PROTECTION OF C3H HEN MICE FROM CHALLENGE WITH BORRELIA-BURGDORFERI THROUGH ACTIVE IMMUNIZATION WITH OSPA, OSPB, OR OSPC, BUT NOT WITH OSPDOR THE 83-KILODALTON ANTIGEN/

Recent advances in the development of animal models for Lyme borrelios is have provided means of identifying potential targets for the design of a subunit vaccine to prevent this disease. The C3H/HeN mouse model was used to study several Borrelia burgdorferi antigens from a single isolate for their ability to elicit borreliacidal and protective anti bodies. The ospA, ospB, ospC, ospB, and 83-kDa genes from a California isolate, SON 188, were cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli as pr oteins fused to the C-terminal end of maltose-binding protein. Active immunization of mice with these fusion proteins elicited high titers o f antibodies that recognized the homologous SON 188 antigens upon immu noblotting. Antibodies generated to the OspA and OspB fusion proteins, but not to the OspC, OspD, and the 83-kDa fusion proteins, demonstrat ed in vitro borreliacidal activity. Challenge of all actively immunize d mice with 10(7) SON 188 spirochetes resulted in infection in all mic e receiving the OspD or 83-kDa immunogens but not in any mice receivin g the OspA, OspB, or OspC fusion proteins. These results demonstrate t he potential of OspA, OspB, and OspC as components of a subunit vaccin e for the prevention of Lyme borreliosis.