclusion, BbCRASP-1 (i) binds the host complement regulators factor H and FHL-1 with high affinity, (ii) is the key molecule of the complement resistance of spirochetes, and (iii) is distinct from the Erp protein family. Thus, BbCRASP-1 most likely contributes to persistence of B. burgdorferi and to pathogenesis of Lyme disease.

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“…Members of the B. burgdorferi s.l. complex utilize a range of vertebrate transmission hosts, for example, the B. valaisiana genospecies is associated with birds and B. afzelii with rodents (Kurtenbach et al 2002). Deer are not considered competent transmission hosts of B. burgdorferi s.l.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating the persistence of tick-borne pathogens via the R₀model

2011

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In the epidemiology of infectious diseases, the basic reproduction number, R 0 , has a number of important applications, most notably it can be used to predict whether a pathogen is likely to become established, or persist, in a given area. We used the R 0 model to investigate the persistence of 3 tick-borne pathogens; Babesia microti, Anaplasma phagocytophilum and Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in an Apodemus sylvaticus-Ixodes ricinus system. The persistence of these pathogens was also determined empirically by screening questing ticks and wood mice by PCR. All 3 pathogens behaved differently in response to changes in the proportion of transmission hosts on which I. ricinus fed, the efficiency of transmission between the host and ticks and the abundance of larval and nymphal ticks found on small mammals. Empirical data supported theoretical predictions of the R 0 model. The transmission pathway employed and the duration of systemic infection were also identified as important factors responsible for establishment or persistence of tick-borne pathogens in a given tick-host system. The current study demonstrates how the R 0 model can be put to practical use to investigate factors affecting tick-borne pathogen persistence, which has important implications for animal and human health worldwide.

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Host association of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato – the key role of host complement

Cited by 382 publications

References 51 publications

Assessment of intraspecific mtDNA variability of European Ixodes ricinus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae)

Assessment of intraspecific mtDNA variability of European Ixodes ricinus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae)

Complement Resistance of Borrelia burgdorferi Correlates with the Expression of BbCRASP-1, a Novel Linear Plasmid-encoded Surface Protein That Interacts with Human Factor H and FHL-1 and Is Unrelated to Erp Proteins

Investigating the persistence of tick-borne pathogens via the R₀model

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Host association of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato – the key role of host complement

Cited by 382 publications

References 51 publications

Assessment of intraspecific mtDNA variability of European Ixodes ricinus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae)

Assessment of intraspecific mtDNA variability of European Ixodes ricinus sensu stricto (Acari: Ixodidae)

Complement Resistance of Borrelia burgdorferi Correlates with the Expression of BbCRASP-1, a Novel Linear Plasmid-encoded Surface Protein That Interacts with Human Factor H and FHL-1 and Is Unrelated to Erp Proteins

Investigating the persistence of tick-borne pathogens via the R0model

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Investigating the persistence of tick-borne pathogens via the R₀model